[[Malachi 2|<< Malachi 2]] | [[Malachi|Malachi]] | [[Malachi 4|Malachi 4 >>]] ### Malachi 3 1 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. ^1 2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appears? for he _is_ like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: ^2 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. ^3 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. ^4 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. ^5 6 For I _am_ the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. ^6 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? ^7 8 ¶ Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. ^8 9 Ye _are_ cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, _even_ this whole nation. ^9 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_. ^10 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. ^11 12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts. ^12 13 ¶ Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken _so_ _much_ against thee? ^13 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? ^14 15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, _they_ _that_ tempt God are even delivered. ^15 16 ¶ Then they that feared the LORD spoke 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. ^16 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 spares his own son that serves him. ^17 18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serves God and him that serves him not. ^18