1This is Jehovahs Word, a divine revelation to Israel through His Messenger, Malachi: 2»I have loved you,« said Jehovah. You replied: »How have you loved us?« »Was Esau Jacob's brother?« Responded Jehovah: »Yet I loved Jacob. 3»And yet I hated Esau and his descendants. I devastated Esau's hill country and abandoned his inheritance to the desert jackals.« 4Esau's descendants, the Edomites, say: »Our towns have been destroyed, but we will rebuild them.« Thus Jehovah will reply: »Let them rebuild. I will tear them down again. People will call them the evil country. They are the nation with whom Jehovah has a long lasting anger. 5The people of Israel will see this with their own eyes. They will say: Jehovah is mighty even outside the land of Israel!« 6Jehovah of Hosts declares to the priests: »Children honor their parents and servants honor their masters. I am your father. Why do you not honor me? I am your master. Why do you not respect me? You despise me, and yet you ask: How have we despised you?« 7»This is how you despise me. You offer worthless food on my altar. Then you ask: How have we failed to respect you? I tell you it is by showing contempt for my altar. 8»You bring blind, sick and lame animals to sacrifice to me. Do you think there is nothing wrong with that? Try giving an animal like that to the governor! Would he be pleased with you or grant you any favors? 9»Try asking God to show you favor. He will not answer your prayer! It will be your fault,« Jehovah the Almighty declares. 10Jehovah of Hosts continues: »Is there one among you who will shut the Temple doors to prevent lighting a useless fire on my altar. I am not pleased with you! I will not accept the offerings you bring me. 11»Where ever the sun rises and sets my name will be great among the people of the nations. Incense will be offered to my name everywhere. It will be a pure offering! For my name will be great among the nations,« said Jehovah of Hosts. 12»You profane it by saying: The table of Jehovah is polluted and the fruit and food on it is contemptible. 13»And you say: We are tired of all this! You turn up your nose at me. You offer the lame and the sick and even stolen animals,« said Jehovah. »Do you think I will accept that from you? 14»The cheater who sacrifices a worthless animal to me will be cursed. For he has in his flock a good animal that he promised to give me! I am a great King,« Jehovah of Hosts declares. »People of all nations will respect my name!«