Mal 3
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 YHWH 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 YHWH offerings in
righteousness.
4
Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant to YHWH, as in the days
of old, and as in ancient 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 the false swearers, and against
those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that
turn aside the sojourner [from his right], and fear not me, says YHWH of hosts.
6
For I, YHWH, change not; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.
7
From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from mine ordinances, and have
not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says YHWH 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 you the whole tithe into the store-house, that there may be food in my house,
and prove me now herewith, says YHWH 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 its fruit before the time in the field,
says YHWH of hosts.
12
And all nations shall call you happy; for you shall be a delightsome land, says YHWH
of hosts.
13
Your words have been stout against me, says YHWH. 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 YHWH of hosts?
15
And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are built up; yea,
they tempt God, and escape.
16
Then they that feared YHWH spoke one with another; and YHWH hearkened, and heard,
and a book of remembrance was written before him, for them that feared YHWH, and that
thought upon his name.
17
And they shall be mine, says YHWH of hosts, [even] mine own possession, in the day
that I make; and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son that serves him.
18
Then shall you return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him
whom serves God and him whom serves him not.