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1. "Priests, this rule is for you.
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1. And now H6258 , O ye priests H3548 , this H2063 commandment H4687 is for H413 you.
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2. Listen to me! Pay attention to what I say. Show honor to my name. If you don't respect my name, bad things will happen to you. You will say blessings, but they will become curses. I will make bad things happen because you don't show respect for my name." This is what the Lord All-Powerful said.
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2. If H518 ye will not H3808 hear H8085 , and if H518 ye will not H3808 lay H7760 it to H5921 heart H3820 , to give H5414 glory H3519 unto my name H8034 , saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 , I will even send H7971 H853 a curse H3994 upon you , and I will curse H779 H853 your blessings H1293 : yea H1571 , I have cursed H779 them already, because H3588 ye do not H369 lay H7760 it to H5921 heart H3820 .
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3. "Look, I will punish your descendants. During the festivals, you priests offer sacrifices to me. You take the dung and inside parts from the dead animals and throw them away. But I will smear the dung on your faces, and you will be thrown away with it!
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3. Behold H2009 , I will corrupt H1605 H853 your seed H2233 , and spread H2219 dung H6569 upon H5921 your faces H6440 , even the dung H6569 of your solemn feasts H2282 ; and one shall take you away H5375 H853 with H413 it.
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4. Then you will learn why I am giving you this command. I am telling you these things so that my agreement with Levi will continue." This is what the Lord All-Powerful said.
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4. And ye shall know H3045 that H3588 I have sent H7971 this H2063 H853 commandment H4687 unto H413 you , that my covenant H1285 might be H1961 with H854 Levi H3878 , saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 .
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5. {The Lord said,} "I made that agreement with Levi. I promised to give him life and peace�and I gave him those things. Levi respected me and showed honor to my name.
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5. My covenant H1285 was H1961 with H854 him of life H2416 and peace H7965 ; and I gave H5414 them to him for the fear H4172 wherewith he feared H3372 me , and was afraid H2865 before H4480 H6440 my name H8034 .
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6. He taught the true teachings and didn't teach lies. Levi was honest, and he loved peace. He followed me and saved many people from being punished for the evil things they did.
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6. The law H8451 of truth H571 was H1961 in his mouth H6310 , and iniquity H5766 was not H3808 found H4672 in his lips H8193 : he walked H1980 with H854 me in peace H7965 and equity H4334 , and did turn many away H7725 H7227 from iniquity H4480 H5771 .
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7. A priest should know God's teachings. People should be able to go to a priest and learn God's teachings. A priest should be God's messenger to the people.
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7. For H3588 the priest H3548 's lips H8193 should keep H8104 knowledge H1847 , and they should seek H1245 the law H8451 at his mouth H4480 H6310 : for H3588 he H1931 is the messenger H4397 of the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 .
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8. "But you priests stopped following me! You used the teachings to make people do wrong. You ruined the agreement with Levi." This is what the Lord All-Powerful said.
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8. But ye H859 are departed H5493 out of H4480 the way H1870 ; ye have caused many to stumble H3782 H7227 at the law H8451 ; ye have corrupted H7843 the covenant H1285 of Levi H3878 , saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 .
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9. "You don't live the way I told you. You have not accepted my teachings. So I will make you unimportant, and people will stop respecting you."
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9. Therefore have I H589 also H1571 made H5414 you contemptible H959 and base H8217 before all H3605 the people H5971 , according as H6310 H834 ye have not H369 kept H8104 H853 my ways H1870 , but have been partial H5375 H6440 in the law H8451 .
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10. We all have the same father. The same God made every one of us. So why do people cheat their brothers? They show that they don't respect the agreement. They don't respect the agreement that our ancestors made with God.
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10. Have we not H3808 all H3605 one H259 father H1 ? hath not H3808 one H259 God H410 created H1254 us? why H4069 do we deal treacherously H898 every man H376 against his brother H251 , by profaning H2490 the covenant H1285 of our fathers H1 ?
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11. The people of Judah cheated other people. People in Jerusalem and Israel did terrible things. God loves the Temple, but the people in Judah didn't respect the Lord's holy Temple. The people of Judah began to worship a foreign goddess.
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11. Judah H3063 hath dealt treacherously H898 , and an abomination H8441 is committed H6213 in Israel H3478 and in Jerusalem H3389 ; for H3588 Judah H3063 hath profaned H2490 the holiness H6944 of the LORD H3068 which H834 he loved H157 , and hath married H1166 the daughter H1323 of a strange H5236 god H410 .
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12. The Lord will remove them from Judah's family. They might bring gifts to the Lord All-Powerful�but it will not help.
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12. The LORD H3068 will cut off H3772 the man H376 that H834 doeth H6213 this , the master H5782 and the scholar H6030 , out of the tabernacles H4480 H168 of Jacob H3290 , and him that offereth H5066 an offering H4503 unto the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 .
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13. You can cry and cover the Lord's altar with tears, but the Lord will not accept your gifts. He will not be pleased with the things you bring to him.
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13. And this H2063 have ye done H6213 again H8145 , covering H3680 H853 the altar H4196 of the LORD H3068 with tears H1832 , with weeping H1065 , and with crying out H603 , insomuch that he regardeth H6437 H413 not H4480 H369 the offering H4503 any more H5750 , or receiveth H3947 it with good will H7522 at your hand H4480 H3027 .
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14. You ask, "Why are our gifts not accepted by the Lord?" It is because the Lord saw the evil things you did�he is a witness against you. He saw you cheat on your wife. You have been married to her since you were young. She was your girlfriend. Then you made your vows to each other�and she became your wife. {But you cheated on her.} 15God wants husbands and wives to become one body and one spirit. Why? So that they would have holy children and protect that spiritual unity. Don't cheat on your wife. She has been your wife from the time you were young.
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14. Yet ye say H559 , Wherefore H5921 H4100 ? Because H5921 H3588 the LORD H3068 hath been witness H5749 between H996 thee and the wife H802 of thy youth H5271 , against whom H834 thou H859 hast dealt treacherously H898 : yet is she H1931 thy companion H2278 , and the wife H802 of thy covenant H1285 .
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15. And did not H3808 he make H6213 one H259 ? Yet had he the residue H7605 of the spirit H7307 . And wherefore H4100 one H259 ? That he might seek H1245 a godly H430 seed H2233 . Therefore take heed H8104 to your spirit H7307 , and let none H408 deal treacherously H898 against the wife H802 of his youth H5271 .
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16. The Lord, the God of Israel, says, "I hate divorce, and I hate the cruel things that men do. So protect your spiritual unity. Don't cheat on your wife."
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16. For H3588 the LORD H3068 , the God H430 of Israel H3478 , saith H559 that he hateth H8130 putting away H7971 : for one covereth H3680 violence H2555 with H5921 his garment H3830 , saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 : therefore take heed H8104 to your spirit H7307 , that ye deal not treacherously H898 H3808 .
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17. You have taught wrong things, and it makes the Lord very sad. People were doing evil things, but you said that this pleased the Lord and that he accepted those things. And you taught that God does not punish people for the evil they do.
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17. Ye have wearied H3021 the LORD H3068 with your words H1697 . Yet ye say H559 , Wherein H4100 have we wearied H3021 him ? When ye say H559 , Every one H3605 that doeth H6213 evil H7451 is good H2896 in the sight H5869 of the LORD H3068 , and he H1931 delighteth H2654 in them; or H176 , Where H346 is the God H430 of judgment H4941 ?
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