Malachi 1
"I have loved you," says the LORD — yet Israel asks, "How have You loved us?" The LORD points to His choice of Jacob over Esau. The priests dishonor His name by offering polluted bread, blind and lame animals on His altar. "From the rising of the sun to its going down, My name shall be great among the heathen," but Israel has profaned it.
| v | King James Version | Modern English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi. | The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi. |
| 2 | I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob, | "I have loved You," says the LORD. Yet You say, "In what way have You loved us?" "Was not Esau Jacob's brother?" says the LORD. "Yet I loved Jacob, |
| 3 | And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. | and I hated Esau. I laid his mountains waste and gave his heritage over to the dragons of the wilderness." |
| 4 | Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever. | Edom says, "We are beaten down, but we will return and rebuild the desolate places." This is what the LORD of hosts says: "They may build, but I will throw it down. They shall be called the border of wickedness, and the people against whom the LORD has indignation forever." |
| 5 | And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel. | Your own eyes shall see it, and You shall say, "The LORD is magnified beyond the border of Israel." |
| 6 | A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? | "A son honors His father, and a servant His master. If then I am a Father, where is My honor? If I am a Master, where is My fear?" says the LORD of hosts to You, O priests who despise My name. Yet You say, "In what way have we despised Your name?" |
| 7 | Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible. | You offer polluted bread on My altar. And You say, "In what way have we polluted You?" By saying, "The table of the LORD is contemptible." |
| 8 | And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts. | When You offer the blind animal as a sacrifice, is that not evil? When You offer the lame and the sick, is that not evil? Offer it now to Your governor — will He be pleased with You, or accept You favorably?" says the LORD of hosts. |
| 9 | And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the LORD of hosts. | "And now, plead with God that He will be gracious to us. This has come from Your hand — will He regard You favorably?" says the LORD of hosts. |
| 10 | Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. | "Oh that one of You would shut the temple doors, so that You would not kindle a useless fire on My altar! I have no pleasure in You," says the LORD of hosts, "nor will I accept an offering from Your hand. |
| 11 | For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts. | For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same, My name shall be great among the Gentiles. In every place incense shall be offered to My name, and a pure offering. For My name shall be great among the heathen," says the LORD of hosts. |
| 12 | But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible. | "But You have profaned it, in that You say, 'The table of the LORD is polluted, and its fruit, even its food, is contemptible.' |
| 13 | Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD. | You also say, 'What a weariness it is!' and You sneer at it," says the LORD of hosts. "You bring what was torn, and the lame, and the sick — and this is the offering You bring. Should I accept this from Your hand?" says the LORD. |
| 14 | But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen. | "Cursed is the deceiver who has a sound male in his flock, and vows to give it, yet sacrifices to the Lord what is corrupt. For I am a great King," says the LORD of hosts, "and My name is to be feared among the heathen. |