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New Testament
Malachi 3
An Oracle From the Lord About the Messiah
31Look! I am sending my messenger![] He will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord, whom you are seeking, will come to his temple! The Messenger of the Covenant,[] in whom you delight, will surely come, says the Lord of Armies.
2But who can endure the day when he comes? Who will remain standing when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire, like launderers bleach![] 3He will be seated like a refiner and a purifier of silver. He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and like silver. They will belong to the Lord and bring him an offering in righteousness.
4Judah and Jerusalem's offerings will be pleasing to the Lord as they were in the days of old, in years long ago.
5I will approach you to judge you. I will be quick to give testimony against those who practice occult arts, those who commit adultery, those who swear false oaths, those who cheat workers out of their wages, those who wrong a widow and a fatherless child, those who turn away a resident alien—all those who do not fear me, says the Lord of Armies.
6Certainly I, the Lord, do not change. That is why you, sons of Jacob, have not come to an end. 7Since the days of your fathers, you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of Armies.
You say, “In what way should we return?”
8Will a man rob God? You are robbing me!
You say, “How have we robbed you?”
In regard to the tithe and the special offering.[] 9You are being cursed since all of you, the whole nation, are robbing me. 10Bring the complete tithe to the storehouse so that there may be food in my house. Just test me in this, says the Lord of Armies. See whether I do not open for you the windows[] of heaven and pour down blessing on you, until there is more than enough. 11I will restrain the devouring swarm so that it will not destroy your produce from your soil. Your vine in the field will not be without fruit, says the Lord of Armies. 12All the nations will call you blessed, because you will be a delightful land, says the Lord of Armies.
13Your words against me are harsh, says the Lord.
You ask, “How have we spoken against you?” 14You say, “Serving God is pointless. What have we gained by carefully keeping his requirements and by walking around like mourners before the Lord of Armies? 15Now we will call the arrogant blessed. Even evildoers are built up. They even test God and get away with it.”
Israel's Response
16Then those who fear the Lord spoke with each other. The Lord gave them his attention and listened. A book of remembrance was written in front of him for those who fear the Lord and have regard for his name.
17They will be mine, says the Lord of Armies, on the day I make them my treasured possession. I will spare them just as a man spares his son who serves him. 18Then you will again see the distinction between a righteous person and a wicked person, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.