“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.” (Malachi
3:1-18 AV)