[1] Behold, I send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me:
and the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to his temple; and the
messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, behold, he comes, says Yahweh
of hosts. [2] But who can abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand
when he appears? for he is like a refiner`s fire, and like fuller`s soap:
[3] and he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify
the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver; and they shall offer
to Yahweh offerings in righteousness. [4] Then shall the offering of Judah
and Jerusalem be pleasant to Yahweh, as in the days of old, and as in
ancient years. [5] I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a
swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and
against the perjurers, and against those who oppress the hireling in his
wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and who turn aside the sojourner
[from his right], and don`t fear me, says Yahweh of Hosts. [6] For I,
Yahweh, don`t change; therefore you, sons of Jacob, are not consumed. [7]
From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my ordinances, and
have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says Yahweh of
Hosts. But you say, Wherein shall we return? [8] Will a man rob God? yet
you rob me. But you say, Wherein have we robbed you? In tithes and
offerings. [9] You are cursed with the curse; for you rob me, even this
whole nation. [10] Bring the whole tithe into the store-house, that there
may be food in my house, and prove me now herewith, says Yahweh 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] I will rebuke the
devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your
ground; neither shall your vine cast its fruit before the time in the
field, says Yahweh of Hosts. [12] All nations shall call you happy; for you
shall be a delightful land, says Yahweh of Hosts. [13] Your words have been
stout against me, says Yahweh. Yet you say, What have we spoken against
you? [14] You have said, It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it
that we have kept his charge, and that we have walked mournfully before
Yahweh of Hosts? [15] Now we call the proud happy; yes, those who work
wickedness are built up; yes, they tempt God, and escape. [16] Then those
who feared Yahweh spoke one with another; and Yahweh listened, and heard,
and a book of memory was written before him, for those who feared Yahweh,
and that thought on his name. [17] They shall be my, says Yahweh of Hosts,
[even] my own possession, in the day that I make; and I will spare them, as
a man spares his own son who serves him. [18] Then shall you return and
discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God
and him who doesn`t serve him.
