Malachi 2:1-9

1“And now, this commandment is for you, the priests. 2If you do 1not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name,” says the Lord of armies, “then I will send the 2curse upon you and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have 3cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart. 3Behold, I am going to 4rebuke your 5descendants, and I will 6spread 7dung on your faces, the 8dung of your 9feasts; and you will be taken away 10with it. 4Then you will know that I have sent this commandment to you, 11so that My 12covenant may 13continue with Levi,” says the Lord of armies. 5“My covenant with him was one of life and 14peace, and I gave them to him as an object of 15reverence; so he 1617revered Me and was in awe of My name. 61819True instruction was in his mouth and injustice was not found on his lips; he walked 20with Me in peace and justice, and he 21turned many back from wrongdoing. 7For the lips of a priest should maintain 22knowledge, and people should 23seek 24instruction from his mouth; for he is the 25messenger of the Lord of armies. 8But as for you, you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to 26stumble 27by the instruction; you have 28ruined the covenant of Levi,” says the Lord of armies. 9“So 29I also have made you despised and of 30low reputation 31in the view of all the people, since you are not keeping My ways but are showing 32partiality in the 33instruction.”