² But who can endure^(A) the day of his coming?^(B) Who can stand^(C) when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire^(D) or a launderer’s soap.^{(E) 3} He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver;^(F) he will purify^(G) the Levites and refine them like gold and silver.^(H) Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness,^(I)

Judgment and Covenant Renewal

4 ^[a]“Surely the day is coming;^(A) it will burn like a furnace.^(B) All the arrogant^(C) and every evildoer will be stubble,^(D) and the day that is coming will set them on fire,^(E)” says the Lord Almighty. “Not a root or a branch^(F) will be left to them. ² But for you who revere my name,^(G) the sun of righteousness^(H) will rise with healing^(I) in its rays. And you will go out and frolic^(J) like well-fed calves. ³ Then you will trample^(K) on the wicked; they will be ashes^(L) under the soles of your feet on the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty.

¹⁰ By the grace God has given me,^(A) I laid a foundation^(B) as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. ¹¹ For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.^{(C) 12} If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, ¹³ their work will be shown for what it is,^(D) because the Day^(E) will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.^{(F) 14} If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.^{(G) 15} If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.^(H)

¹⁶ Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple^(I) and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?^{(J) 17} If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.

²⁶ If we deliberately keep on sinning^(A) after we have received the knowledge of the truth,^(B) no sacrifice for sins is left, ²⁷ but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire^(C) that will consume the enemies of God. ²⁸ Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.^{(D) 29} How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God^(E) underfoot,^(F) who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant^(G) that sanctified them,^(H) and who has insulted the Spirit^(I) of grace?^{(J) 30} For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”^[a](K) and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”^{[b](L) 31} It is a dreadful thing^(M) to fall into the hands^(N) of the living God.^(O)

³² Remember those earlier days after you had received the light,^(P) when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering.^{(Q) 33} Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution;^(R) at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated.^{(S) 34} You suffered along with those in prison^(T) and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.^{(U) 35} So do not throw away your confidence;^(V) it will be richly rewarded.

³⁶ You need to persevere^(W) so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.^{(X) 37} For,

³⁸ And,

³⁹ But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.