< Malachi 3 >
1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Master, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to this temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith YHWH 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 purifer of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto YHWH an offering in righteousness.
4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto YHWH, 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 YHWH of hosts.
6 For I am YHWH, 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 YHWH of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?
8 Will a man rob Elohim? 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 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 her fruit before the time in the field, saith YHWH of hosts.
12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith YHWH of hosts.
13 Your words have been stout against me, saith YHWH. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?
14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve Elohim: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before YHWH of hosts?
15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt Elohim are even delivered.
16 Then they that feared YHWH spake often one to another: and YHWH hearkened, and heard it, 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, saith YHWH 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 Elohim and him that serveth him not.
