1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of ^ehim who holds the seven stars in his right hand, ^fwho walks among the seven golden lampstands.

2 ^g“‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but ^hhave tested those ⁱwho call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up ^jfor my name’s sake, and you ^khave not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned ^lthe love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do ^mthe works you did at first. If not, ⁿI will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of ^othe Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 ^pHe who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. ^qTo the one who conquers I will grant to eat of ^rthe tree of life, which is in ^sthe paradise of God.’

1 The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.¹

2 ^a“I have loved you,” says the Lord. ^bBut you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau ^cJacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet ^dI have loved Jacob 3 but Esau I have hated. ^eI 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 ^fYour own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, “Great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel!”

6 ^g“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am ^ha father, where is my honor? And if I am ⁱa master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. ^bBut you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ 7 ^jBy offering polluted food upon my altar. ^bBut you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that ^kthe Lord’s table may be despised. 8 ^lWhen 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 ^mentreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, ⁿwill he show favor to any of you? says the Lord of hosts. 10 ^oOh 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, ^pand I will not accept an offering from your hand. 11 For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name ^qwill be² great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name ^qwill be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts. 12 But you profane it when you say that ^rthe Lord’s table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food, may be despised. 13 But you say, ^s‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says the Lord of hosts. ^tYou 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 ^ua male in his flock, and ^vvows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For ^wI am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name ^xwill be feared among the nations.