1
Behold, I will send[H7971] my messenger[H4397], and he shall prepare[H6437] the way[H1870]before[H6440] me: and the Lord[H113], whom ye seek[H1245], shall suddenly[H6597]come[H935] to his temple[H1964], even the messenger[H4397] of the covenant[H1285], whom ye delight[H2655] in: behold, he shall come[H935], saith[H559] the LORD[H3068] of hosts[H6635].
2
But who may abide[H3557] the day[H3117] of his coming?[H935] and who shall stand[H5975] when he appeareth?[H7200] for he is like a refiner's fire[H784], and like fullers[H3526]' soap[H1287]:
3
And he shall sit[H3427] as a refiner[H6884] and purifier[H2891] of silver[H3701]: and he shall purify[H2891] the sons[H1121] of Levi[H3878], and purge[H2212] them as gold[H2091] and silver[H3701], that they may offer[H5066] unto the LORD[H3068] an offering[H4503] in righteousness[H6666].
4
Then shall the offering[H4503] of Judah[H3063] and Jerusalem[H3389] be pleasant[H6149] unto the LORD[H3068], as in the days[H3117] of old[H5769], and as in former[H6931]years[H8141].
5
And I will come near[H7126] to you to judgment[H4941]; and I will be a swift[H4116]witness[H5707] against the sorcerers[H3784], and against the adulterers[H5003], and against false[H8267]swearers[H7650], and against those that oppress[H6231] the hireling[H7916] in his wages[H7939], the widow[H490], and the fatherless[H3490], and that turn aside[H5186] the stranger[H1616] from his right, and fear[H3372] not me, saith[H559] the LORD[H3068] of hosts[H6635].
6
For I am the LORD[H3068], I change[H8138] not; therefore ye sons[H1121] of Jacob[H3290] are not consumed[H3615].
7
Even from the days[H3117] of your fathers[H1] ye are gone away[H5493] from mine ordinances[H2706], and have not kept[H8104] them. Return[H7725] unto me, and I will return[H7725] unto you, saith[H559] the LORD[H3068] of hosts[H6635]. But ye said[H559], Wherein shall we return?[H7725]
8
Will a man[H120]rob[H6906]God?[H430] Yet ye have robbed[H6906] me. But ye say[H559], Wherein have we robbed[H6906] thee? In tithes[H4643] and offerings[H8641].
9
Ye are cursed[H779] with a curse[H3994]: for ye have robbed[H6906] me, even this whole nation[H1471].
10Bring[H935] ye all the tithes[H4643] into the storehouse[H214], that there may be meat[H2964] in mine house[H1004], and prove[H974] me now herewith[H2063], saith[H559] the LORD[H3068] of hosts[H6635], if I will not open[H6605] you the windows[H699] of heaven[H8064], and pour you out[H7324] a blessing[H1293], that there shall not be room enough[H1767] to receive it.
11
And I will rebuke[H1605] the devourer[H398] for your sakes, and he shall not destroy[H7843] the fruits[H6529] of your ground[H127]; neither shall your vine[H1612] cast her fruit[H7921] before the time in the field[H7704], saith[H559] the LORD[H3068] of hosts[H6635].
12
And all nations[H1471] shall call you blessed[H833]: for ye shall be a delightsome[H2656]land[H776], saith[H559] the LORD[H3068] of hosts[H6635].
13
Your words[H1697] have been stout[H2388] against me, saith[H559] the LORD[H3068]. Yet ye say[H559], What have we spoken[H1696] so much against thee?
14
Ye have said[H559], It is vain[H7723] to serve[H5647]God[H430]: and what profit[H1215] is it that we have kept[H8104] his ordinance[H4931], and that we have walked[H1980]mournfully[H6941]before[H6440] the LORD[H3068] of hosts?[H6635]
15
And now we call[H833] the proud[H2086]happy[H833]; yea, they that work[H6213]wickedness[H7564] are set up[H1129]; yea, they that tempt[H974]God[H430] are even delivered[H4422].
16
Then they that feared[H3373] the LORD[H3068] spake often[H1696]one[H376] to another[H7453]: and the LORD[H3068]hearkened[H7181], and heard[H8085] it, and a book[H5612] of remembrance[H2146] was written[H3789]before[H6440] him for them that feared[H3373] the LORD[H3068], and that thought[H2803] upon his name[H8034].
17
And they shall be mine, saith[H559] the LORD[H3068] of hosts[H6635], in that day[H3117] when I make up[H6213] my jewels[H5459]; and I will spare[H2550] them, as a man[H376]spareth[H2550] his own son[H1121] that serveth[H5647] him.
18
Then shall ye return[H7725], and discern[H7200] between the righteous[H6662] and the wicked[H7563], between him that serveth[H5647]God[H430] and him that serveth[H5647] him not.