Malachi 3:14
What does Malachi 3:14 mean?
A plain-English look at Malachi 3:14 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Malachi 3:14 means
Here, God reveals the cynical and disillusioned content of the people's "stout words" from verse 13. They had openly declared, "It is vain to serve God," expressing a belief that their religious observance was futile and unrewarding. They questioned the profit of having "kept his charge" and "walked mournfully before Jehovah of hosts," suggesting that their attempts at piety had yielded no apparent benefit or satisfaction. This reflects a crisis of faith, where they perceived God as either uncaring or ineffective in rewarding their devotion, leading to a pragmatic, faithless assessment of their spiritual walk.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Ye have said, It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept his charge, and that we have walked mournfully before Jehovah of hosts?
KJV
King James Version · 1611Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Ye have said, It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept his charge, and that we have walked mournfully before Jehovah of hosts?
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949You have said, It is no use worshipping God: what profit have we had from keeping his orders, and going in clothing of sorrow before the Lord of armies?
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Ye have said, `A vain thing to serve God! And what gain when we kept His charge? And when we have gone in black, Because of Jehovah of Hosts?
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And you have said: What have we spoken against thee? You have said: He laboureth in vain that serveth God, and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinances, and that we have walked sorrowful before the Lord of hosts?
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Ye say, It is vain to serveGod; and what profit is it that we keep his charge, and that we walk mournfully before Jehovah of hosts?
Context
This verse directly answers the people's question from verse 13 by revealing the specifics of their cynical speech. It moves from the general accusation of 'stout words' to the concrete expression of their disillusionment with serving God. This complaint about the apparent lack of profit then leads to their envy of the wicked, detailed in verse 15, further illustrating their distorted perception of divine justice.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- James 4:9
Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
- Psalms 73:8
They scoff, and in wickedness utter oppression: They speak loftily.
- Zechariah 7:3
and to speak unto the priests of the house of Jehovah of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?
- Job 35:3
That thou sayest, What advantage will it be unto thee? And, What profit shall I have, more than if I had sinned?
- Job 22:17
Who said unto God, Depart from us; And, What can the Almighty do for us?
- Isaiah 58:3
Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find your own pleasure, and exact all your labors.
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