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.
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, that they may
offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.
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.
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.
6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are
not consumed.
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?
8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein
have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this
whole nation.
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.
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.
12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a
delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.
13 Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye
say, What have we spoken so much against thee?
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?
15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness
are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.
16 Then they that feared the LORD spake 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.
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 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.
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