Third Millennium Bible TMB
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by the hand of Malachi.
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This is a divine revelation. The LORD spoke his word to Israel through 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,
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"I loved you," says the LORD. "But you ask, 'How did you love us?' "Wasn't Esau Jacob's brother?" declares the LORD. "I loved Jacob,
3 and I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness."
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but Esau I hated. I turned his mountains into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the jackals in the desert.
4 Whereas Edom saith, "We are impoverished, but we will return and rebuild 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 forever.
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"The descendants of Esau may say, 'We have been beaten down, but we will rebuild the ruins.' "Yet, this is what the LORD of Armies says: They may rebuild, but I will tear it down. They will be called 'the Wicked Land' and 'the people with whom the LORD is always angry.'
5 And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, `The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel.'
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You will see these things with your own eyes and say, 'Even outside the borders of Israel the LORD is great.'
6 "A son honoreth his father, and a servant his master. If then I be a father, where is Mine honor? And if I be a master, where is the fear of Me? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, who despise My name. And ye say, `Wherein have we despised Thy name?'
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"This is what the LORD of Armies says: A son honors his father, and a servant honors his master. So if I am a father, where is my honor? If I am a master, where is my respect? You priests despise my name. "But you ask, 'How 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.'
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"You offer contaminated food on my altar. "But you ask, 'Then how have we contaminated you?' "When you say that the LORD's table may be despised.
8 And if ye offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not evil? And if ye offer the lame and sick, is that not evil? Offer it now unto thy governor! Will he be pleased with thee or accept thy person?" saith the LORD of hosts.
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When you bring a blind animal to sacrifice, isn't that wrong? When you bring a lame or a sick animal, isn't that wrong? Try offering it to your governor. Would he accept it from you? Would he welcome you?" asks the LORD of Armies.
9 "And now, I pray you, beseech God that He will be gracious unto us. This has been by your hand: Will He regard your persons?" saith the LORD of hosts.
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"Now try asking God to be kind to you. This is what you are doing! Will he welcome you?" asks the LORD of Armies.
10 "Who is there even among you who 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 from your hand.
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"I wish one of you would shut the doors [to my house] so that you could not light fires on my altar for no reason. I'm not pleased with you," says the LORD of Armies, "and I won't accept your offerings.
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.
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"From the nations where the sun rises to the nations where the sun sets, my name will be great. Incense and pure offerings will be offered everywhere in my name, because my name will be great among the nations," says the LORD of Armies.
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.'
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"But you dishonor it when you say that the Lord's table may be contaminated and that its food may be despised.
13 Ye said also, `Behold, what a weariness is it!' And ye have sniffed 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 from your hand?" saith the LORD.
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"You say, 'Oh what a nuisance it is,' and you sniff at it in disgust," says the LORD of Armies. "You bring stolen, lame, and sick animals. When you bring such offerings, should I accept them from you?" asks the LORD.
14 "But cursed be the deceiver who 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.
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"Cheaters are under a curse. They have male animals in their flocks that they vow to give [as a sacrifice]. But they sacrifice second-rate ones to the Lord instead. I am a great king," says the LORD of Armies. "Among the nations my name is respected.
Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.