Malachi 1:6

THE MESSAGE

"Isn't it true that a son honors his father and a worker his master? So if I'm your Father, where's the honor? If I'm your Master, where's the respect?" God -of-the-Angel-Armies is calling you on the carpet: "You priests despise me! "You say, ‘Not so! How do we despise you?' "By your shoddy, sloppy, defiling worship. "You ask, ‘What do you mean, "defiling"? What's defiling about it?'

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. But if I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is your fear of me? says the Lord of Armies to you priests, who despise my name.”

Hebrew Names Version
"A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, then where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is the respect due me? Says the LORD of Hosts to you, Kohanim, who despise my name. You say, 'How have we despised your name?'

King James Version (1611)
A sonne honoureth his father, and a seruant his Master. If then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a Master, where is my feare, saith the Lord of hostes, vnto you O priests, that despise my name? and yee say, Wherein haue we despised thy name?

King James Version
A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?

English Standard Version
"A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?'

New American Standard Bible
"'A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My respect?' says the LORD of armies to you, the priests who despise My name! But you say, 'How have we despised Your name?'

New Century Version
The Lord All-Powerful says, "A son honors his father, and a servant honors his master." I am a father, so why don't you honor me? I am a master, so why don't you respect me? You priests do not respect me. "But you ask, ‘How have we shown you disrespect?'

Amplified Bible
"'A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a Father, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is the [reverent] fear and respect due Me?' says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, who despise My name. But you say, 'How and in what way have we despised Your name?'

Geneva Bible (1587)
A sonne honoureth his father, and a seruant his master. If then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my feare, sayth the Lorde of hostes vnto you, O Priestes, that despise my Name? and yee say, Wherein haue we despised thy Name?

New American Standard Bible (1995)
" 'A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My respect?' says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests who despise My name. But you say, 'How have we despised Your name?'

Legacy Standard Bible
"‘A son honors his father, and a slave his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is the fear of Me?' says Yahweh of hosts to you, O priests who despise My name. But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name?'

Berean Standard Bible
"A son honors his father, and a servant his master. But if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is your fear of Me?" says the LORD of Hosts to you priests who despise My name. Yet you ask, "How have we despised Your name?"

Contemporary English Version
I, the Lord All-Powerful, have something to say to you priests. Children respect their fathers, and servants respect their masters. I am your father and your master, so why don't you respect me? You priests have insulted me, and now you ask, "How did we insult you?"

Complete Jewish Bible
"A son honors his father and a servant his master. But if I'm a father, where is the honor due me? and if I'm a master, where is the respect due me? — says Adonai -Tzva'ot to you cohanim who despise my name. You ask, ‘How are we despising your name?'

Darby Translation
A son honoureth [his] father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith Jehovah of hosts unto you, priests, that despise my name. But ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?

Easy-to-Read Version
The Lord All-Powerful said, "Children honor their fathers. Servants honor their masters. I am your Father, so why don't you honor me? I am your master, so why don't you respect me? You priests don't respect my name. "But you say, ‘What have we done that shows we don't respect your name?'

George Lamsa Translation
A son honors his father, and a servant his master; if then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. And if you say, In what have we despised thy name?

Good News Translation
The Lord Almighty says to the priests, "Children honor their parents, and servants honor their masters. I am your father—why don't you honor me? I am your master—why don't you respect me? You despise me, and yet you ask, ‘How have we despised you?'

Lexham English Bible
"A son honors his father, and a slave his master; but if I am a father, where is my honor, and if I am a master, where is my reverence?" says Yahweh of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. "But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?'

Literal Translation
A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My fear? says Jehovah of Hosts to you, O priestswho despise My name. But you say, In what havewe despised Your name?

American Standard Version
A son honoreth his father, and a servant his master: if then I am a father, where is mine honor? and if I am a master, where is my fear? saith Jehovah of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?

Bible in Basic English
A son gives honour to his father, and a servant has fear of his master: if then I am a father, where is my honour? and if I am a master, where is the fear of me? says the Lord of armies to you, O priests, who give no value to my name. And you say, How have we not given value to your name?

JPS Old Testament (1917)
A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master; if then I be a father, where is My honour? and if I be a master, where is My fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise My name. And ye say: 'Wherein have we despised Thy name?'

Bishop's Bible (1568)
A sonne honoureth his father, and a seruaunt his maister: If then I be a father, where is myne honour? if I be a maister, where is my feare? Saith the Lorde God of hoastes to you O ye pristes that despise my name, and ye say, Wherein haue we despised thy name?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
A son honours his father, and a servant his master: if then I am a father, where is mine honour? and if I am a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord Almighty. Ye the priests are they that despise my name: yet ye said, Wherein have we despised thy name?

English Revised Version
A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?

World English Bible
"A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, then where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is the respect due me? Says Yahweh of Hosts to you, priests, who despise my name. You say, 'How have we despised your name?'

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The sone onourith the fader, and the seruaunt schal drede his lord; therfor if Y am fadir, wher is myn onour? and if Y am lord, where is my drede? seith the Lord of oostis. A! ye prestis, to you that dispisen my name; and ye seiden, Wherynne han we dispisid thi name?

Update Bible Version
A son honors his father, and a slave his master: if then I am a father, where is my honor? and if I am a master, where is my fear? says Yahweh of hosts to you, O priests, that despise my name. And you say, Wherein have we despised your name?

Webster's Bible Translation
A son honoreth [his] father, and a servant his master: if then I [am] a father, where [is] my honor? and if I [am] a master, where [is] my fear? saith the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, In what have we despised thy name?

New English Translation
"A son naturally honors his father and a slave respects his master. If I am your father, where is my honor? If I am your master, where is my respect? The Lord who rules over all asks you this, you priests who make light of my name! But you reply, ‘How have we made light of your name?'

New King James Version
"A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the LORD of hosts To you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, "In what way have we despised Your name?'

New Living Translation
The Lord of Heaven's Armies says to the priests: "A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. If I am your father and master, where are the honor and respect I deserve? You have shown contempt for my name! "But you ask, ‘How have we ever shown contempt for your name?'

New Life Bible
"A son honors his father. A servant honors his owner. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? If I am a boss, where is My respect? says the Lord of All to you, O religious leaders who hate My name. But you say, ‘How have we hated Your name?'

New Revised Standard
A son honors his father, and servants their master. If then I am a father, where is the honor due me? And if I am a master, where is the respect due me? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. You say, "How have we despised your name?"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
A son, will honour a father, and, a servant, his lord, - If then, a father, I am, where is mine honour? And, if, a lord, I am, where is my reverence? saith Yahweh of hosts - to you, ye priests, who despise my Name, and yet say, Wherein have we despised thy Name?

Douay-Rheims Bible
The son honoureth the father, and the servant his master: if then I be a father, where is my honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear: saith the Lord of hosts.

Revised Standard Version
"A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. You say, 'How have we despised thy name?'

Young's Literal Translation
A son honoureth a father, and a servant his master. And if I [am] a father, where [is] Mine honour? And if I [am] a master, where [is] My fear? Said Jehovah of Hosts to you, O priests, despising My name! And ye have said: `In what have we despised Thy name?'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Shulde not a sonne honoure his father, and a seruaut his master? Yf I be now a father, where is myne honoure? Yf I be the LORDE, where am I feared? sayeth the LORDE of hoostes. Now to you prestes, that despise my name. And yf ye saye: wherin haue we despised thy name?

Contextual Overview

⁶ "Isn't it true that a son honors his father and a worker his master? So if I'm your Father, where's the honor? If I'm your Master, where's the respect?" God -of-the-Angel-Armies is calling you on the carpet: "You priests despise me! "You say, ‘Not so! How do we despise you?' "By your shoddy, sloppy, defiling worship. "You ask, ‘What do you mean, "defiling"? What's defiling about it?' ⁷"When you say, ‘The altar of God is not important anymore; worship of God is no longer a priority,' that's defiling. And when you offer worthless animals for sacrifices in worship, animals that you're trying to get rid of—blind and sick and crippled animals—isn't that defiling? Try a trick like that with your banker or your senator—how far do you think it will get you?" God -of-the-Angel-Armies asks you. ⁹ "Get on your knees and pray that I will be gracious to you. You priests have gotten everyone in trouble. With this kind of conduct, do you think I'll pay attention to you?" God -of-the-Angel-Armies asks you. ¹⁰ "Why doesn't one of you just shut the Temple doors and lock them? Then none of you can get in and play at religion with this silly, empty-headed worship. I am not pleased. The God -of-the-Angel-Armies is not pleased. And I don't want any more of this so-called worship! ¹¹ "I am honored all over the world. And there are people who know how to worship me all over the world, who honor me by bringing their best to me. They're saying it everywhere: ‘God is greater, this God -of-the-Angel-Armies.' ¹²"All except you. Instead of honoring me, you profane me. You profane me when you say, ‘Worship is not important, and what we bring to worship is of no account,' and when you say, ‘I'm bored—this doesn't do anything for me.' You act so superior, sticking your noses in the air—act superior to me, God -of-the-Angel-Armies! And when you do offer something to me, it's a hand-me-down, or broken, or useless. Do you think I'm going to accept it? This is God speaking to you! ¹⁴ "A curse on the person who makes a big show of doing something great for me—an expensive sacrifice, say—and then at the last minute brings in something puny and worthless! I'm a great king, God -of-the-Angel-Armies, honored far and wide, and I'll not put up with it!"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

son: Exodus 20:12, Leviticus 19:3, Deuteronomy 5:16, Proverbs 30:11, Proverbs 30:17, Matthew 15:4, Matthew 15:6, Matthew 19:19, Mark 7:10, Mark 10:19, Luke 18:20, Ephesians 6:2

a servant: 1 Timothy 6:1, 1 Timothy 6:2, Titus 2:9, Titus 2:10, 1 Peter 2:17-19

if then: From this verse to Malachi 2:9, the prophet reproves the priests and people for sacrificing the refuse of beasts; and denounces punishment against the former for not teaching the people their duty in this respect. Exodus 4:22, Exodus 4:23, Isaiah 1:2, Isaiah 64:8, Jeremiah 31:9, Matthew 6:9, Matthew 6:14, Matthew 6:15, Luke 6:36, Luke 6:46, 1 Peter 1:17

and if: Matthew 7:21, Luke 6:46, John 13:13-17

O priests: Malachi 2:8, 1 Samuel 2:28-30, Jeremiah 5:30, Jeremiah 5:31, Jeremiah 23:11, Ezekiel 22:26, Hosea 4:6, Hosea 5:1

And ye: Malachi 2:14-17, Malachi 3:7, Malachi 3:8, Malachi 3:13, Malachi 3:14, Jeremiah 2:21, Jeremiah 2:22, Hosea 12:8, Luke 10:29

Reciprocal: Leviticus 21:6 - profane Numbers 11:20 - despised 1 Samuel 2:30 - them 2 Samuel 12:10 - because 2 Kings 5:13 - My father Nehemiah 13:10 - the portions Isaiah 45:10 - General Isaiah 63:16 - thou art Jeremiah 23:17 - that despise Jeremiah 35:16 - General Ezekiel 22:8 - General Malachi 1:2 - Wherein Malachi 1:12 - ye have Malachi 2:10 - all Malachi 2:17 - Wherein Malachi 3:3 - the sons Malachi 3:17 - son Matthew 7:11 - how Matthew 22:21 - and Matthew 23:9 - for Matthew 25:44 - when Mark 12:17 - and to Mark 14:45 - Master Luke 7:40 - Master Luke 10:16 - despiseth him Luke 11:42 - and pass Luke 18:18 - Good John 8:41 - we have John 8:42 - If Ephesians 6:5 - be Colossians 3:20 - obey Colossians 3:22 - obey 1 Thessalonians 3:11 - God Hebrews 12:9 - shall we not

Cross-References

Genesis 1:6
God spoke: "Sky! In the middle of the waters; separate water from water!" God made sky. He separated the water under sky from the water above sky. And there it was: he named sky the Heavens; It was evening, it was morning— Day Two.

Genesis 1:11
God spoke: "Earth, green up! Grow all varieties of seed-bearing plants, Every sort of fruit-bearing tree." And there it was. Earth produced green seed-bearing plants, all varieties, And fruit-bearing trees of all sorts. God saw that it was good. It was evening, it was morning— Day Three.

Genesis 1:14
God spoke: "Lights! Come out! Shine in Heaven's sky! Separate Day from Night. Mark seasons and days and years, Lights in Heaven's sky to give light to Earth." And there it was.

Genesis 1:20
God spoke: "Swarm, Ocean, with fish and all sea life! Birds, fly through the sky over Earth!" God created the huge whales, all the swarm of life in the waters, And every kind and species of flying birds. God saw that it was good. God blessed them: "Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Ocean! Birds, reproduce on Earth!" It was evening, it was morning— Day Five.

Genesis 1:26
God spoke: "Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature So they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle, And, yes, Earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of Earth." God created human beings; he created them godlike, Reflecting God's nature. He created them male and female. God blessed them: "Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge! Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air, for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth."

Psalms 19:1
A David Psalm God's glory is on tour in the skies, God-craft on exhibit across the horizon. Madame Day holds classes every morning, Professor Night lectures each evening.

Psalms 33:6
The skies were made by God 's command; he breathed the word and the stars popped out. He scooped Sea into his jug, put Ocean in his keg.

Psalms 150:1
Hallelujah! Praise God in his holy house of worship, praise him under the open skies; Praise him for his acts of power, praise him for his magnificent greatness; Praise with a blast on the trumpet, praise by strumming soft strings; Praise him with castanets and dance, praise him with banjo and flute; Praise him with cymbals and a big bass drum, praise him with fiddles and mandolin. Let every living, breathing creature praise God ! Hallelujah!

Ecclesiastes 11:3
When the clouds are full of water, it rains. When the wind blows down a tree, it lies where it falls. Don't sit there watching the wind. Do your own work. Don't stare at the clouds. Get on with your life.

Jeremiah 10:10
But God is the real thing— the living God, the eternal King. When he's angry, Earth shakes. Yes, and the godless nations quake.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

A son honoureth [his] father, and a servant his master,.... Or, "will honour", or "should honour"; it is their duty to do so, both according to the laws of God and man; and so the Targum,

"lo concerning a son it is said (or commanded) that be should honour his father; and of a servant, that he should fear (or show reverence) before his master;''

see Exodus 20:12:

if then I [be] a Father; as he was the Father of his divine and eternal Son; the Father of spirits, angels, and the souls of men; the Father of all men by creation; and the Father of all mercies to them in providence, as he was to Israel; and, besides, was their Father by national adoption, as he was not to other people; and to many of them stood in this relation by special adopting grace:

where [is] mine honour? there is an honour due to God on account of this relation; which should be shown by loving him, trusting in him, calling upon him, imitating and obeying him, and by making use of what he has given for his glory; he is to be honoured in heart and life, by words and actions, and with our substance. This question suggests, that he had not the honour given him, which belonged unto him:

and if I [be] a master; the word is in the plural number, and may be understood of Jehovah, Father, Son, and Spirit; though the first Person seems rather designed, who stands in this relation to Christ, as Mediator; to the angels, his ministering spirits; to the ministers of the Gospel, and to all the saints; and indeed to all men, and particularly to the Israelites; as appeared by the special laws and commands he enjoined them, and by his special government, protection, and care of them:

where [is] my fear? fear and reverence are due to the Lord from his people, considered in such a relation to them; not a slavish fear of wrath and punishment; but a godly filial fear, which is influenced by the goodness of God, and appears in a carefulness not to offend him, and by the performance of all religious worship, both private and public; and in this not only natural men, but professors of religion, and even God's own people, are wanting; yea, those that should set examples to others, as men in public office, and of a public character, as follows:

saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name; for what is before said is not only said to the people in general; but to the priests in particular, who ought to have honoured and feared the Lord; and yet they despised his name, or made it contemptible; by not paying that regard to his authority, as a Father and master, they ought; by neglecting his worship, and not taking that care of offerings and sacrifices as became them:

and ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? as if they were entirely innocent and guiltless.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A son honoreth his father, and a slave his lord - Having spoken of the love of God, he turns to the thanklessness of man. God appeals to the first feelings of the human heart, the relation of parent and child, or, failing this, to the natural self-interest of those dependent on their fellow-men. A “son” by the instinct of nature, by the unwritten law written in the heart, “honoreth his father.” If he fails to do so, he is counted to have broken the law of nature, to be an unnatural son. If he is, what by nature he ought to be, he does really honor him. He does not even speak of love, as to which they might deceive themselves. He speaks of “honor,” outward reverence only; which whoso showeth not, would openly condemn himself as an unnatural son, a bad slave. “Of course,” the Jews would say, “children honor parents, and slaves their masters, but what is that to us?” God turns to them their own mental admission.

“If I am a Father.” “Although, before ye were born, I began to love you in Jacob as sons, yet choose by what title ye will name Me: I am either your Father or your Lord. If a Father, render me the honor due to a father, and offer the piety worthy of a parent. If a Lord, why despise ye Me? Why fear ye not your Lord?” God was their Father by creation, as He is Father of all, as Creator of all. He had come to be their Father in a nearer way, by temporal redemption and adoption as His special people, creating them to be a nation to His glory. This they were taught to confess in their psalmody Psalms 100:3, “He hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture.” This title God had given them in sight of the Egyptians Exodus 4:22, “Israel is My son, My firstborn:” of this Hosea reminded them; Hosea 11:1, “When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called My son out of Egypt;” and Jeremiah reassured them Jeremiah 31:9, “I am a Father to Israel and Ephraim is My firstborn:” this, Isaiah had pleaded to God Isaiah 63:16, “Doubtless Thou art our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not. Thou, O Lord, art our Father, our Redeemer, Thy name is from everlasting Isaiah 64:8. And now, O Lord, Thou art our Father; we the clay, and Thou our potter; and we all, the work of Thy hands.” God had impressed this His relation of Father, in Moses’ prophetic warning; Deuteronomy 32:6, “Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and unwise? Is not He thy Father that hath bought thee? hath He not made thee and established thee?” “God is the Father of the faithful:

1) by creation;

2) by preservation and governance;

3) by alimony;

4) by fatherly care and providence;

5) by faith and grace, whereby He justifies and adopts us as sons and heirs of His kingdom.”

“If I am a Father.” He does not throw doubt, that He is our Father; but, by disobedience, we in deeds deny it. Our life denies what we in words profess. “Where is My honor?” “Why obey ye not My precepts, nor honor Me with acts of adoration; praying, praising, giving thanks, sacrificing, and reverently fulfilling every work of God? For Jeremiah 48:10. cursed is he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully.”

“And if I am your Lord, as I certainly am, and specially by singular providence.” “He is our Lord by the same titles, that He is our Father, and by others, as that He has redeemed us, and purchased us to Himself by the Blood of His Son; that He is the Supreme Majesty, whom all creation is bound to serve; that, setting before us the reward of eternal glory, He has hired us as servants and laborers into His vineyard.” God Alone is Lord through universal sovereignty, underived authority, and original source of laws, precepts, rights; and all other lords are but as ministers and instruments, compared to Him, the Lord and original Doer of all. Hence, He says Isaiah 42:8, “I am the Lord; that is My Name, and My glory will I not give to another.”

“Where is My fear?” which ought to be shown to Me. “If thou art a servant, render to the Lord the service of fear; if a son, show to thy Father the feeling of piety. But thou renderest not thanks, neither lovest nor fearest God. Thou art then either a contumacious servant or a proud son.” “Fear includes reverence, adoration, sacrifice, the whole worship of God.” “Whoso feareth is not over-curious, but adores; is not inquisitive, but praises, and glorifies.”

“Fear is twofold; servile, whereby punishment, not fault, is dreaded; filial, by which fault is feared. In like way service is twofold. A servant with a service of fear, purely servile, does not deserve to be called a son of God, nor is in a state of salvation, not having love. Whence Christ, distinguishing such a servant from a son of God by adoption, saith John 8:35, “The servant abideth not in the house forever, but the son abideth ever: and again John 15:15, The servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth.” But a servant, whose service is of pure and filial love, is also a son, of whom the Saviour saith, Matthew 25:21, Matthew 25:23, “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” But since a distinction is made here between the son and the servant, he seems to be speaking of servile fear, which, although it doth not good well and meritoriously, i. e., with a right intention and from love, yet withdraws from ill, and is the beginning of wisdom, because it disposeth to grace. Whence it is written (Ecclesiasticus 1:21), ‘The fear of the Lord driveth away sins,’ and again Scripture saith Proverbs 16:6, “By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.”

“God requireth to be feared as a Lord, honored as a Father, loved as a Husband. Which is chiefest of these? Love. Without this, fear has torment, honor has no grace. Fear, when not enfreed by love, is servile. Honor, which cometh not from love, is not honor, but adulation. Honor and glory belong to God Alone; but neither of them will God accept, unless seasoned with the honey of love.”

“Saith the Lord unto you, O priests, who despise My Name,” literally “despisers of My Name,” habitually beyond others. The contempt of God came especially from those bound most to honor him. priests, as consecrated to God, belonged especially to God . “Malachi begins his prophecy and correction by the correction of the priests; because the reformation of the state and of the laity hangs upon the reformation of the clergy and the priest, for Hosea 4:9, “as is the priest, such also is the people?” He turns, with a suddenness which must have been startling to them, to them as the center of the offending.

“And ye say, Wherein have we despised Thy Name?” Before, it was ignorance of God’s love: now it is ignorance of self and of sin. They affect to themselves innocence and are unconscious of any sin. They said to themselves doubtless (as many do now) “we cannot help it; we do the best we can, under the circumstances.” Without some knowledge of God’s love, there can be no sense of sin; without some sense of sin, no knowledge of His love. They take the defensive, they are simply surprised, like Cain, Genesis 4:9, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” or many of the lost in the day of judgment Matthew 7:22-23, “Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy Name? And in Thy Name have cast out devils? And in Thy Name done many wonderful works?” and yet were all the while “workers of iniquity,” to whom He will say, “I never knew you.” And Matthew 25:44, Matthew 25:46 says: “Lord, when saw we Thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto Thee?” And yet they “shall go away into everlasting punishment.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Malachi 1:6. A son honoureth his father — I am your Father - where, then, is my honour? Where your filial obedience?

If I be a master, where is my fear? — The respect due to me.