Malachi 3:15

King James Version

And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
We think proud people are happy. Evil people succeed. They do evil things to test God's patience, and God does not punish them."

New American Standard Bible
'So now we call the arrogant blessed; not only are the doers of wickedness built up, but they also put God to the test and escape punishment.'"

New Century Version
So we say that proud people are happy. Evil people succeed. They challenge God and get away with it.'"

Update Bible Version
And now we call the proud happy; yes, those that work wickedness are built up; yes, they tempt God, and escape.

Webster's Bible Translation
And now we call the proud happy; yes, they that work wickedness are set up; even [they that] tempt God are delivered.

Amplified Bible
'So now we call the arrogant happy and blessed. Evildoers are exalted and prosper; and when they test God, they escape [unpunished].'"

English Standard Version
And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.'"

World English Bible
Now we call the proud happy; yes, those who work wickedness are built up; yes, they tempt God, and escape.'

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor now we seien proude men blessid; for thei ben bildid doynge vnpitee, and thei temptiden God, and ben maad saaf.

English Revised Version
And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are built up; yea, they tempt God, and are delivered.

Berean Standard Bible
So now we call the arrogant blessed. Not only do evildoers prosper, they even test God and escape.'"

Contemporary English Version
See how happy those arrogant people are. Everyone who does wrong is successful, and when they put God to the test, they always get away with it."

American Standard Version
and now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are built up; yea, they tempt God, and escape.

Bible in Basic English
And now to us the men of pride seem happy; yes, the evil-doers are doing well; they put God to the test and are safe.

Complete Jewish Bible
We consider the arrogant happy; also evildoers prosper; they put God to the test; nevertheless, they escape.'"

Darby Translation
And now we hold the proud for happy; yea, they that work wickedness are built up; yea, they tempt God, and they escape.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are built up; yea, they try God, and are delivered.'

King James Version (1611)
And now we call the proud happy: yea, they that worke wickednes are set vp, yea they that tempt God, are euen deliuered.

New Living Translation
From now on we will call the arrogant blessed. For those who do evil get rich, and those who dare God to punish them suffer no harm.'"

New Life Bible
So now we say that it is good to be proud. Not only are sinners doing well, but they put God to the test and get away with it.'"

New Revised Standard
Now we count the arrogant happy; evildoers not only prosper, but when they put God to the test they escape."

Geneva Bible (1587)
Therefore wee count the proude blessed: euen they that worke wickednesse, are set vp, and they that tempt God, yea, they are deliuered.

George Lamsa Translation
And henceforth we call the wicked blessed; yea, they that work wickedness are well established; they tempt God, and yet they are delivered.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Now, therefore, we are pronouncing happy - the proud, - and, the doers of lawlessness have, even been built up, and, they who have put God to the proof, have even been delivered.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Wherefore now we call the proud people happy, for they that work wickedness are built up, and they have tempted God and are preserved.

Revised Standard Version
Henceforth we deem the arrogant blessed; evildoers not only prosper but when they put God to the test they escape.'"

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And nowe we call the proude happie: yea the workers of wickednesse are set vp, and also they that tempt God, yea they are deliuered.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And now we pronounce strangers blessed; and all they who act unlawfully are built up; and they have resisted God, and yet have been delivered.

Good News Translation
As we see it, proud people are the ones who are happy. Evil people not only prosper, but they test God's patience with their evil deeds and get away with it.'"

Christian Standard Bible®
So now we consider the arrogant to be fortunate. Not only do those who commit wickedness prosper, they even test God and escape.”

Hebrew Names Version
Now we call the proud happy; yes, those who work wickedness are built up; yes, they tempt God, and escape.'

Lexham English Bible
And now we are calling the arrogant blessed! Not only do those who do wickedness prosper; they also test God and they escape!'"

Literal Translation
And now we are calling the arrogant blessed. Not only are the doers of wickedness built up, they also test God, and escape.

Young's Literal Translation
And now, we are declaring the proud happy, Yea, built up have been those doing wickedness, Yea they have tempted God, and escape.'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Therfore maye we saye, that the proude are happie, and that they which deale with vngodlynesse, are set vp: for they tempte God, and yet escape.

New English Translation
So now we consider the arrogant to be happy; indeed, those who practice evil are successful. In fact, those who challenge God escape!'"

New King James Version
So now we call the proud blessed, For those who do wickedness are raised up; They even tempt God and go free."'

New American Standard Bible (1995)
'So now we call the arrogant blessed; not only are the doers of wickedness built up but they also test God and escape.'"

Legacy Standard Bible
So now we call the arrogant blessed; not only are the doers of wickedness built up, but they also test God and escape.'"

Contextual Overview

¹³ Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord . Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee? ¹⁴ Ye 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? ¹⁵ And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered. ¹⁶ Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord , and that thought upon his name. ¹⁷ And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. ¹⁸ Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

we call: Malachi 4:1, Esther 5:10, Psalms 10:3, Psalms 49:18, Psalms 73:12, Daniel 4:30, Daniel 4:37, Daniel 5:20-28, Acts 12:21, 1 Peter 5:5

yea: Malachi 2:17, Job 12:6, Job 21:7-15, Job 21:30, Proverbs 12:12, Ecclesiastes 9:1, Ecclesiastes 9:2, Jeremiah 12:1, Jeremiah 12:2, Habakkuk 1:13-17

set: Heb. built, Job 22:23

they that tempt: Numbers 14:22, Numbers 14:23, Daniel 6:16, Psalms 78:18, Psalms 78:41, Psalms 78:56, Psalms 95:9, Psalms 106:14, Matthew 4:6, Matthew 4:7, Acts 5:9, 1 Corinthians 10:9, Hebrews 3:9

Reciprocal: Exodus 17:2 - wherefore 2 Kings 11:3 - And Athaliah Job 24:12 - yet God Psalms 92:7 - workers Ecclesiastes 8:14 - there be just Isaiah 5:20 - them Isaiah 7:12 - tempt Ezekiel 13:10 - Peace Amos 9:10 - The evil Zephaniah 1:12 - The Lord Malachi 3:18 - shall Matthew 25:24 - I knew Mark 8:11 - tempting Luke 4:12 - Thou Luke 16:15 - for Luke 19:21 - because 1 Corinthians 15:32 - what 2 Peter 2:8 - in seeing

Cross-References

Genesis 3:1
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

Genesis 3:3
But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

Genesis 3:4
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

Genesis 3:6
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Genesis 3:7
And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

Genesis 3:8
And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.

Genesis 3:10
And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

Genesis 3:13
And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

Genesis 3:14
And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

Genesis 3:15
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And now we call the proud happy,.... Or "therefore now" q; since this is the case, that the worshippers of God are not regarded, and there is nothing got by serving him; they that are proud and haughty, that neither fear God nor regard men, are the happy persons; even presumptuous sinners, as the word r signifies, that stretch out their hands against God, and strengthen themselves against the Almighty; these enjoy all worldly happiness, while they that serve the Lord are mourning in sackcloth, and are in the utmost distress. The Targum explains it of the ungodly, and as it is explained in the following clause:

yea, they that work wickedness are set up: or "built up" s; or "seeing, because", or "for they that work" t, c. they are increased with children, by which their houses or families are built up; they are in a well settled and established condition; they abound in riches and honours; they are set in high places, and are in great esteem among men, even such who make it their constant business to commit sin:

yea, [they that] tempt God; or "yea, they tempt God" u; by their wicked words and actions, and try whether he will cause his judgments to fall upon them, which he has threatened to such sinners; see Isaiah 5:18:

are even delivered; or, "and are delivered" w; from the punishment threatened; they escape it, and go on with impunity; from which observations these persons reasoned that there was no God of judgment, or that judged in the earth; that there was no providence concerned about human affairs; and that there was nothing in religion; and these were the hard and stout words which they spoke against the Lord.

q ועתה "ergo nunc", V. L.; "igitur", Cocceius; "adeoque", Burkius. r זדים "arrogantes", V. L.; "feroces", Cocceius. s נבנו "aedificati sunt", Pagninus, Montanus, Cocceius, Burkius; "aedificantur", Vatablus, Tigurine version, Calvin, Junius Tremellius. t גם "siquidem", V. L. "nam", Piscator, Noldius. u גם בחנו "etiam probaverunt", Pagninus, Montanus, Burkius. w וימלטו "et evaserunt", Pagninus, Montanus; "et effugerunt", Cocceius.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And now we call the proud happy (blessed) - This being so, they sum up the case against God. God had declared that all nations should “call them blessed” Malachi 3:12. if they would obey. They answer, using His words; And “now we (they lay stress on the word we,) pronounce blessed,” in fact, those whom God had pronounced cursed: Psalms 119:21. “Thou hast rebuked the proud, who are cursed.” Their characteristic, among other bad men, is of insolence Proverbs 21:24. arrogance, boiling over with self-conceit, and presumptuous toward God. The ground of Babylon’s sentence was “she hath been proud toward the Lord, the Holy One of Israel;” Jethro says of the Egyptians, as a ground of his belief in God (Exodus 18:11. It is used of Egypt toward Israel. Nehemiah 9:16.) “for, in the thing that they dealt proudly,” He was “above them.” It describes the character of the act of Israel, when God bade them “not go up, neither fight, and they would not hear, and went up presumptuously into the battle” Deuteronomy 1:41, Deuteronomy 1:43 the contumacious act of those, who, appealing to the judgment of God, afterward refused it: Deuteronomy 17:12-13. of Johanan’s associates, who accuse Jeremiah of speaking falsely in the name of God; Jeremiah 43:2. they are persons who rise up Psalms 86:14. forge lies against Psalms 119:69. dig pits for Psalms 119:85. deal perversely with, Psalms 119:78. hold in derision Psalms 119:51. oppress Psalms 119:122. the pious. Whether or no, they mean specifically the pagan, those, whom these pronounced blessed, were those who were contemptuous toward God.

Yea, the workers of wickedness - , those who habitually work it, whose employment it is, “are built up; yea, they have tried God and have escaped.” God had promised that, if Jeremiah 12:16, “they will diligently learn the ways of My people, they shall be built up in the midst of My people;” these say, the workers of wickedness “had been built up:” God had bidden themselves Jeremiah 3:10, “make trial of Me in this;” these answer, the wicked had made trial of Him, and had been unpunished.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Malachi 3:15. And now we call the proud happy — Proud and insolent men are the only happy people, for they domineer everywhere, and none dares to resist them.

They that work wickedness are set up — The humble and holy are depressed and miserable; the proud and wicked are in places of trust and profit. Too often it is so.

They that tempt God are even delivered. — Even those who despise God, and insult his justice and providence, are preserved in and from dangers; while the righteous fall by them.