3 ‘Look! I will send someone to speak my message. He will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord that you are waiting for will quickly return to his temple. The one who brings the message about the covenant will certainly come. He is the one that you really want to see.’
That is what the Lord Almighty says.
2 ‘But when he comes, he will be like a hot fire that makes metal pure. He will be like strong soap that makes clothes completely clean. Nobody will be able to stand in front of him when he appears. On that day, nobody will remain the same. [ a ] 3 He will work like a man who uses a hot fire to make gold and silver pure. He will make the Levites clean and pure. He will remove their dirt. Then they can offer proper sacrifices to the Lord . 4 The Lord will accept the gifts that the people of Judah and Jerusalem offer to him. He will be happy with them as he was in earlier times.
5 At that time, I will come among you as your judge. I will speak clearly against those who have done wrong things. I will punish the magicians, the adulterers and those who tell lies against other people. I will punish those people who are cruel to their workers, or they deceive widows or children who have no family. And I will punish those who do not help foreigners who live among them. People who do those things show that they do not respect me.’
That is what the Lord Almighty says.
6 ‘I am the Lord and I do not change. Because of my promises to my people, I have not destroyed you, descendants of Jacob. 7 I have told you my commands. But you do not listen to me any longer. You have not obeyed me, even since the time of your ancestors. Now, return to me! Then I will return to bless you.’
That is what the Lord Almighty says.
‘But you ask, “How do we return to you?”
8 I say to you, “A man should not rob God. But you are robbing me.”
But you ask, “How do we rob you?”
I say, “You do not give to me the tithes and the offerings that you should give.” 9 Yes, all of you are robbing me. The whole nation of Israel is guilty. So you will receive the punishment of a curse.
10 Now you must bring the whole tithe that belongs to me. [ b ] Store it in my temple, so that there will be food in my house. [ c ] Obey me and then see what I will do.’
That is what the Lord Almighty says.
‘You will see how much I will bless you! You will not have enough room to store all the good things that I will give to you. I will pour blessings out of the sky like rain. 11 I will stop insects from eating your crops. The grapes will not fall from your vines before they are ready to eat. 12 You will be happy to live in your land. The people of all the other nations will see that God has blessed you.’
That is what the Lord Almighty says.
13 The Lord says, ‘You have spoken bad words against me.
But you ask, “What have we said against you?”
14 You have said, “We serve God, but that has not helped us at all. We are careful to do what he tells us to do. When we do wrong things, we have sad faces to show the Lord Almighty that we are sorry. 15 But it is proud people that God blesses! Yes, it is the people who do evil things who become rich! God does not even punish people who like to test him. That is what we think.” ’
16 Then the people who respected the Lord talked to each other. The Lord listened to what they said. While the Lord watched, someone wrote names on a scroll. Those were the names of the people who worshipped the Lord and respected the Lord 's name. They wrote down their names so that people would remember them.
17 The Lord Almighty says, ‘These people will belong to me. One day I will come to judge everyone. At that time I will bring together all my own special people. I will not punish them. I will take care of them, like a father takes care of his son who serves him. 18 Because of that, you will see again that I am kind to good people, but I punish wicked people. I show the difference between people who serve me well and those who do not.’
3 The Lord All-Powerful says, “I am sending my messenger to prepare the way for me. Then suddenly, the Lord you are looking for will come to his temple. [ a ] Yes, the messenger you are waiting for, the one who will tell about my agreement, is really coming!
2 “No one can prepare for that time or stand against him when he comes. He will be like a burning fire. He will be like the strong soap people use to make things clean. 3 He will make the Levites clean. He will make them pure, like silver is made pure with fire! He will make them pure like gold and silver. Then they will bring gifts to the Lord , and they will do things the right way. 4 Then the Lord will accept the gifts from Judah and Jerusalem. It will be as it was in the past—as the time long ago. 5 Then I will bring you to justice. I will be an expert witness and testify about the evil things people do. I will speak out against those who do evil magic or commit adultery. I will speak out against those who make false promises and cheat their workers and don’t pay them the money they promised. I will testify against those who don’t help strangers, or widows and orphans. And I will testify against those who don’t respect me.” This is what the Lord All-Powerful said.
6 “I am the Lord , and I don’t change. You are Jacob’s children, and you have not been completely destroyed. 7 But you never obeyed my laws. Even your ancestors stopped following me. Come back to me, and I will come back to you.” This is what the Lord All-Powerful said.
“You say, ‘How can we come back?’
8 “People should not steal things from God, but you stole things from me.
“You say, ‘What did we steal from you?’
“You should have given me one-tenth of your things. You should have given me special gifts. 9 In this way your whole nation has stolen things from me, so bad things are happening to you.”
10 The Lord All-Powerful says, “Try this test. Bring one-tenth of your things to me. Put them in the treasury. Bring food to my house. Test me! If you do these things, I will surely bless you. Good things will come to you like rain falling from the sky. You will have more than enough of everything. 11 I will not let pests destroy your crops. All your grapevines will produce grapes.” This is what the Lord All-Powerful said.
12 “People from other nations will be good to you. You will have a wonderful country.” This is what the Lord All-Powerful said.
13 The Lord says, “You said cruel things to me.”
But you ask, “What did we say about you?”
14 You said, “It is useless to worship God. We did what the Lord All-Powerful told us, but we didn’t gain anything. We cried like people at a funeral to show we were sorry for our sins, but it didn’t help. 15 We think proud people are happy. Evil people succeed. They do evil things to test God’s patience, and God does not punish them.”
16 Then the Lord ’s followers spoke with each other, and the Lord listened to them. There is a book in front of him. In that book are the names of his followers. They are the people who honor the Lord ’s name.
17 The Lord said, “They belong to me. I will be kind to them. Parents are very kind to their children who obey them. In the same way I will be kind to my followers. 18 You people will come back to me, and you will learn the difference between good and evil. You will learn the difference between someone who follows God and someone who does not.
3 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord , whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.
2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:
3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.
4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord , as in the days of old, and as in former years.
5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts.
6 For I am the Lord , I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?
8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.
12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.
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.
3 “ ( A ) Behold, I am sending ( B ) My [ a ] messenger, and he will ( C ) clear a way before Me. And the Lord, whom you are seeking, will suddenly come to His temple; [ b ] and the [ c ] ( D ) messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the Lord of armies. 2 “But who can ( E ) endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a ( F ) refiner’s fire, and like launderer’s soap. 3 And He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will ( G ) purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may ( H ) present to the Lord [ d ] offerings in righteousness. 4 Then the [ e ] offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be ( I ) pleasing to the Lord as in the ( J ) days of old, and as in former years.
5 “Then I will come near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the ( K ) sorcerers, the ( L ) adulterers, against those who ( M ) swear falsely, those who [ f ] oppress the ( N ) wage earner in his wages or the ( O ) widow or the [ g ] orphan, and those who turn away the ( P ) stranger from justice and do not [ h ] fear Me,” says the Lord of armies. 6 “For [ i ] I, the Lord , ( Q ) do not change; therefore you, the sons of Jacob, have not come to an end.
7 “From the ( R ) days of your fathers you have turned away from My statutes and have not kept them . ( S ) Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of armies. “But you say, ‘How shall we return?’
8 “Would anyone rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In ( T ) tithes and [ j ] offerings. 9 You are ( U ) cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the entire nation of you ! 10 ( V ) Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and put Me to the test now in this,” says the Lord of armies, “if I do not ( W ) open for you the windows of heaven and ( X ) pour out for you a blessing until [ k ] ( Y ) it overflows. 11 Then I will rebuke the ( Z ) devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruit of your ground; nor will the vine in the field prove fruitless to you,” says the Lord of armies. 12 “ ( AA ) All the nations will call you blessed, for you will be a ( AB ) delightful land,” says the Lord of armies.
13 “Your words have been [ l ] arrogant against Me,” says the Lord . “Yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against You?’ 14 You have said, ‘It is ( AC ) pointless to serve God; and what ( AD ) benefit is it for us that we have done what He required, and that we have walked in mourning before the Lord of armies? 15 So now we ( AE ) call the arrogant blessed; not only are the doers of wickedness built up, but they also put God to the test and ( AF ) escape punishment .’”
16 Then those who [ m ] feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord ( AG ) listened attentively and heard it , and a ( AH ) book of remembrance was written before Him for those who [ n ] fear the Lord and esteem His name. 17 “And they will be ( AI ) Mine,” says the Lord of armies, “on the ( AJ ) day that I [ o ] prepare My ( AK ) own possession, and I will have compassion for them just as a man ( AL ) has compassion for his own son who serves him.” 18 So you will again ( AM ) distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.
3 “I will send my messenger, ( A ) who will prepare the way before me. ( B ) Then suddenly the Lord ( C ) you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, ( D ) whom you desire, ( E ) will come,” says the Lord Almighty.
2 But who can endure ( F ) the day of his coming? ( G ) Who can stand ( H ) when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire ( I ) or a launderer’s soap. ( J ) 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; ( K ) he will purify ( L ) the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. ( M ) Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, ( N ) 4 and the offerings ( O ) of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord , as in days gone by, as in former years. ( P )
5 “So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, ( Q ) adulterers ( R ) and perjurers, ( S ) against those who defraud laborers of their wages, ( T ) who oppress the widows ( U ) and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners ( V ) among you of justice, but do not fear ( W ) me,” says the Lord Almighty.
6 “I the Lord do not change. ( X ) So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. ( Y ) 7 Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away ( Z ) from my decrees and have not kept them. Return ( AA ) to me, and I will return to you,” ( AB ) says the Lord Almighty.
“But you ask, ( AC ) ‘How are we to return?’
8 “Will a mere mortal rob ( AD ) God? Yet you rob me.
“But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’
“In tithes ( AE ) and offerings. 9 You are under a curse ( AF ) —your whole nation—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe ( AG ) into the storehouse, ( AH ) that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates ( AI ) of heaven and pour out ( AJ ) so much blessing ( AK ) that there will not be room enough to store it. ( AL ) 11 I will prevent pests from devouring ( AM ) your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe, ( AN ) ” says the Lord Almighty. 12 “Then all the nations will call you blessed, ( AO ) for yours will be a delightful land,” ( AP ) says the Lord Almighty. ( AQ )
13 “You have spoken arrogantly ( AR ) against me,” says the Lord .
“Yet you ask, ( AS ) ‘What have we said against you?’
14 “You have said, ‘It is futile ( AT ) to serve ( AU ) God. What do we gain by carrying out his requirements ( AV ) and going about like mourners ( AW ) before the Lord Almighty? 15 But now we call the arrogant ( AX ) blessed. Certainly evildoers ( AY ) prosper, ( AZ ) and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it.’”
16 Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. ( BA ) A scroll ( BB ) of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared ( BC ) the Lord and honored his name.
17 “On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my ( BD ) treasured possession. ( BE ) I will spare ( BF ) them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son ( BG ) who serves him. 18 And you will again see the distinction between the righteous ( BH ) and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not. ( BI )
