The Bible in Basic English BBE
Good News Translation GNT
1 The word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.
1
This is the message that the Lord gave Malachi to tell the people of Israel.
2 You have been loved by me, says the Lord. But you say, Where was your love for us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? says the Lord: but Jacob was loved by me,
2
The Lord says to his people, "I have always loved you." But they reply, "How have you shown your love for us?" The Lord answers, "Esau and Jacob were brothers, but I have loved Jacob and his descendants,
3 And Esau was hated, and I sent destruction on his mountains, and gave his heritage to the beasts of the waste land.
3
and have hated Esau and his descendants. I have devastated Esau's hill country and abandoned the land to jackals."
4 Though Edom says, We are crushed down but we will come back, building up the waste places; this is what the Lord of armies has said: They may put up buildings, but I will have them pulled down; and they will be named The land of evil-doing, and The people against whom the Lord keeps his wrath for ever.
4
If Esau's descendants, the Edomites, say, "Our towns have been destroyed, but we will rebuild them," then the Lord will reply, "Let them rebuild - I will tear them down again. People will call them "The evil country' and "The nation with whom the Lord is angry forever.' "
5 And your eyes will see it; and you will say, The Lord is great even outside the limits of Israel.
5
The people of Israel are going to see this with their own eyes, and they will say, "The Lord is mighty even outside the land of Israel!"
6 A son gives honour to his father, and a servant has fear of his master: if then I am a father, where is my honour? and if I am a master, where is the fear of me? says the Lord of armies to you, O priests, who give no value to my name. And you say, How have we not given value to your name?
6
The Lord Almighty says to the priests, "Children honor their parents, and servants honor their masters. I am your father - why don't you honor me? I am your master - why don't you respect me? You despise me, and yet you ask, "How have we despised you?'
7 You put unclean bread on my altar. And you say, How have we made it unclean? By your saying, The table of the Lord is of no value.
7
This is how - by offering worthless food on my altar. Then you ask, "How have we failed to respect you?' I will tell you - by showing contempt for my altar.
8 And when you give what is blind for an offering, it is no evil! and when you give what is damaged and ill, it is no evil! Give it now to your ruler; will he be pleased with you, or will you have his approval? says the Lord of armies.
8
When you bring a blind or sick or lame animal to sacrifice to me, do you think there's nothing wrong with that? Try giving an animal like that to the governor! Would he be pleased with you or grant you any favors?"
9 And now, make request for the grace of God so that he may have mercy on us: this has been your doing: will he give his approval to any of you? says the Lord of armies.
9
Now, you priests, try asking God to be good to us. He will not answer your prayer, and it will be your fault.
10 If only there was one among you who would see that the doors were shut, so that you might not put a light to the fire on my altar for nothing! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of armies, and I will not take an offering from your hands.
10
The Lord Almighty says, "I wish one of you would close the Temple doors so as to prevent you from lighting useless fires on my altar. I am not pleased with you; I will not accept the offerings you bring me.
11 For, from the coming up of the sun till its going down, my name is great among the Gentiles; and in every place the smell of burning flesh is offered to my name, and a clean offering: for my name is great among the Gentiles, says the Lord of armies.
11
People from one end of the world to the other honor me. Everywhere they burn incense to me and offer acceptable sacrifices. All of them honor me!
12 But you make it unholy by saying, The Lord's table has become unclean, and his food is of no value.
12
But you dishonor me when you say that my altar is worthless and when you offer on it food that you despise.
13 And you say, See, what a weariness it is! and you let out your breath at it, says the Lord of armies; and you have given what has been cut about by beasts, and what is damaged in its feet and ill; this is the offering you give: will this be pleasing to me from your hands? says the Lord.
13
You say, "How tired we are of all this!' and you turn up your nose at me. As your offering to me you bring a stolen animal or one that is lame or sick. Do you think I will accept that from you?
14 A curse on the false man who has a male in his flock, and takes his oath, and gives to the Lord a damaged thing: for I am a great King, says the Lord of armies, and my name is to be feared among the Gentiles.
14
A curse on the cheater who sacrifices a worthless animal to me, when he has in his flock a good animal that he promised to give me! For I am a great king, and people of all nations fear me."
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.