The Sacrilege of Priestly Service

1:6 “A son naturally honors his father and a slave respects11 his master. If I am your12 father, where is my honor? If I am your master, where is my respect? The Lord who rules over all asks you this, you priests who make light of my name! But you reply, ‘How have we made light of your name?’ 1:7 You are offering improper sacrifices on my altar, yet you ask, ‘How have we offended you?’ By treating the table13 of the Lord as if it is of no importance! 1:8 For when you offer blind animals as a sacrifice, is that not wrong? And when you offer the lame and sick,14 is that not wrong as well? Indeed, try offering them15 to your governor! Will he be pleased with you16 or show you favor?” asks the Lord who rules over all. 1:9 But now plead for God’s favor17 that he might be gracious to us.18 “With this kind of offering in your hands, how can he be pleased with you?” asks the Lord who rules over all.

1:10 “I wish that one of you would close the temple doors,19 so that you no longer would light useless fires on my altar. I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord who rules over all, “and I will no longer accept an offering from you. 1:11 For from the east to the west my name will be great among the nations. Incense and pure offerings will be offered in my name everywhere, for my name will be great among the nations,”20 says the Lord who rules over all. 1:12 “But you are profaning it by saying that the table of the Lord is common and its offerings21 despicable. 1:13 You also say, ‘How tiresome it is.’ You turn up your nose at it,” says the Lord who rules over all, “and instead bring what is stolen, lame, or sick. You bring these things for an offering! Should I accept this from you?”22 asks the Lord. 1:14 “There will be harsh condemnation for the hypocrite who has a valuable male animal in his flock but vows and sacrifices something inferior to the Lord. For I am a great king,”23 says the Lord who rules over all, “and my name is awesome among the nations.”