Maleakhi 1:12-13

1:12 “But you are profaning it by saying that the table of the Lord is common and its offerings ¹  despicable. 1:13 You also say, ‘How tiresome it is.’ You turn up your nose at it,” says the Lord who rules over all, “and instead bring what is stolen, lame, or sick. You bring these things for an offering! Should I accept this from you?” ²  asks the Lord.

Maleakhi 3:14-15

3:14 You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God. How have we been helped ³  by keeping his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord who rules over all? ⁴  3:15 So now we consider the arrogant to be happy; indeed, those who practice evil are successful. ⁵  In fact, those who challenge ⁶  God escape!’”

[1:12]  ¹ tn Heb “fruit.” The following word “food” in the Hebrew text (אָכְלוֹ, ’okhlo) appears to be an explanatory gloss to clarify the meaning of the rare word נִיב (niv, “fruit”; see Isa 57:19 Qere; נוֹב, nov, “fruit,” in Kethib). Cf. ASV “the fruit thereof, even its food.” In this cultic context the reference is to the offerings on the altar.

[1:13]  ² tn Heb “from your hand,” a metonymy of part (the hand) for whole (the person).

[3:14]  ³ tn Heb “What [is the] profit”; NIV “What did we gain.”

[3:14]  ⁴ sn The people’s public display of self-effacing piety has gone unrewarded by the Lord. The reason, of course, is that it was blatantly hypocritical.

[3:15]  ⁵ tn Heb “built up” (so NASB); NIV, NRSV “prosper”; NLT “get rich.”

[3:15]  ⁶ tn Or “test”; NRSV, CEV “put God to the test.”