Malachi 1
New King James Version

Polluted Offerings to God

1 The^[a]burden of the word of theLordto Israel^[b]by Malachi.

Israel Beloved of God

²“I^(A)have loved you,” says theLord.
“Yet you say, ‘In what way have You loved us?’
Wasnot Esau Jacob’s brother?”
Says theLord.
“Yet^(B)Jacob I have loved;
³But Esau I have hated,
And^(C)laid waste his mountains and his heritage
For the jackals of the wilderness.”

⁴Even though Edom has said,
“We have been impoverished,
But we will return and build the desolate places,”

Thus says theLordof hosts:

“They may build, but I will^(D)throw down;
They shall be called the Territory of Wickedness,
And the people against whom theLordwill have indignation forever.
⁵Your eyes shall see,
And you shall say,
^(E)‘TheLordis magnified beyond the border of Israel.’

Polluted Offerings

⁶“A son^(F)honorshisfather,
And a servanthismaster.
^(G)If then I am the Father,
WhereisMy honor?
And if Iama Master,
WhereisMy reverence?
Says theLordof hosts
To you priests who despise My name.
^(H)Yet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?’

⁷“You offer^(I)defiled food on My altar,
But say,
‘In what way have we defiled You?’
By saying,
^(J)‘The table of theLordis^[c]contemptible.’
⁸And^(K)when you offer the blind as a sacrifice,
Is itnot evil?
And when you offer the lame and sick,
Is itnot evil?
Offer it then to your governor!
Would he be pleased with you?
Would he^(L)accept^[d]you favorably?”
Says theLordof hosts.

⁹“But now entreat God’s favor,
That He may be gracious to us.
^(M)Whilethis is beingdoneby your hands,
Will He accept you favorably?”
Says theLordof hosts.
¹⁰“Whois thereeven among you who would shut the doors,
^(N)So that you would not kindle fireonMy altar in vain?
I have no pleasure in you,”
Says theLordof hosts,
^(O)“Nor will I accept an offering from your hands.
¹¹For^(P)from the rising of the sun, even to its going down,
My nameshall begreat^(Q)among the Gentiles;
^(R)In every place^(S)incenseshall beoffered to My name,
And a pure offering;
^(T)For My name shall be great among the nations,”
Says theLordof hosts.

¹²“But you profane it,
In that you say,
^(U)‘The table of the^[e]Lordis defiled;
And its fruit, its food,iscontemptible.’
¹³You also say,
‘Oh, what a^(V)weariness!’
And you sneer at it,”
Says theLordof hosts.
“And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick;
Thus you bring an offering!
^(W)Should I accept this from your hand?”
Says theLord.
¹⁴“But cursedbe^(X)the deceiver
Who has in his flock a male,
And takes a vow,
But sacrifices to the Lord^(Y)what is blemished—
For^(Z)Iama great King,”
Says theLordof hosts,
“And My nameis to befeared among the nations.