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1. A message from God. This message is from the Lord to Israel. God used Malachi to give this message.
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1. The burden H4853 of the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 to H413 Israel H3478 by H3027 Malachi H4401 .
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2. The Lord said, "I love you people." But you said, "What shows you love us?" The Lord said, "Esau was Jacob's brother, but I chose Jacob.
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2. I have loved H157 you, saith H559 the LORD H3068 . Yet ye say H559 , Wherein H4100 hast thou loved H157 us? Was not H3808 Esau H6215 Jacob H3290 's brother H251 ? saith H5002 the LORD H3068 : yet I loved H157 H853 Jacob H3290 ,
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3. And I did not accept Esau. I destroyed his hill country. His country was destroyed, and now only wild dogs live there."
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3. And I hated H8130 Esau H6215 , and laid H7760 H853 his mountains H2022 and his heritage H5159 waste H8077 for the dragons H8568 of the wilderness H4057 .
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4. The people of Edom might say, "We were destroyed, but we will go back and rebuild our cities." But the Lord All-Powerful says, "If they rebuild their cities, I will destroy them again." That is why people say Edom is an evil country�a nation the Lord hates forever.
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4. Whereas H3588 Edom H123 saith H559 , We are impoverished H7567 , but we will return H7725 and build H1129 the desolate places H2723 ; thus H3541 saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 , They H1992 shall build H1129 , but I H589 will throw down H2040 ; and they shall call H7121 them , The border H1366 of wickedness H7564 , and , The people H5971 against whom H834 the LORD H3068 hath indignation H2194 forever H5704 H5769 .
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5. You people saw these things, and you said, "The Lord is great, even outside of Israel!"
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5. And your eyes H5869 shall see H7200 , and ye H859 shall say H559 , The LORD H3068 will be magnified H1431 from H4480 H5921 the border H1366 of Israel H3478 .
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6. The Lord All-Powerful said, "Children honor their fathers. Servants honor their masters. I am your Father, so why don't you honor me? I am your master, so why don't you respect me? You priests don't respect my name. "But you say, 'What have we done that shows we don't respect your name?'
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6. A son H1121 honoreth H3513 his father H1 , and a servant H5650 his master H113 : if H518 then I H589 be a father H1 , where H346 is mine honor H3519 ? and if H518 I H589 be a master H113 , where H346 is my fear H4172 ? saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 unto you , O priests H3548 , that despise H959 my name H8034 . And ye say H559 , Wherein H4100 have we despised H959 H853 thy name H8034 ?
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7. "You bring unclean bread to my altar. "But you ask, 'What makes that bread unclean?' It is unclean because you show no respect for my altar.
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7. Ye offer H5066 polluted H1351 bread H3899 upon H5921 mine altar H4196 ; and ye say H559 , Wherein H4100 have we polluted H1351 thee? In that ye say H559 , The table H7979 of the LORD H3068 is contemptible H959 .
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8. You bring blind animals as sacrifices, and that is wrong. You bring sick and crippled animals for sacrifices, and that is wrong. Try giving those sick animals as a gift to your governor. Would he accept those sick animals? No, he would not accept them." This is what the Lord All-Powerful said.
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8. And if H3588 ye offer H5066 the blind H5787 for sacrifice H2076 , is it not H369 evil H7451 ? and if H3588 ye offer H5066 the lame H6455 and sick H2470 , is it not H369 evil H7451 ? offer H7126 it now H4994 unto thy governor H6346 ; will he be pleased H7521 with thee, or H176 accept H5375 thy person H6440 ? saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 .
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9. Now try asking God to be good to you. But he will not listen to you, and it is your fault." This is what the Lord All-Powerful said.
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9. And now H6258 , I pray you H4994 , beseech H2470 God H410 that he will be gracious H2603 unto us: this H2063 hath been H1961 by your means H4480 H3027 : will he regard H5375 your H4480 persons H6440 ? saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 .
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10. "I wish one of you would close the Temple doors to stop the lighting of useless fires on my altar. I am not pleased with you. I will not accept your gifts." This is what the Lord All-Powerful said.
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10. Who H4310 is there even H1571 among you that would shut H5462 the doors H1817 for naught ? neither H3808 do ye kindle H215 fire on mine altar H4196 for naught H2600 . I have no H369 pleasure H2656 in you, saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 , neither H3808 will I accept H7521 an offering H4503 at your hand H4480 H3027 .
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11. "People all around the world respect my name. All around the world they bring good gifts to me and burn good incense as a gift to me, because my name is important to all of them." This is what the Lord All- Powerful said.
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11. For H3588 from the rising H4480 H4217 of the sun H8121 even unto H5704 the going down H3996 of the same my name H8034 shall be great H1419 among the Gentiles H1471 ; and in every H3605 place H4725 incense H6999 shall be offered H5066 unto my name H8034 , and a pure H2889 offering H4503 : for H3588 my name H8034 shall be great H1419 among the heathen H1471 , saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 .
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12. "But you people show that you don't respect my name. You say that the Lord's altar is unclean. And you don't like the food from that altar.
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12. But ye H859 have profaned H2490 it , in that ye say H559 , The table H7979 of the LORD H136 is polluted H1351 ; and the fruit H5108 thereof, even his meat H400 , is contemptible H959 .
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13. You smell the food and refuse to eat it. You say it is bad. Then you bring sick, crippled, and hurt animals to me. You try to give sick animals to me as sacrifices, but I will not accept them.
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13. Ye said H559 also, Behold H2009 , what a weariness H4972 H8513 is it ! and ye have snuffed at H5301 it, saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 ; and ye brought H935 that which was torn H1497 , and the lame H6455 , and the sick H2470 ; thus ye brought H935 H853 an offering H4503 : should I accept H7521 this of your hand H4480 H3027 ? saith H559 the LORD H3068 .
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14. Some people have good, male animals that they could give as sacrifices. {But they don't give those good animals to me.} Some people bring good animals and promise to give those healthy animals to me. But then they secretly exchange those good animals and give me sick animals instead. Bad things will happen to those people. I am the Great King and people all around the world respect me!" This is what the Lord All-Powerful said.
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14. But cursed H779 be the deceiver H5230 , which hath H3426 in his flock H5739 a male H2145 , and voweth H5087 , and sacrificeth H2076 unto the Lord H136 a corrupt thing H7843 : for H3588 I H589 am a great H1419 King H4428 , saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 , and my name H8034 is dreadful H3372 among the heathen H1471 .
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