Malachi 3

The Coming Messenger

1 “Look, I am sending My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. Then suddenly the Lord you are looking for will come to His temple. The messenger of the covenant, the One you desire, is coming,” says the LORD of armies.

2 But who can endure the day of His coming, Who will be able to stand when He appears, Because He will be like a refiner’s fire and like strong cleansing soap.

3 He will sit like a refiner and purifier of silver. He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so they can bring offerings to the LORD in righteousness.

4 Then the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD like in the old days, like in the former years.

5 “Then I will come near to you for judgment. I will be a fast witness against sorcerers, adulterers, liars, those who cheat workers out of their wages, those who take advantage of widows and orphans, and those who push aside the foreigner and do not fear Me,” says the LORD of armies.

The People Rob God

6 “Because I, the LORD, do not change, you descendants of Jacob have not been destroyed.

7 From the days of your fathers until now, you have turned away from My commands and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD of armies. But you say, “How are we supposed to return?”

8 “Will a man rob God, Yet you are robbing Me.” But you say, “How have we robbed You?” In tithes and offerings.

9 You are under a curse, because all of you as a nation are robbing Me.

10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse so there may be food in My house. Test Me in this,” says the LORD of armies, “and see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour out blessing until there is no more need.

11 I will rebuke the devourer for you so it will not destroy your crops, and your vines will not fail to produce fruit,” says the LORD of armies.

12 “Then all nations will call you blessed, because you will be a land of delight,” says the LORD of armies.

The Book of Remembrance

13 “Your words against Me have been strong,” says the LORD. But you say, “What have we said against You?”

14 You have said, “It is useless to serve God. What do we gain by obeying Him and walking in mourning before the LORD of armies,

15 Now we call the arrogant blessed. Those who do evil seem to prosper. They even test God and still escape.”

16 Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD paid attention and heard them. A book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and honor His name.

17 “They will be Mine,” says the LORD of armies, “on the day I prepare My own possession. I will spare them like a man spares his own son who serves him.

18 Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not serve Him.”