(A)“Behold, I send (B)my messenger, and (C)he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord (D)whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and (E)the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But (F)who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For (G)he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. He will sit (H)as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring (I)offerings in righteousness to the Lord.[a] (J)Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be (K)a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those (L)who oppress the hired worker in his wages, (M)the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.

Robbing God

“For (N)I the Lord do not change; (O)therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. (P)From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. (Q)Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. (R)But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. (S)But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ (T)In your tithes and contributions. (U)You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. 10 (V)Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby (W)put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open (X)the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. 11 I will rebuke (Y)the devourer[b] for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. 12 Then (Z)all nations will call you blessed, for you will be (AA)a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.

13 (AB)“Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord. (AC)But you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?’ 14 You have said, (AD)‘It is vain to serve God. (AE)What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? 15 And now we call (AF)the arrogant blessed. (AG)Evildoers not only prosper but (AH)they put God to the test and they escape.’”

The Book of Remembrance

16 Then those who feared the Lord (AI)spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and (AJ)a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name. 17 “They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, (AK)in the day when I make up (AL)my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. 18 Then once more you shall (AM)see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.

The Great Day of the Lord

[c] “For behold, (AN)the day is coming, (AO)burning like an oven, when (AP)all the arrogant and (AQ)all evildoers (AR)will be stubble. The day that is coming (AS)shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you (AT)who fear my name, (AU)the sun (AV)of righteousness shall rise (AW)with healing in its wings. You shall go out (AX)leaping like calves from the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, (AY)on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts.

(AZ)“Remember (BA)the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules[d] that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel.

(BB)“Behold, I will send you (BC)Elijah the prophet (BD)before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will (BE)turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and (BF)strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”[e]

Footnotes

  1. Malachi 3:3 Or and they will belong to the Lord, bringers of an offering in righteousness
  2. Malachi 3:11 Probably a name for some crop-destroying pest or pests
  3. Malachi 4:1 Ch 4:1–6 is ch 3:19–24 in Hebrew
  4. Malachi 4:4 Or and just decrees
  5. Malachi 4:6 The Hebrew term rendered decree of utter destruction refers to things devoted (or set apart) to the Lord (or by the Lord) for destruction

Praise the Name of the Lord

148 (A)Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord (B)from the heavens;
    praise him (C)in the heights!
Praise him, all his angels;
    praise him, all his (D)hosts!

Praise him, sun and moon,
    praise him, all you shining stars!
Praise him, you (E)highest heavens,
    and you (F)waters above the heavens!

(G)Let them praise the name of the Lord!
    For (H)he commanded and they were created.
And he (I)established them forever and ever;
    he gave (J)a decree, and it shall not (K)pass away.[a]

Praise the Lord (L)from the earth,
    you (M)great sea creatures and all deeps,
(N)fire and hail, (O)snow and mist,
    (P)stormy wind (Q)fulfilling his word!

(R)Mountains and all hills,
    (S)fruit trees and all (T)cedars!
10 (U)Beasts and all livestock,
    creeping things and (V)flying birds!

11 Kings of the earth and (W)all peoples,
    princes and all rulers of the earth!
12 Young men and maidens together,
    old men and children!

13 (X)Let them praise the name of the Lord,
    for (Y)his name alone is exalted;
    (Z)his majesty is above earth and heaven.
14 He has (AA)raised up a horn for his people,
    (AB)praise for all his saints,
    for the people of Israel who are (AC)near to him.
(AD)Praise the Lord!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 148:6 Or it shall not be transgressed

Ananias and Sapphira

But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and with his wife's knowledge (A)he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and (B)laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has (C)Satan filled your heart to lie (D)to the Holy Spirit and (E)to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but (F)to God.” When Ananias heard these words, he (G)fell down and breathed his last. And (H)great fear came upon all who heard of it. The young men rose and (I)wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.

After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you[a] sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together (J)to test (K)the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And (L)great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.

Many Signs and Wonders Done

12 Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people (M)by the hands of the apostles. And they were all (N)together in (O)Solomon's Portico. 13 None of the rest dared join them, but (P)the people held them in high esteem. 14 And (Q)more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 (R)so that they even (S)carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by (T)at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, (U)bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

The Apostles Arrested and Freed

17 But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of (V)the Sadducees), and filled with (W)jealousy 18 they arrested the apostles and (X)put them in the public prison. 19 But during the night (Y)an angel of the Lord (Z)opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all (AA)the words of (AB)this (AC)Life.” 21 And when they heard this, (AD)they entered the temple (AE)at daybreak and began to teach.

Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council, all the senate of the people of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22 But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported, 23 “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside.” 24 Now when (AF)the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to. 25 And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison (AG)are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” 26 Then (AH)the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for (AI)they were afraid of being stoned by the people.

27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, (AJ)“We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you (AK)intend to bring this man's blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, (AL)“We must obey God rather than men. 30 (AM)The God of our fathers (AN)raised Jesus, (AO)whom you killed by hanging him on (AP)a tree. 31 God exalted (AQ)him at his right hand as (AR)Leader and (AS)Savior, (AT)to give (AU)repentance to Israel and (AV)forgiveness of sins. 32 And (AW)we are witnesses to these things, and (AX)so is the Holy Spirit, (AY)whom God has given to those who obey him.”

33 When they heard this, they (AZ)were enraged and wanted to kill them. 34 But a Pharisee in the council named (BA)Gamaliel, (BB)a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. 35 And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. 36 For (BC)before these days Theudas rose up, (BD)claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of (BE)the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. 38 So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for (BF)if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; 39 but (BG)if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You (BH)might even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice, 40 and (BI)when they had called in the apostles, (BJ)they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 Then they left the presence of the council, (BK)rejoicing that they were counted worthy (BL)to suffer dishonor for (BM)the name. 42 And every day, (BN)in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and (BO)preaching (BP)that the Christ is Jesus.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 5:8 The Greek for you is plural here

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