Malachi 3
3
The Coming Messenger
1Behold, I send My messenger, # Mal 4:5 and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. He is coming, says the Lord of Hosts.
2But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? # Rev 6:17 For he is like a refiner’s fire # Zec 13:9 and like fullers’ soap. 3He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; # Isa 1:25; Da 12:10 he will purify the Levites, and refine them like gold and silver, and they will present to the Lord offerings in righteousness. 4Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years. # 2Ch 7:1–3
5Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against the perjurers, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, # Lev 19:13 the widow and the fatherless, against those who turn aside the stranger, # Dt 24:17 and do not fear Me, says the Lord of Hosts.
Withholding Tithes
6For I am the Lord, I do not change; # Nu 23:19; Heb 13:8; Jas 1:17 therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed. 7From the days of your fathers you have gone away from My ordinances and have not kept them. # Mal 4:6 Return to Me, and I will return to you, # Zec 1:3 says the Lord of Hosts.
But you say, “How shall we return?”
8Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me.
But you say, “How have we robbed You?”
In tithes and offerings. 9You are cursed with a curse, # Mal 2:2; 4:6 your whole nation, for you are robbing Me. 10Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this, says the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven # 2Ki 7:2 and pour out for you a blessing, that there will not be room enough to receive it. 11I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that it will not destroy the fruit of your ground, and the vines in your field will not fail to bear fruit, says the Lord of Hosts. 12Then all the nations will call you blessed, # Isa 61:9 for you will be a delightful land, # Isa 62:4 says the Lord of Hosts.
13Your words have been hard against Me, says the Lord.
Yet you say, “What have we spoken against You?” # Mal 1:6–7; 2:17
14You 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? # Isa 58:3; Zep 1:12 15And now we call the proud blessed, for those who do wickedness are built up; they even test God # Ps 95:9 and escape.”
The Reward of the Faithful
16Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another. The Lord listened and heard them, and a book of remembrance # Ps 56:8; Isa 4:3 was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who esteem His name.
17They shall be Mine, says the Lord of Hosts, on the day when I prepare My special possession. # Ex 19:5; Dt 7:6 And I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. 18Then you will again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him. # Ge 18:25
Currently Selected:
Malachi 3: MEV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version
Copyright © 2024, 2017, 2014 by United Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House. All rights reserved.
Malachi 3
3
The Coming of the Messenger of the Promise
1“I’m going to send my messenger, and he will clear the way ahead of me. Then the Lord you are looking for will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the promise #3:1 Or “covenant.” will come. He is the one you want,” says the Lord of Armies.
2But who will be able to endure the day he comes? Who will be able to survive on the day he appears? He is like a purifying fire and like a cleansing soap. 3He will act like a refiner and a purifier of silver. He will purify Levi’s sons and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will bring acceptable offerings to the Lord. 4The offerings from Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the past, as in years long ago.
5“I will come to judge you. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers, lying witnesses, and those who cheat workers out of their wages and oppress widows and orphans. I will also testify against those who deprive foreigners of their rights. None of them fear me,” says the Lord of Armies.
The People Are Cheating God
6“I, the Lord, never change. That is why you descendants of Jacob haven’t been destroyed yet. 7Since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my laws and have not followed them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Armies.
“But you ask, ‘How can we return?’
8“Can a person cheat God? Yet, you are cheating me!
“But you ask, ‘How are we cheating you?’
“When ⌞you don’t bring⌟ a tenth of your income and other contributions. 9So a curse is on you because the whole nation is cheating me!
10“Bring one-tenth of your income into the storehouse so that there may be food in my house. Test me in this way,” says the Lord of Armies. “See if I won’t open the windows of heaven for you and flood you with blessings. 11Then, for your sake, I will stop insects from eating ⌞your crops⌟. They will not destroy the produce of your land. The vines in your fields will not lose their unripened grapes,” says the Lord of Armies. 12“All nations will call you blessed because you will be a delightful land,” says the Lord of Armies.
13“You have used harsh words against me,” says the Lord.
“You ask, ‘How have we spoken against you?’
14“You have said, ‘It’s pointless to serve God. What do we gain if we meet his standards or if we walk around feeling sorry for what we’ve done? 15So now we call arrogant people blessed. Not only are evildoers encouraged, they even test God and get away with it.’ ”
16Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord paid attention and listened. A book was written in his presence to be a reminder to those who feared the Lord and respected his name.
17“They will be mine,” says the Lord of Armies. “On that day I will make them my special possession. I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him. 18Then you will again see the difference between righteous people and wicked people, between the one who serves God and the one who doesn’t serve him.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.