1 | The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.
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2 | I have loved you, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us?
Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the Lord: yet I loved Jacob,
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3 | And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the
dragons of the wilderness.
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4 | Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the
desolate places; thus saith the Lord of hosts, They shall build, but I will
throw down; and they shall call them, the border of wickedness, and, the people
against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever.
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5 | And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The Lord will be magnified from
the border of Israel.
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6 | A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a
father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear?
saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say,
Wherein have we despised thy name?
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7 | Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we
polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the Lord is contemptible.
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8 | And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer
the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be
pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the Lord of hosts.
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9 | And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this
hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the Lord of hosts.
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10 | Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought?
neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in
you, saith the Lord of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.
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11 | For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my
name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be
offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among
the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts.
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12 | But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the Lord is
polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible.
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13 | Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it,
saith the Lord of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame,
and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand?
saith the Lord.
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14 | But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth,
and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith
the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.
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