Malachi 3
The LORD will send His messenger to prepare the way, and the Lord they seek will suddenly come to His temple. He will be like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap, purifying the sons of Levi. The LORD rebukes Israel for robbing Him in tithes and offerings: "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, and prove Me now — I will open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing you cannot contain." A book of remembrance is written for those who fear the LORD.
| v | King James Version | Modern English |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | "I will send My messenger, and He shall prepare the way before Me. And the Lord whom You seek shall suddenly come to His temple — even the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. He shall come," says 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: | "But who can endure the day of His coming? Who can stand when He appears? 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. | He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver. He shall purify the sons of Levi, and refine 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 unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years. | Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem shall 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. | "And I will come near to You for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against the false swearers, against those who oppress the hired worker in His wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and those who turn aside the stranger from His right and do not fear Me," says the LORD of hosts. |
| 6 | For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. | "For I am the LORD, I change not. Therefore You 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? | From the days of Your fathers You have gone away from My ordinances and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to You," says the LORD of hosts. But You say, "In what way 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. | Will a man rob God? Yet You have robbed Me. But You say, "In what way have we robbed You?" In tithes and offerings. |
| 9 | Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. | You are cursed with a curse, for You 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. | Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house. Prove Me now in this, says the LORD of hosts, and see if I will not open You the windows of heaven and pour You out a blessing so great 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. | "And I will rebuke the devourer for Your sakes, and He shall not destroy the fruits of Your ground. Nor shall Your vine cast her fruit before its time in the field," says the LORD of hosts. |
| 12 | And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts. | "And all nations shall call You blessed, for You shall be a delightsome land," says 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? | "Your words have been harsh against Me," says the LORD. "Yet You say, 'What have we spoken against You?' |
| 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? | You have said, 'It is vain to serve God. What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, and that we have walked as mourners 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. | And now we call the proud blessed. Those who work wickedness are built up; those who tempt God go free.'" |
| 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. | Then those who feared the LORD spoke often one to another, and the LORD listened and heard them. A book of remembrance was written before Him for those who feared the LORD and who 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. | "They shall be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "on that day when I make up My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves 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. | Then you shall return and discern between the righteous and the wicked — between him who serves God and Him who does not serve Him." |