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[1]The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by the ministry of 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,
[3]And I hated Esau, and made his mountains waste, and his heritage a wilderness for dragons.
[4]Though Edom say, we are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places, yet saith the Lord of hosts, they shall build, but I will destroy it, and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and the people, with whom the Lord is angry forever.
[5]And your eyes shall see it, and ye shall say, The Lord will be magnified upon the border of Israel.
[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 my fear, saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name? And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?
[7]Ye offer unclean bread upon mine altar, and you say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say the table of the Lord is not to be regarded.
[8]And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, it is not evil: and if ye offer the lame and sick, it is not evil: offer it now unto thy prince: will he be content with thee, or accept thy person, saith the Lord of hosts?
[9]And now, I pray you, pray before God, that he may have mercy upon us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons, saith the Lord of hosts?
[10]Who is there even among you, that would shut the doors? And kindle not fire on mine altar in vain, I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.
[11]For from the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same, my name is great among the Gentiles, and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name is great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts.
[12]But ye have polluted it, in that ye say, The table of the Lord is polluted and the fruit thereof, even his meat is not to be regarded.
[13]Ye said also, Behold, it is a weariness, and ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts, and ye offered that which was torn, and the lame and the sick: thus ye offered an offering: should I accept this of your hand, saith 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 terrible among the heathen.
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