1 Behold, I send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in, behold, he cometh, saith theLordof hosts.
2 But 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:
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; and they shall offer unto theLordofferings in righteousness.
4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto theLord, 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 false swearers; and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the strangerfrom his right, and fear not me, saith theLordof hosts.
6 For I theLordchange not; therefore ye, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.
7 From the days of your fathers ye have turned aside from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith theLordof hosts. But ye say, Wherein shall we return?
8 Will a man rob God? yet ye rob me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
9 Ye are cursed with the curse; for ye rob me, even this whole nation.
10 Bring ye the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith theLordof hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enoughto 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 her fruit before the time in the field, saith theLordof hosts.
12 And all nations shall call you happy: for ye shall he a delightsome land, saith theLordof hosts.
13 Your words have been stout against me, saith theLord. Yet ye say, Wherein have we spoken against thee?
14 Ye 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 theLordof hosts?
15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are built up; yea, they tempt God, and are delivered.
16 Then they that feared theLordspake one with another: and theLordhearkened, and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before him, for them that feared theLord, and that thought upon his name.
17 And they shall be mine, saith theLordof hosts, in the day that I do make,evena peculiar treasure; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
18 Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.