The Abridged Book of Malachi

1:1. God has given me a tough message to deliver to the people of Israel.

1:2. God says, "I have shown you love," but you ask, "How have you shown us love?" Remember, even though Esau was Jacob's brother, God states, "I cared for Jacob more."

1:3. But I did not show care for Esau; I turned Esau's lands into ruins and left his inheritance to the wild animals.

1:4. Even when Edom claims it will rebuild its ruins, God asserts that it may try to build, but ultimately, God will demolish it. People will refer to those places as regions of terrible deeds and a nation that God is upset with forever.

1:5. You'll realize this when you see it with your own eyes; then you'll acknowledge how great God is beyond the borders of Israel.

1:6. Children respect their fathers and workers respect their bosses. So if I'm a father, why don't you respect me? If I'm your boss, why aren't you afraid of me? says God to you priests who look down on my name. And yet you wonder, "How have we disrespected your name?"

1:7. You disrespect me by placing defiled food on my altar; and yet you ask, "How have we defiled you?" By saying that serving at God's altar is not worthy of respect.

1:8. If you give God a blind animal for a sacrifice, isn't that wrong? And if you offer an injured or ill animal, isn't that also wrong? Try giving that to your leader—would they be pleased with you or show you favor?

1:9. Therefore, please, ask God to be kind to us, since this situation has happened because of you. Do you really think God would look favorably upon you?

1:10. Is there anyone among you who would close the doors of the temple for nothing? You also don't light the altar fire for free. God takes no joy in your actions and will not accept any offerings from you.

1:11. From sunrise to sunset, God's name will be honored among other nations; everywhere they will offer incense and pure sacrifices because God's name is respected by all.

1:12. But you disrespect it by saying that God's table is dirty and what is on it—God's food—is not good enough.

1:13. And you complain about how difficult it is to worship, and show disdain for it by offering injured, lame, or sick animals — is this the kind category of gift that should be offered to God?

1:14. Cursed is the person who tricks others by promising the best animal from their stock but then sacrifices a damaged one to God; because God is a mighty monarch whose name inspires awe among the peoples.

2:1. This message is for you, religious leaders.

2:2. If you don't listen and take to heart the importance of honoring God's name, God says they will punish you and turn the good things in your life into bad ones – in fact, they've already started to do so because you've ignored these warnings.

2:3. God will ruin your good deeds and publicly humiliate you, treating them like garbage during your religious festivals. You will be taken away along with this disgrace.

2:4. You'll realize that God sent this message so that their agreement with the tribe of Levi -- the family of priests -- might continue, which is what God desires.

2:5. God's promise to Levi was one of life and peace because Levi respected God deeply and was humble before God.

2:6. Levi taught the truth and didn't do anything wrong; they lived in harmony with God, treated people fairly, and helped others turn from their mistakes.

2:7. Priests should convey true knowledge and be sought after for guidance according to God's instruction because they are messengers on behalf of God.

2:8. But you’ve wondered off from this path; you have misled others when it comes to following the instructions, breaking the loyal relationship established with Levi's line as a result according to what God has said.

2:9. So now, as a consequence of your failing to follow my guidance faithfully and being unfair, I have allowed people to lose their respect for and look down on you, says God.

2:10. Aren't we all children of the same parent? Didn't one God create us? Why do we then betray our siblings and disregard the agreements made by our ancestors?

2:11. The people of Judah have been disloyal, and terrible things have happened in Israel and Jerusalem; Judah has disrespected what was once considered sacred, choosing to unite with someone devoted to a different god.

2:12. God will remove anyone from the community who does this, both prominent and learned, as well as anyone else, ensuring they have no part in the heritage of Jacob or in making offerings to God.

2:13. You keep on doing wrong, filling God’s altar with your tears and cries because God no longer accepts your offerings with a trace of enthusiasm.

2:14. And yet you ask why? It's because God witnessed how you betrayed the wife you've been with since you were young—despite her being your faithful partner—that this has happened.

2:15. Didn't God intend us to be united as one? Although we have a choice. And why are we to be united? So that we may respect life's sacredness. Pay attention to your desire to hurt no one, especially the devoted wife of your early years.

2:16. These are God’s words: 'I find rejection detestable because dismissiveness hides cruelty.' So be careful about how you feel inside and don’t betray your devoted spouse.

2:17. Your unceasing arguments have exhausted God. You still ask, 'How?' Whenever you assert that people doing harmful things are approved by God or when you wonder why justice is absent—these wear down on God’s patience.

3:1. Look, I'm going to send a messenger who will clear the path for me. And God, whom you are looking for, will suddenly enter the temple — the messenger whom you really like is coming, says God Almighty.

3:2. But who can endure when they come? Who can remain standing when they show up? Because they will purify like strong fire and cleaning soap.

3:3. They will work like someone who refines and cleans silver: they'll make the descendants of Levi pure, removing impurities like from gold and silver; this will allow them to make offerings to God in a good and proper way.

3:4. So then, the gifts from Judah and Jerusalem will please God, like it used to be in the old days.

3:5. And I'll step in directly to pass judgment and testify immediately against those using magic for wrong, cheating on spouses, lying under oath, cheating workers out of pay, neglecting widows and orphans, turning away foreigners asking for help — those who don't show respect towards me," says God Almighty.

3:6. Because I am God and I do not change; that is why your descendants haven't been destroyed.

3:7. Even since your ancestors' time you've turned away from my laws and haven't followed them. Come back to me, and I'll come back to you," says God Almighty. "But you ask 'How can we come back?'

3:8. Is it possible to steal from God? But yes, you’ve stolen from me! You ask 'How have we stolen from You?' Through not bringing your full contributions and offerings.

3:9. You are living with negative consequences because you’ve stolen from me — this affects your whole community."

3:10. Please give all of your support to the community's fund so there will be enough resources for everyone, and test this instruction. God promises that if you do, God will shower you with so many blessings that you won't have enough space for them.

3:11. God will take action to protect your crops from being destroyed and ensure that your plants won't drop their fruit before it's ready to be harvested.

3:12. People from every nation will see how blessed you are and think of your land as a wonderful place, as God has said.

3:13. God notes that you have spoken harshly against God. You ask, "When have we ever spoken against God?"

3:14. You've said there's no benefit in following God’s guidelines or in showing sorrow in your religious life.

3:15. It seems like arrogant people are happy, and those doing harmful things are rewarded; even those who challenge God seem to get away with it.

3:16. Yet, those who respected God talked to each other about these matters: and God listened attentively. A record was made to remember those who respected God and thought highly of God’s name.

3:17. They will belong to me, declares God, on the day when I honor my treasured people; I will be compassionate with them just as a parent is compassionate with their obedient child.

3:18. 

4:1. Get ready because a time is coming that will be like a super-hot furnace; everyone who is arrogant and does harmful things will be entirely destroyed just like dry grass goes completely up in flames when it gets hot enough – that's what will happen when that day arrives, as God has said, leaving nothing at all remaining.

4:2. However, those who respect God will experience something wonderful, like the sun bringing warmth and healing light; you'll be happy and free, growing strong just like young calves that are well-cared for.

4:3. You will overpower those who do harm; they'll become like dust under your feet on the day I take action, God has declared.

4:4. Don't forget the teachings given to Moses – rules I made especially for all of Israel, which included clear directions on how to live.

4:5. Watch out, because I'll send the prophet Elijah to you before that enormous and scary time of God arrives.

4:6. Elijah will help families to understand and care for each other better so that when I come, I won't have to bring disaster upon the world.