1
Behold, I will send my messenger, which shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord |LORDE| whom ye would have, shall soon come to his temple, yea, even the messenger of the covenant whom ye long for. Behold, he cometh, sayeth the LORD of Hosts. (Septuagint: Behold, I send forth my messenger, and he shall survey the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come into his temple, even the angel of the covenant, whom ye take pleasure in: behold, he is coming, saith the Lord Almighty. Note Masoretic quote: Matthew 11:10 Mark 1:2 and Luke 7:27) {Behold, I send my messenger which shall prepare the way before me. And suddenly shall the Lord whom ye seek, come unto his temple, and the messenger of the covenant whom ye desire. Behold, he cometh saith the LORD Sabaoth.}
2
But who may abide the day of his coming? Who shall be able to endure, when he appeareth? For he is like a goldsmith's fire, and like washer's soap. {Who shall endure in the day of his coming, or who shall stand to behold him? For he is as trying fire and as the herb that fullers scour withal.}
3
He shall sit him down to try and to cleanse the silver, he shall purge the children of Levi, and purify them like as gold and silver: that they may bring meatofferings unto the LORD in righteousness. {And he shall sit trying and purging silver, and shall purify the sons of Levi, and shall fine them as gold and silver. And they shall bring offering unto the LORD of righteousness.}
4
Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be acceptable unto the LORD, like as from the beginning and in the years afore time. {And the sacrifice of Judah and of Jerusalem shall be delicious unto the LORD as in the old time and in the years that were at the beginning.}
5
I will come and punish you, and I myself will be a swift witness against the witches, against the advouterers, against false swearers: yea and against those, that wrongfully |wrongeously| keep back the hirelings duty: which vex the widows and the fatherless, and oppress the stranger, and fear not me, sayeth the LORD of Hosts.
6
For I am the LORD that change not, and ye (O children of Jacob) will not leave off:
7
ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and since the time of your forefathers have ye not kept them. Turn you now unto me, and I will turn me unto you, sayeth the LORD of Hosts. Ye say: Wherein shall we turn?
8
Should a man use falsity and deceit with God, as ye use falsity and deceit with me. Yet ye say wherein use we deceit with thee? In Tithes and heave offerings.
9
Therefore are ye cursed with penury, because ye dissemble with me, all the sort of you.
10
Bring every Tithe in to my barn, that there may be meat in mine house: and prove me withall (sayeth the LORD of Hosts) if I will not open the windows of heaven unto you, and pour you out a blessing with plenteousness.
11
Yea, I shall reprove the consumer for your sakes, so that he shall not eat up the fruit of your ground, neither shall the vineyard be barren in the field, sayeth the LORD of Hosts:
12
In so much that all people shall say, that ye be blessed, for ye shall be a pleasant land, sayeth the LORD of Hosts.
13
Ye speak hard words against me, sayeth the LORD. And yet ye say: What have we spoken against thee?
14
Ye have said: It is but lost labour, to serve God: What profit have we for keeping his commandments, and for walking humbly before the LORD of Hosts?
15
Therefore may we say, that the proud are happy, and that they which deal with ungodliness, are set up: for they tempt God and yet escape.
16
But they that fear God, say thus one to another: the LORD considereth and heareth it. Yea it is before him a memorial book, written for such as fear the LORD, and remember his name.
17
And in the day that I will make (sayeth the LORD of Hosts) they shall be mine own possession: and I will favour them, like as a man favoureth his own son, that doth him service.
18
Turn you therefore, and consider what difference is betwixt the righteous and ungodly: betwixt him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not.