1 This message is the word of the Lord given to Israel through Malachi.
2 The Lord said, “I have loved you.”But you ask, “How have you loved us?”The Lord said, “Esau and Jacob were brothers. I loved Jacob,
3 but I hated Esau. I destroyed his mountain country and left his land to the wild dogs of the desert.”
4 The people of Edom might say, “We were destroyed, but we will go back and rebuild the ruins.”But the Lord All-Powerful says, “If they rebuild them, I will destroy them. People will say, ‘Edom is a wicked country. The Lord is always angry with the Edomites.’
5 You will see these things with your own eyes. And you will say, ‘The Lord is great, even outside the borders of Israel!’ ”
6 The Lord All-Powerful says, “A son honors his father, and a servant honors his master.” I am a father, so why don’t you honor me? I am a master, so why don’t you respect me? You priests do not respect me.“But you ask, ‘How have we shown you disrespect?’