Malachi 3:14

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

You have said,‘It is useless to serve God. How have we been helped by keeping his requirements and going about like mourners before the LORD of Heaven’s Armies?

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Isa 58:3 : 3 They lament,‘Why don’t you notice when we fast? Why don’t you pay attention when we humble ourselves?’ Look, at the same time you fast, you satisfy your selfish desires, you oppress your workers.
  • Zeph 1:12 : 12 At that time I will search through Jerusalem with lamps. I will punish the people who are entrenched in their sin, those who think to themselves,‘The LORD neither rewards nor punishes.’
  • Zech 7:3-6 : 3 by asking both the priests of the temple of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies and the prophets,“Should we weep in the fifth month, fasting as we have done over the years?” 4 The message of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies then came to me, 5 “Speak to all the people and priests of the land as follows:‘When you fasted and lamented in the fifth and seventh months through all these seventy years, did you truly fast for me– for me, indeed? 6 And now when you eat and drink, are you not doing so for yourselves?’”
  • Jas 4:9 : 9 Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter into mourning and your joy into despair.
  • Joel 2:12 : 12 An Appeal for Repentance“Yet even now,” the LORD says,“return to me with all your heart– with fasting, weeping, and mourning.
  • Job 21:14-15 : 14 So they say to God,‘Turn away from us! We do not want to know your ways. 15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What would we gain if we were to pray to him?’
  • Job 22:17 : 17 They were saying to God,‘Turn away from us,’ and‘What can the Almighty do to us?’
  • Job 34:9 : 9 For he says,‘It does not profit a man when he makes his delight with God.’
  • Job 35:3 : 3 But you say,‘What will it profit you,’ and,‘What do I gain by not sinning?’
  • Ps 73:8-9 : 8 They mock and say evil things; they proudly threaten violence. 9 They speak as if they rule in heaven, and lay claim to the earth. 10 Therefore they have more than enough food to eat, and even suck up the water of the sea. 11 They say,“How does God know what we do? Is the Most High aware of what goes on?” 12 Take a good look! This is what the wicked are like, those who always have it so easy and get richer and richer. 13 I concluded,“Surely in vain I have kept my motives pure and maintained a pure lifestyle.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Mal 3:13
    84%

    13Resistance to the Lord through Self-sufficiency“You have criticized me sharply,” says the LORD,“but you ask,‘How have we criticized you?’

  • Mal 2:17
    79%

    17Resistance to the Lord through Self-deceit You have wearied the LORD with your words. But you say,“How have we wearied him?” Because you say,“Everyone who does evil is good in the LORD’s opinion, and he delights in them,” or“Where is the God of justice?”

  • Mal 1:12-14
    3 verses
    78%

    12“But you are profaning it by saying that the table of the Lord is common and its offerings despicable.

    13You also say,‘How tiresome it is.’ You turn up your nose at it,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies,“and instead bring what is stolen, lame, or sick. You bring these things for an offering! Should I accept this from you?” asks the LORD.

    14“There will be harsh condemnation for the hypocrite who has a valuable male animal in his flock but vows and sacrifices something inferior to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies,“and my name is awesome among the nations.”

  • Job 21:15
    78%

    15Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What would we gain if we were to pray to him?’

  • Job 34:9
    75%

    9For he says,‘It does not profit a man when he makes his delight with God.’

  • Hab 2:13
    74%

    13Be sure of this! The LORD of Heaven’s Armies has decreed: The nations’ efforts will go up in smoke; their exhausting work will be for nothing.

  • Mal 1:6-10
    5 verses
    74%

    6The Sacrilege of Priestly Service“A son naturally honors his father and a slave respects his master. If I am your father, where is my honor? If I am your master, where is my respect? The LORD of Heaven’s Armies asks you this, you priests who make light of my name! But you reply,‘How have we made light of your name?’

    7You are offering improper sacrifices on my altar, yet you ask,‘How have we offended you?’ By treating the table of the LORD as if it is of no importance!

    8For when you offer blind animals as a sacrifice, is that not wrong? And when you offer the lame and sick, is that not wrong as well? Indeed, try offering them to your governor! Will he be pleased with you or show you favor?” asks the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.

    9But now plead for God’s favor that he might be gracious to us.“With this kind of offering in your hands, how can he be pleased with you?” asks the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.

    10“I wish that one of you would close the temple doors, so that you no longer would light useless fires on my altar. I am not pleased with you,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies,“and I will no longer accept an offering from you.

  • Mal 3:15
    74%

    15So now we consider the arrogant to be happy; indeed, those who practice evil are successful. In fact, those who challenge God escape!’”

  • Isa 1:12
    74%

    12When you enter my presence, do you actually think I want this– animals trampling on my courtyards?

  • Hag 1:5-7
    3 verses
    74%

    5Here then, this is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies has said:‘Think carefully about what you are doing.

    6You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but are never filled. You drink, but are still thirsty. You put on clothes, but are not warm. Those who earn wages end up with holes in their money bags.’”

    7The Instruction of the People“Moreover, this is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies has said:‘Pay close attention to these things also.

  • Isa 58:3
    73%

    3They lament,‘Why don’t you notice when we fast? Why don’t you pay attention when we humble ourselves?’ Look, at the same time you fast, you satisfy your selfish desires, you oppress your workers.

  • Mal 2:13
    73%

    13You also do this: You cover the altar of the LORD with tears as you weep and groan, because he no longer pays any attention to the offering nor accepts it favorably from you.

  • Mal 3:7-8
    2 verses
    73%

    7From the days of your ancestors you have ignored my commandments and have not kept them! Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.“But you say,‘How should we return?’

    8Can a person rob God? You indeed are robbing me, but you say,‘How are we robbing you?’ In tithes and contributions!

  • Jer 2:5
    72%

    5This is what the Lord says:“What fault could your ancestors have possibly found in me that they strayed so far from me? They paid allegiance to worthless idols, and so became worthless to me.

  • Jer 25:7
    72%

    7So, now the LORD says,‘You have not listened to me. But you have made me angry by the things that you have done. Thus you have brought harm on yourselves.’

  • Jer 16:10
    72%

    10The Lord Promises Exile(But Also Restoration)“When you tell these people about all this, they will undoubtedly ask you,‘Why has the LORD threatened us with such great disaster? What wrong have we done? What sin have we done to offend the LORD our God?’

  • Hag 1:9
    72%

    9‘You expected a large harvest, but instead there was little. And when you would bring it home, I would blow it right away. Why?’ asks the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.‘Because my temple remains in ruins, thanks to each of you favoring his own house!

  • Neh 13:18
    72%

    18Isn’t this the way your ancestors acted, causing our God to bring on them and on this city all this misfortune? And now you are causing even more wrath on Israel, profaning the Sabbath like this!”

  • Dan 9:14
    72%

    14The LORD was mindful of the calamity, and he brought it on us. For the LORD our God is just in all he has done, and we have not obeyed him.

  • Jer 8:8
    71%

    8How can you say,“We are wise! We have the law of the LORD”? The truth is, those who teach it have used their writings to make it say what it does not really mean.

  • Jer 14:19
    71%

    19Then I said,“LORD, have you completely rejected the nation of Judah? Do you despise the city of Zion? Why have you struck us with such force that we are beyond recovery? We hope for peace, but nothing good has come of it. We hope for a time of relief from our troubles, but experience terror.

  • Exod 5:17
    71%

    17But Pharaoh replied,“You are slackers! Slackers! That is why you are saying,‘Let us go sacrifice to the LORD.’”

  • Job 27:12
    71%

    12If you yourselves have all seen this, Why in the world do you continue this meaningless talk?

  • Jer 2:29
    71%

    29“Why do you try to refute me? All of you have rebelled against me,” says the LORD.

  • Hag 2:17
    71%

    17I struck all the products of your labor with blight, disease, and hail, and yet you brought nothing to me,’ says the LORD.

  • Amos 6:13
    71%

    13You are happy because you conquered Lo-Debar. You say,“Did we not conquer Karnaim by our own power?”

  • Mal 2:8-9
    2 verses
    71%

    8You, however, have turned from the way. You have caused many to violate the law; you have corrupted the covenant with Levi,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.

    9“Therefore, I have caused you to be ignored and belittled before all people to the extent to which you are not following after me and are showing partiality in your instruction.”

  • Hos 9:5
    71%

    5So what will you do on the festival day, on the festival days of the LORD?

  • Jer 2:11
    71%

    11Has a nation ever changed its gods(even though they are not really gods at all)? But my people have exchanged me, their glorious God, for a god that cannot help them at all!

  • 1 Sam 12:21
    70%

    21You should not turn aside after empty things that can’t profit and can’t deliver, since they are empty.

  • Job 35:3
    70%

    3But you say,‘What will it profit you,’ and,‘What do I gain by not sinning?’

  • Eccl 3:9
    70%

    9Man is Ignorant of God’s Timing What benefit can a worker gain from his toil?

  • Jer 5:19
    70%

    19“So then, Jeremiah, when your people ask,‘Why has the LORD our God done all this to us?’ tell them,‘It is because you rejected me and served foreign gods in your own land. So you must serve foreigners in a land that does not belong to you.’

  • Jer 7:8
    70%

    8“‘But just look at you! You are putting your confidence in a false belief that will not deliver you.

  • Mic 3:11
    70%

    11Her leaders take bribes when they decide legal cases, her priests proclaim rulings for profit, and her prophets read omens for pay. Yet they claim to trust the LORD and say,“The LORD is among us. Disaster will not overtake us!”

  • Joel 1:13
    70%

    13Get dressed and lament, you priests! Wail, you who minister at the altar! Come, spend the night in sackcloth, you servants of my God, because no one brings grain offerings or drink offerings to the temple of your God anymore.

  • Joel 1:16
    70%

    16Our food has been cut off right before our eyes! There is no longer any joy or gladness in the temple of our God!

  • Lam 3:40
    70%

    40נ(Nun) Let us carefully examine our ways, and let us return to the LORD.

  • Dan 9:10
    70%

    10We have not obeyed the LORD our God by living according to his laws that he set before us through his servants the prophets.

  • Jer 5:12
    70%

    12“These people have denied what the LORD says. They have said,‘That is not so! No harm will come to us. We will not experience war and famine.