Malachi 3

1Behold, 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.● 2But 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:● 3And 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.● 4Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years. {former: or, ancient}● 5And 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. {oppress: or, defraud}● 6For I {am} the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.● 7Even 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?● 8Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.● 9Ye {are} cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, {even} this whole nation.● 10Bring 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}. {pour...: Heb. empty out}● 11And 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. {destroy: Heb. corrupt}● 12And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.● 13Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken {so much} against thee?● 14Ye 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? {ordinance: Heb. observation} {mournfully: Heb. in black}● 15And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, {they that} tempt God are even delivered. {are set up: Heb. are built}● 16Then 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.● 17And 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. {jewels: or, special treasure}● 18Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.●