“See, I am going to send my messenger,(A) and he will clear the way before me.(B) Then the Lord you seek(C) will suddenly come to his temple,(D) the Messenger of the covenant you delight in—see, he is coming,” says the Lord of Armies. But who can endure the day of his coming? And who will be able to stand when he appears?(E) For he will be like a refiner’s fire(F) and like launderer’s bleach.[a](G) He will be like a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver.(H) Then they will present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. And the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will please the Lord as in days of old(I) and years gone by.

“I will come to you in judgment, and I will be ready to witness against sorcerers and adulterers; against those who swear falsely; against those who oppress the hired worker, the widow, and the fatherless; and against those who deny justice to the resident alien.(J) They do not fear me,”(K) says the Lord of Armies. “Because I, the Lord, have not changed,(L) you descendants of Jacob have not been destroyed.[b](M)

Robbing God

“Since the days of your ancestors, you have turned from my statutes; you have not kept them.(N) Return to me,(O) and I will return to you,”(P) says the Lord of Armies.

Yet you ask, “How can we return?”

“Will a man rob(Q) God? Yet you are robbing me!”

“How do we rob you?” you ask.

“By not making the payments of the tenth and the contributions.(R) You are suffering under a curse, yet[c] you—the whole nation—are still robbing me. 10 Bring the full tenth into the storehouse(S) so that there may be food in my house.(T) Test me in this way,”(U) says the Lord of Armies. “See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven(V) and pour out a blessing for you without measure.(W) 11 I will rebuke the devourer[d](X) for you, so that it will not ruin the produce of your land and your vine in your field will not fail to produce fruit,” says the Lord of Armies. 12 “Then all the nations will consider you fortunate, for you will be a delightful land,” says the Lord of Armies.

The Righteous and the Wicked

13 “Your words against me are harsh,”(Y) says the Lord.

Yet you ask, “What have we spoken against you?”

14 You have said, “It is useless to serve God. What have we gained by keeping his requirements(Z) and walking mournfully(AA) before the Lord of Armies? 15 So now we consider the arrogant(AB) to be fortunate.(AC) Not only do those who commit wickedness prosper, they even test God(AD) and escape.”(AE)

16 At that time those who feared the Lord spoke to one another. The Lord took notice and listened. So a book of remembrance(AF) was written before him for those who feared the Lord and had high regard for his name. 17 “They will be mine,” says the Lord of Armies,(AG) “my own possession on the day I am preparing. I will have compassion on them as a man has compassion on his son who serves him.(AH) 18 So you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.

Footnotes

  1. 3:2 Lit cleansing agent
  2. 3:6 Or Because I, the Lord, do not change, you descendants of Jacob are not destroyed
  3. 3:9 Or because
  4. 3:11 Perhaps locusts

“I will send my messenger,(A) who will prepare the way before me.(B) Then suddenly the Lord(C) you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant,(D) whom you desire,(E) will come,” says the Lord Almighty.

But who can endure(F) the day of his coming?(G) Who can stand(H) when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire(I) or a launderer’s soap.(J) He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver;(K) he will purify(L) the Levites and refine them like gold and silver.(M) Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness,(N) and the offerings(O) of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.(P)

“So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers,(Q) adulterers(R) and perjurers,(S) against those who defraud laborers of their wages,(T) who oppress the widows(U) and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners(V) among you of justice, but do not fear(W) me,” says the Lord Almighty.

Breaking Covenant by Withholding Tithes

“I the Lord do not change.(X) So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.(Y) Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away(Z) from my decrees and have not kept them. Return(AA) to me, and I will return to you,”(AB) says the Lord Almighty.

“But you ask,(AC) ‘How are we to return?’

“Will a mere mortal rob(AD) God? Yet you rob me.

“But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’

“In tithes(AE) and offerings. You are under a curse(AF)—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe(AG) into the storehouse,(AH) that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates(AI) of heaven and pour out(AJ) so much blessing(AK) that there will not be room enough to store it.(AL) 11 I will prevent pests from devouring(AM) your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,(AN)” says the Lord Almighty. 12 “Then all the nations will call you blessed,(AO) for yours will be a delightful land,”(AP) says the Lord Almighty.(AQ)

Israel Speaks Arrogantly Against God

13 “You have spoken arrogantly(AR) against me,” says the Lord.

“Yet you ask,(AS) ‘What have we said against you?’

14 “You have said, ‘It is futile(AT) to serve(AU) God. What do we gain by carrying out his requirements(AV) and going about like mourners(AW) before the Lord Almighty? 15 But now we call the arrogant(AX) blessed. Certainly evildoers(AY) prosper,(AZ) and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it.’”

The Faithful Remnant

16 Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard.(BA) A scroll(BB) of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared(BC) the Lord and honored his name.

17 “On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my(BD) treasured possession.(BE) I will spare(BF) them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son(BG) who serves him. 18 And you will again see the distinction between the righteous(BH) and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.(BI)