MALACHI 1

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  1:1 The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi. The Lord’s Love for Israel2 “I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob 3 but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.” 4 If Edom says, “We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins,” the Lord of hosts says, “They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country,’ and ‘the people with whom the Lord is angry forever.’” 5 Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, “Great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel!” The Priests’ Polluted Offerings6 “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ 7 By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that the Lord’s table may be despised. 8 When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts. 9 And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says the Lord of hosts. 10 Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand. 11 For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts. 12 But you profane it when you say that the Lord’s table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised. 13 But you say, ‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says the Lord of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the Lord. 14 Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations.

MALACHI 2

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The Lord Rebukes the Priests  2:1 “And now, O priests, this command is for you. 2 If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. 3 Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it. 4 So shall you know that I have sent this command to you, that my covenant with Levi may stand, says the Lord of hosts. 5 My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name. 6 True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. 7 For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. 8 But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts, 9 and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but show partiality in your instruction.” Judah Profaned the Covenant10 Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers? 11 Judah has been faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the Lord, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. 12 May the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob any descendant of the man who does this, who brings an offering to the Lord of hosts!
    13 And this second thing you do. You cover the Lord’s altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. 14 But you say, “Why does he not?” Because the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. 15 Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth. 16 “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.” The Messenger of the Lord17 You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”

PROVERBS 25

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More Proverbs of Solomon  25:1 These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied.
2

It is the glory of God to conceal things,

but the glory of kings is to search things out. 3

As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth,

so the heart of kings is unsearchable. 4

Take away the dross from the silver,

and the smith has material for a vessel; 5

take away the wicked from the presence of the king,

and his throne will be established in righteousness. 6

Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence

or stand in the place of the great,
7

for it is better to be told, “Come up here,”

than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.

What your eyes have seen 8

do not hastily bring into court,

for what will you do in the end,

when your neighbor puts you to shame? 9

Argue your case with your neighbor himself,

and do not reveal another’s secret, 10

lest he who hears you bring shame upon you,

and your ill repute have no end.
11

A word fitly spoken

is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. 12

Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold

is a wise reprover to a listening ear. 13

Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest

is a faithful messenger to those who send him;

he refreshes the soul of his masters. 14

Like clouds and wind without rain

is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give.
15

With patience a ruler may be persuaded,

and a soft tongue will break a bone. 16

If you have found honey, eat only enough for you,

lest you have your fill of it and vomit it. 17

Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor’s house,

lest he have his fill of you and hate you. 18

A man who bears false witness against his neighbor

is like a war club, or a sword, or a sharp arrow. 19

Trusting in a treacherous man in time of trouble

is like a bad tooth or a foot that slips. 20

Whoever sings songs to a heavy heart

is like one who takes off a garment on a cold day,

and like vinegar on soda. 21

If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat,

and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, 22

for you will heap burning coals on his head,

and the Lord will reward you. 23

The north wind brings forth rain,

and a backbiting tongue, angry looks. 24

It is better to live in a corner of the housetop

than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife. 25

Like cold water to a thirsty soul,

so is good news from a far country. 26

Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain

is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked. 27

It is not good to eat much honey,

nor is it glorious to seek one’s own glory. 28

A man without self-control

is like a city broken into and left without walls.

PSALM 149

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Sing to the Lord a New Song149:1

Praise the Lord!

Sing to the Lord a new song,

his praise in the assembly of the godly! 2

Let Israel be glad in his Maker;

let the children of Zion rejoice in their King! 3

Let them praise his name with dancing,

making melody to him with tambourine and lyre! 4

For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;

he adorns the humble with salvation. 5

Let the godly exult in glory;

let them sing for joy on their beds. 6

Let the high praises of God be in their throats

and two-edged swords in their hands, 7

to execute vengeance on the nations

and punishments on the peoples, 8

to bind their kings with chains

and their nobles with fetters of iron, 9

to execute on them the judgment written!

This is honor for all his godly ones.

Praise the Lord!