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
.
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
:
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
.
Then shall the offering of Judah
and Jerusalem
be pleasant
unto the LORD
, as in the days
of old
, and as in former
years
.
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
.
For I am the LORD, I change
not; therefore ye sons
of Jacob
are not consumed
.
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
?
Will a man rob
God
? Yet ye have robbed
me. But ye say
, Wherein have we robbed
thee? In tithes
and offerings
.
Ye are cursed with a curse
: for ye have robbed
me, even this whole nation
.
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 .
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
.
And all nations shall call you blessed
: for ye shall be a delightsome
land
, saith
the LORD
of hosts
.
Your words have been stout
against me, saith
the LORD
. Yet ye say
, What have we spoken
so much against thee?
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
?
And now we call the proud
happy
; yea, they that work
wickedness
are set up
; yea, they that tempt
God
are even delivered
.
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
.
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.
Then shall ye return, and discern
between the righteous
and the wicked
, between him that serveth
God
and him that serveth
him not.