1The burden of the woorde of the Lorde to Israel by the ministerie of Malachi.
2I haue loued you, sayth the Lorde: yet yee say, Wherein hast thou loued vs? Was not Esau Iaakobs brother, saith the Lord? yet I loued Iaakob,
3And I hated Esau, and made his mountaines wast, & his heritage a wildernes for dragons.
4Though Edom say, wee are impouerished, but we will returne and build the desolate places, yet sayeth the Lorde of hostes, they shall builde, but I will destroy it, and they shall call them, The border of wickednes, and the people, with whome the Lord is angrie for euer.
5And your eyes shall see it, and yee shall say, The Lorde will be magnified vpon the border of Israel.
6A sonne honoureth his father, and a seruant his master. If then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my feare, sayth the Lorde of hostes vnto you, O Priestes, that despise my Name? and yee say, Wherein haue we despised thy Name?
7Ye offer vncleane bread vpon mine altar, and you say, Wherein haue we polluted thee? In that ye say the table of the Lord is not to be regarded.
8And if yee offer the blinde for sacrifice, it is not euill: and if ye offer the lame and sicke, it is not euill: offer it nowe vnto thy prince: will he be content with thee, or accept thy person, saieth the Lord of hostes?
9And nowe, I pray you, pray before God, that he may haue mercie vpon vs: this hath beene by your meanes: will hee regard your persons, sayth the Lord of hostes?
10Who is there euen among you, that would shut the doores? and kindle not fire on mine altar in vaine, I haue no pleasure in you, sayeth the Lorde of hostes, neither will I accept an offering at your hande.
11For from the rising of the sunne vnto the going downe of the same, my Name is great among the Gentiles, and in euery place incense shalbe offred vnto my Name, and a pure offering: for my Name is great among the heathen, sayeth the Lord of hostes.
12But ye haue polluted it, in that ye say, The table of the Lord is polluted & the fruit thereof, euen his meat is not to be regarded.
13Ye said also, Beholde, it is a wearines, and ye haue snuffed at it, sayth the Lord of hostes, and ye offred that which was torne, and the lame and the sicke: thus yee offred an offring: shoulde I accept this of your hand, sayth the Lord?
14But cursed be the deceiuer, which hath in his flocke a male, & voweth, and sacrificeth vnto ye Lorde a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, sayth the Lord of hostes, and my Name is terrible among the heathen.