1. The Lord who rules over all says, "I will send my messenger. He will prepare my way for me. Then suddenly the Lord you are looking for will come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant will come. He is the one you long for."
2. But who can live through the day when he comes? Who will be left standing when he appears? He will be like a fire that makes things pure. He will be like soap that makes things clean.
3. He will act like one who makes silver pure. And he will purify the Levites, just as gold and silver are purified with fire. Then the Lord's people will bring proper offerings.
4. And the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to him. It will be as it was in days and years gone by.
5. "So I will come and judge you. I will be quick to bring charges against all of you," says the Lord who rules over all. "I will bring charges against you sinful people who do not have any respect for me. That includes those who practice evil magic. It includes those who commit adultery and those who tell lies in court. It includes those who cheat workers out of their pay. It includes those who crush widows. It also includes those who mistreat children whose fathers have died. And it includes those who take away the rights of outsiders in the courts.
6. "I am the Lord. I do not change. That is why I have not destroyed you members of Jacob's family.