Add parallel Print Page Options

15 Whether one (he) made not, and the residue of spirit is his? and what seeketh (the) one (God), no but the seed of God? Therefore keep ye your spirit, and do not thou despise the wife of thy youth; (Did not God make two one, both flesh and spirit? and what seeketh he, but a godly seed? And so keep ye watch over your spirit, and do not thou despise the wife of thy youth;)

16 when thou hatest her, leave thou her (not), saith the Lord God of Israel. Forsooth wickedness shall cover the cloth of him, saith the Lord of hosts; keep ye your spirit, and do not ye despise. (even if thou hatest her, leave thou her not, saith the Lord God of Israel. Yea, let his cloak cover his wickedness, saith the Lord of hosts; so keep ye watch over your spirit, and do not ye despise her.)

17 Ye made the Lord for to travail in your words, and ye said, Wherein made we him for to travail? In that that ye say, Each that doeth evil, is good in the sight of the Lord, and such men please him; either certainly, Where is God of doom? (Ye have travailed, or tired, the Lord with your words, and ye have said, How have we travailed, or tired, him? Because ye say, Everyone who doeth evil, is good in the sight of the Lord, and such people please him; and certainly when ye say, Where is the God of judgement?)

Read full chapter

15 Has not the one God made you?(A) You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring.[a](B) So be on your guard,(C) and do not be unfaithful(D) to the wife of your youth.

16 “The man who hates and divorces his wife,(E)” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,”[b](F) says the Lord Almighty.

So be on your guard,(G) and do not be unfaithful.

Breaking Covenant Through Injustice

17 You have wearied(H) the Lord with your words.

“How have we wearied him?” you ask.(I)

By saying, “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and he is pleased(J) with them” or “Where is the God of justice?(K)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Malachi 2:15 The meaning of the Hebrew for the first part of this verse is uncertain.
  2. Malachi 2:16 Or “I hate divorce,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “because the man who divorces his wife covers his garment with violence,”