Common English Bible CEB
English Standard Version ESV
1 A pronouncement. The LORD's word to Israel through Malachi.
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The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.
2 I have loved you, says the LORD; but you say, "How have you loved us?" Wasn't Esau Jacob's brother? says the LORD. I loved Jacob,
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“I have loved you, ” says the Lord. But you say, “How have you loved us? ” “Is not Esau Jacob’s brother? ” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob
3 but I rejected Esau. I turned Esau's mountains into desolation, his inheritance into a wilderness for jackals.
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but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert. ”
4 Edom may say, "We are beaten down, but we will rebuild the ruins"; but the LORD of heavenly forces proclaims: They may build, but I will tear them down. They will call themselves a wicked territory, the people against whom the LORD rages forever.
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If Edom says, “We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins, ” the Lord of hosts says, “They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country, ’ and ‘the people with whom the Lord is angry forever. ’”
5 Your eyes will see it and you will say, "May the LORD be great beyond the borders of Israel."
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Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, “Great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel! ”
6 A son honors a father, and a servant honors his master. But if I'm a father, where is my honor? Or if I'm a master, where is my respect? says the LORD of heavenly forces to you priests who despise my name. So you say, "How have we despised your name?"
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“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name? ’
7 By approaching my altar with polluted food. But you say, "How have we polluted it?" When you say, "The table of the LORD can be despised."
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By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, ‘How have we polluted you? ’ By saying that the Lord’s table may be despised.
8 If you bring a blind animal to sacrifice, isn't that evil? If you bring a lame or sick one, isn't that evil? Would you bring it to your governor? Would he be pleased with it or accept you? says the LORD of heavenly forces.
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When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts.
9 So now ask God to be gracious to us. After what you have done, will he accept you? says the LORD of heavenly forces.
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And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says the Lord of hosts.
10 Who among you will shut the doors of the temple so that you don't burn something on my altar in vain? I take no delight in you, says the LORD of heavenly forces. I won't accept a grain offering from your hand.
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Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand.
11 Nevertheless, from sunrise to sunset, my name will be great among the nations. Incense and a pure grain offering will be offered everywhere in my name, because my name is great among the nations, says the LORD of heavenly forces.
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For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.
12 But you make my name impure when you say, "The table of the LORD is polluted. Its fruit, its food, is despised."
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But you profane it when you say that the Lord’s table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised.
13 But you say, "How tedious!" and you groan about it, says the LORD of heavenly forces. You permit what is stolen, lame, or sick to be brought for a sacrifice, and you bring the grain offering. Should I accept such from your hands? says the LORD.
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But you say, ‘What a weariness this is, ’ and you snort at it, says the Lord of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the Lord.
14 I will curse the cheater who has a healthy male in his flock, but who promises and sacrifices to the LORD that which is corrupt. I am truly a great king, says the LORD of heavenly forces, and my name is feared among the nations.
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Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025