1
Behold, I will send my messenger , and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord , whom ye seek , will suddenly come to his temple , even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he will 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 fuller's 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 to the LORD an offering in righteousness .
4
Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant to 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 have gone away from my ordinances, and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will Return to you, saith the LORD of hosts . But ye said , In what shall we Return ?
8
Will a man rob God ? yet ye have robbed me. But ye say , In what 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 store-house , that there may be food in my house , and prove me now with this, 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; yes, they that work wickedness are set up; even they that tempt God are delivered.
16
Then they that feared the LORD spoke 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.