An oracle: the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi.

When you offer the blind for sacrifice, isn't that evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, isn't that evil? Present it now to your governor. Will he be pleased with you? Or will he accept your person?" says the LORD of hosts.

"Now, please entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With this, will he accept any of you?" says the LORD of hosts.

For from the rising of the sun even to the going down of the same, my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering: for my name is great among the nations," says the LORD of hosts.

You say also, 'Behold, what a weariness it is.' and you have sniffed at it," says the LORD of hosts; "and you have brought that which was taken by violence, the lame, and the sick; thus you bring the offering. Should I accept this at your hand?" says the LORD.

Behold, I will rebuke your seed, and will spread dung on your faces, even the dung of your feasts; and you will be taken away with it.

You will know that I have sent this commandment to you, that my covenant may be with Levi," says the LORD of hosts.

"My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him that he might be reverent toward me; and he was reverent toward me, and stood in awe of my name.

Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in ancient years.

I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against the perjurers, and against those who oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and who deprive the foreigner of justice, and do not fear me," says the LORD of hosts.

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and test me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough for.

"All nations shall call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land," says the LORD of hosts.

They shall be mine," says the LORD of hosts, "my own possession in the day that I make, and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him.

"For, behold, the day comes, it burns as a furnace; and all the proud, and all who work wickedness, will be stubble; and the day that comes will burn them up," says the LORD of hosts, "that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

You shall tread down the wicked; for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I make," says the LORD of hosts.