1. Behold, 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, whom you delight in: behold, he shall come,
2. But who may endure the day of his coming? and who shall 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.
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.
5. And I will come near to you for 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 sojourner from his right, and fear not me,
6. For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed.
7. Even from the days of your fathers you have gone away from my ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you,
8. Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed me. But you say, How have we robbed you? In tithes and offerings.
9. You are cursed with a curse: for you have robbed me, even this whole nation.
10. Bring you all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and test me now in this,
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 its fruit before the time in the field,
12. And all nations shall call you blessed: for you shall be a delightful land,
13. Your words have been strong against me,
14. You have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked in mourning before the LORD of hosts?
15. And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are raised up; yea, they that test God are even 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,
18. Then shall you return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serves God and him that serves him not.