Malachi 2:1–9

Corrupt Priests

2“And now, O ^apriests, this commandment is for you.

^2bIf you will not hear,

And if you will not take it to heart,

To give glory to My name,”

Says the Lord of hosts,

“I will send a curse upon you,

And I will curse your blessings.

Yes, I have cursed them ^calready,

Because you do not take it to heart.

³“Behold, I will rebuke your descendants

And spread ^drefuse on your faces,

The refuse of your solemn feasts;

And one will ^etake you away ¹with it.

⁴Then you shall know that I have sent this commandment to you,

That My covenant with Levi may continue,”

Says the Lord of hosts.

⁵“My ^fcovenant was with him, one of life and peace,

And I gave them to him ^gthat he might fear Me;

So he feared Me

And was reverent before My name.

^6hThe ²law of truth was in his mouth,

And ³injustice was not found on his lips.

He walked with Me in peace and equity,

And ⁱturned many away from iniquity.

⁷“For ^jthe lips of a priest should keep knowledge,

And people should seek the law from his mouth;

^kFor he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.

⁸But you have departed from the way;

You ^lhave caused many to stumble at the law.

^mYou have corrupted the covenant of Levi,”

Says the Lord of hosts.

⁹“Therefore ⁿI also have made you contemptible and base

Before all the people,

Because you have not kept My ways

But have shown ^opartiality in the law.”