But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.
Parallel translations
- WEB But you have turned aside out of the way. You have caused many to stumble in the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi,” says Yahweh of Armies.
- BSB But you have departed from the way, and your instruction has caused many to stumble. You have violated the covenant of Levi,” says the LORD of Hosts.
- NKJV But you have departed from the way; You have caused many to stumble at the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi,” Says the Lord of hosts.
- NASB But as for you, you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by the instruction; you have ruined the covenant of Levi,” says the Lord of armies.
- NLT But you priests have left God’s paths. Your instructions have caused many to stumble into sin. You have corrupted the covenant I made with the Levites,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The priests have abandoned God's way, caused many to stumble through false teaching, and corrupted the covenant with Levi.
Overview
In sharp contrast to the faithful priest, these priests have strayed and led others into sin by their corrupt instruction, breaking the Levitical covenant. Leaders who mislead bear grave responsibility for those they cause to stumble. The indictment underscores the need for the true and faithful Priest who would restore right worship and teaching.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 23
- Neh 13:29Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.
- Jer 18:15Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up;
- Jer 17:5Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.
- Ezek 44:10And the Levites that are gone away far from me, when Israel went astray, which went astray away from me after their idols; they shall even bear their iniquity.
- 1 Sam 2:17Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.
- Isa 30:11Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.
- Mal 2:5My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.
- Heb 3:12Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
- Mal 2:9–10Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.
- Lev 21:15Neither shall he profane his seed among his people: for I the LORD do sanctify him.
- Rom 14:21It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
- 1 Sam 2:30Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
- Ps 119:102I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me.
- Ps 18:21For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
- 1 Sam 2:24Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the LORD’s people to transgress.
- Jer 23:11–15For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the LORD.
- Matt 15:2–5Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
- Dan 9:5–6We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:
- Isa 9:16For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.
- Rom 2:19–24And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,
- Luke 11:45–46Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also.
- Isa 59:13In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
- Jer 17:13O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.
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Christ at the center
The messenger who prepares the way, the sun of righteousness rising with healing, and the Lord suddenly coming to his temple set the stage for the gospel that opens with John and Jesus.
How Malachi 2:8 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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