Chapter 3

Behold, I will send⁶ my messenger, and he shall prepare¹⁴ the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek,¹⁸ shall suddenly come⁴ to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come,¹ saith¹ the LORD of hosts.

But who may abide⁴⁷ the day of his coming?² and who shall stand⁶ when he appeareth?⁹ for he [is] like a refiner's¹⁸ fire, and like fullers'¹⁸ soap:

And he shall sit¹ [as] a refiner¹⁸ and purifier¹⁸ of silver: and he shall purify¹⁴ the sons of Levi, and purge¹⁴ them as gold and silver, that they may offer⁵⁶ unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant¹ unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.

And I will come near¹ to you to judgment; and I will be a swift¹⁸ witness against the sorcerers,¹⁸ and against the adulterers,¹⁸ and against false swearers,¹² and against those that oppress⁶ the hireling in [his] wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside⁵⁶ the stranger [from his right], and fear¹ not me, saith¹ the LORD of hosts.

For I [am] the LORD, I change¹ not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.¹

Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away¹ from mine ordinances, and have not kept¹ [them]. Return³ unto me, and I will return⁴ unto you, saith¹ the LORD of hosts. But ye said,¹ Wherein shall we return?⁴

Will a man rob⁴ God? Yet ye have robbed⁶ me. But ye say,¹ Wherein have we robbed¹ thee? In tithes and offerings.

Ye [are] cursed¹² with a curse: for ye have robbed⁶ me, [even] this whole nation.

Bring⁵⁴ ye all the tithes into the storehouse, ²¹⁴ that there may be meat in mine house, and prove³ me now herewith, saith¹ the LORD of hosts, if I will not open⁴ you the windows of heaven, and pour you out⁵² a blessing, that [there shall] not [be room] enough [to receive it].

And I will rebuke¹ the devourer⁶ for your sakes, and he shall not destroy⁵⁵ the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time¹⁷ in the field, saith¹ the LORD of hosts.

And all nations shall call you blessed:¹⁴ for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith¹ the LORD of hosts.

Your words have been stout¹ against me, saith¹ the LORD. Yet ye say,¹ What have we spoken⁸ [so much] against thee?

Ye have said,¹ It [is] vain to serve² God: and what profit [is it] that we have kept¹ his ordinance, and that we have walked¹ mournfully before the LORD of hosts?

And now we call the proud happy;¹⁸ yea, they that work⁶ wickedness are set up;⁸ yea, [they that] tempt¹ God are even delivered.¹¹

Then they that feared the LORD spake⁸ often one to another: and the LORD hearkened,⁵⁵ and heard⁴ [it], and a book of remembrance was written¹¹ before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought⁶ upon his name.

And they shall be mine, saith¹ the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up⁶ my jewels; and I will spare¹ them, as a man spareth⁴ his own son that serveth⁶ him.

Then shall ye return,¹ and discern¹ between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth⁶ God and him that serveth¹ him not.