Dual Panel1BEHOLD, I send My messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me. And the Lord [the Messiah], Whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; the Messenger {or} Angel of the covenant, Whom you desire, behold, He shall come, says the Lord of hosts.
2But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap;
3He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He will purify the priests, the sons of Levi, and refine them like gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord offerings in righteousness.
4Then will the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in ancient years.
5Then I will draw near to you for judgment; I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against the false swearers, and against those who oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, and who turn aside the temporary resident from his right and fear not Me, says the Lord of hosts.
6For I am the Lord, I do not change; that is why you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.
7Even from the days of your fathers you have turned aside 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, How shall we return?
8Will a man rob {or} defraud God? Yet you rob {and} defraud Me. But you say, In what way do we rob {or} defraud You? [You have withheld your] tithes and offerings.
9You are cursed with the curse, for you are robbing Me, even this whole nation.
10Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
11And I will rebuke the devourer [insects and plagues] for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine drop its fruit before the time in the field, says the Lord of hosts.
12And all nations shall call you happy {and} blessed, for you shall be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.
13Your words have been strong {and} hard against Me, says the Lord. Yet you say, What have we spoken against You?
14You have said, It is useless to serve God, and what profit is it if we keep His ordinances and walk gloomily {and} as if in mourning apparel before the Lord of hosts?
15And now we consider the proud {and} arrogant to be happy {and} favored; evildoers are exalted {and} prosper; yes, and when they test God, they escape [unpunished].
16Then those who feared the Lord talked often one to another; and the Lord listened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who reverenced {and} worshipfully feared the Lord and who thought on His name.
17And they shall be Mine, says the Lord of hosts, in that day when I publicly recognize {and} openly declare them to be My jewels (My special possession, My peculiar treasure). And I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him.
18Then shall you return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God and him who does not serve Him.