Malachi 1:6–14

Polluted Offerings

⁶“A son ^fhonors his father,

And a servant his master.

^gIf then I am the Father,

Where is My honor?

And if I am a Master,

Where is My reverence?

Says the Lord of hosts

To you priests who despise My name.

^hYet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?’

⁷“You offer ⁱdefiled food on My altar,

But say,

‘In what way have we defiled You?’

By saying,

^j‘The table of the Lord is ³contemptible.’

⁸And ^kwhen you offer the blind as a sacrifice,

Is it not evil?

And when you offer the lame and sick,

Is it not evil?

Offer it then to your governor!

Would he be pleased with you?

Would he ^laccept ⁴you favorably?”

Says the Lord of hosts.

⁹“But now entreat God’s favor,

That He may be gracious to us.

^mWhile this is being done by your hands,

Will He accept you favorably?”

Says the Lord of hosts.

¹⁰“Who is there even among you who would shut the doors,

ⁿSo that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain?

I have no pleasure in you,”

Says the Lord of hosts,

^o“Nor will I accept an offering from your hands.

¹¹For ^pfrom the rising of the sun, even to its going down,

My name shall be great ^qamong the Gentiles;

^rIn every place ^sincense shall be offered to My name,

And a pure offering;

^tFor My name shall be great among the nations,”

Says the Lord of hosts.

¹²“But you profane it,

In that you say,

^u‘The table of the ⁵Lord is defiled;

And its fruit, its food, is contemptible.’

¹³You also say,

‘Oh, what a ^vweariness!’

And you sneer at it,”

Says the Lord of hosts.

“And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick;

Thus you bring an offering!

^wShould I accept this from your hand?”

Says the Lord.

¹⁴“But cursed be ^xthe deceiver

Who has in his flock a male,

And takes a vow,

But sacrifices to the Lord ^ywhat is blemished—

For ^zI am a great King,”

Says the Lord of hosts,

“And My name is to be feared among the nations.