Malachi 3:8

3:8 Can a person rob ¹  God? You indeed are robbing me, but you say, ‘How are we robbing you?’ In tithes and contributions! ² 

Malachi 3:15

3:15 So now we consider the arrogant to be happy; indeed, those who practice evil are successful. ³  In fact, those who challenge ⁴  God escape!’”

Malachi 3:18

3:18 Then once more you will see that I make a distinction between ⁵  the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not.

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¹ tc The LXX presupposes an underlying Hebrew text of עָקַב (’aqav, “deceive”), a metathesis of קָבַע (qava’, “rob”), in all four uses of the verb here (vv. 8-9). The intent probably is to soften the impact of “robbing” God, but the language of the passage is intentionally bold and there is no reason to go against the reading of the MT (which is followed here by most English versions).

² sn The tithes and contributions mentioned here are probably those used to sustain the Levites (see Num 18:8, 11, 19, 21-24).

³ tn Heb “built up” (so NASB); NIV, NRSV “prosper”; NLT “get rich.”

⁴ tn Or “test”; NRSV, CEV “put God to the test.”

⁵ tn Heb “you will see between.” Cf. NRSV, TEV, NLT “see the difference.”