玛拉基书 3
Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Simplified)
耶和华遣使备主之途
3 万军之耶和华说：“我要差遣我的使者在我前面预备道路。你们所寻求的主必忽然进入他的殿，立约的使者，就是你们所仰慕的，快要来到。
救主莅临显威施恩
2 “他来的日子，谁能当得起呢？他显现的时候，谁能立得住呢？因为他如炼金之人的火，如漂布之人的碱。 3 他必坐下如炼净银子的，必洁净利未人，熬炼他们像金银一样，他们就凭公义献供物给耶和华。 4 那时犹大和耶路撒冷所献的供物必蒙耶和华悦纳，仿佛古时之日，上古之年。”
责民违法背道
5 万军之耶和华说：“我必临近你们，施行审判。我必速速作见证，警戒行邪术的、犯奸淫的、起假誓的、亏负人之工价的、欺压寡妇孤儿的、屈枉寄居的和不敬畏我的。 6 因我耶和华是不改变的，所以你们雅各之子没有灭亡。”
劝民归诚
7 万军之耶和华说：“从你们列祖的日子以来，你们常常偏离我的典章而不遵守。现在你们要转向我，我就转向你们。你们却问说：‘我们如何才是转向呢？’
责民负主
8 “人岂可夺取神之物呢？你们竟夺取我的供物。你们却说：‘我们在何事上夺取你的供物呢？’就是你们在当纳的十分之一和当献的供物上。 9 因你们通国的人都夺取我的供物，咒诅就临到你们身上。” 10 万军之耶和华说：“你们要将当纳的十分之一全然送入仓库，使我家有粮，以此试试我，是否为你们敞开天上的窗户倾福于你们，甚至无处可容。” 11 万军之耶和华说：“我必为你们斥责蝗虫[a]，不容它毁坏你们的土产，你们田间的葡萄树在未熟之先也不掉果子。” 12 万军之耶和华说：“万国必称你们为有福的，因你们的地必成为喜乐之地。”
责民悖逆
13 耶和华说：“你们用话顶撞我，你们还说：‘我们用什么话顶撞了你呢？’ 14 你们说：‘侍奉神是徒然的！遵守神所吩咐的，在万军之耶和华面前苦苦斋戒，有什么益处呢？ 15 如今我们称狂傲的人为有福，并且行恶的人得建立，他们虽然试探神，却得脱离灾难。’”
敬畏耶和华者必蒙眷顾
16 那时，敬畏耶和华的彼此谈论，耶和华侧耳而听，且有纪念册在他面前，记录那敬畏耶和华思念他名的人。 17 万军之耶和华说：“在我所定的日子他们必属我，特特归我，我必怜恤他们，如同人怜恤服侍自己的儿子。 18 那时你们必归回，将善人和恶人，侍奉神的和不侍奉神的，分别出来。”
Footnotes
- 玛拉基书 3:11 “蝗虫”原文作“吞噬者”。
Malachi 3
Complete Jewish Bible
3 “Look! I am sending my messenger
to clear the way before me;
and the Lord, whom you seek,
will suddenly come to his temple.
Yes, the messenger of the covenant,
in whom you take such delight —
look! Here he comes,”
says Adonai-Tzva’ot.
2 But who can endure the day when he comes?
Who can stand when he appears?
For he will be like a refiner’s fire,
like the soapmaker’s lye.
3 He will sit, testing and purifying the silver;
he will purify the sons of Levi,
refining them like gold and silver,
so that they can bring offerings to Adonai uprightly.
4 Then the offering of Y’hudah and Yerushalayim
will be pleasing to Adonai,
as it was in the days of old,
as in years gone by.
5 “Then I will approach you for judgment;
and I will be quick to witness
against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers;
against those who take advantage
of wage-earners, widows and orphans;
against those who rob the foreigner of his rights
and don’t fear me,”
says Adonai-Tzva’ot.
6 “But because I, Adonai, do not change,
you sons of Ya‘akov will not be destroyed.
7 Since the days of your forefathers
you have turned from my laws and have not kept them.
Return to me, and I will return to you,”
says Adonai-Tzva’ot.
“But you ask, ‘In respect to what
are we supposed to return?’
8 Can a person rob God?
Yet you rob me.
But you ask, ‘How have we robbed you?’
In tenths and voluntary contributions.
9 A curse is on you, on your whole nation,
because you rob me.
10 Bring the whole tenth into the storehouse,
so that there will be food in my house,
and put me to the test,”
says Adonai-Tzva’ot.
“See if I won’t open for you
the floodgates of heaven
and pour out for you a blessing
far beyond your needs.
11 For your sakes I will forbid the devourer
to destroy the yield from your soil;
and your vine will not lose its fruit
before harvest-time,”
says Adonai-Tzva’ot.
12 “All nations will call you happy,
for you will be a land of delights,”
says Adonai-Tzva’ot.
13 “You have spoken strongly against me,” says Adonai.
“Yet you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?’
14 By saying, ‘There is no point in serving God.
What good is it to obey his orders
or to walk about as mourners
before Adonai-Tzva’ot?
15 We consider the arrogant happy;
also evildoers prosper;
they put God to the test;
nevertheless, they escape.’”
16 Then those who feared Adonai spoke together;
and Adonai listened and heard.
A record book was written in his presence
for those who feared Adonai
and had respect for his name.
17 “They will be mine,” says Adonai-Tzva’ot,
“on the day when I compose my own special treasure.
I will spare them as a man spares
his own son who serves him.
18 Then once again you will see the difference
between the righteous and the wicked,
between the person who serves God
and one that doesn’t serve him.
19 (4:1) For the day is coming, burning like a furnace,
when all the proud and evildoers will be stubble;
the day that is coming will set them ablaze,”
says Adonai-Tzva’ot,
“and leave them neither root nor branch.
20 (4:2) But to you who fear my name,
the sun of righteousness will rise
with healing in its wings;
and you will break out leaping,
like calves released from the stall.
21 (4:3) You will trample the wicked,
they will be ashes under the soles of your feet
on the day when I take action,”
says Adonai-Tzva’ot.
22 (4:4) “Remember the Torah of Moshe my servant,
which I enjoined on him at Horev,
laws and rulings for all Isra’el.
23 (4:5) Look, I will send to you
Eliyahu the prophet
before the coming of the great
and terrible Day of Adonai.
24 (4:6) He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children
and the hearts of the children to their fathers;
otherwise I will come and strike the land
with complete destruction.”
[Look, I will send to you
Eliyahu the prophet
before the coming of the great
and terrible Day of Adonai.]
Malachi 3
New King James Version
The Coming Messenger
3 “Behold, (A)I send My messenger,
And he will (B)prepare the way before Me.
And the Lord, whom you seek,
Will suddenly come to His temple,
(C)Even the Messenger of the covenant,
In whom you delight.
Behold, (D)He is coming,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
2 “But who can endure (E)the day of His coming?
And (F)who can stand when He appears?
For (G)He is like a refiner’s fire
And like launderers’ soap.
3 (H)He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;
He will purify the sons of Levi,
And [a]purge them as gold and silver,
That they may (I)offer to the Lord
An offering in righteousness.
4 “Then (J)the offering of Judah and Jerusalem
Will be [b]pleasant to the Lord,
As in the days of old,
As in former years.
5 And I will come near you for judgment;
I will be a swift witness
Against sorcerers,
Against adulterers,
(K)Against perjurers,
Against those who (L)exploit wage earners and (M)widows and orphans,
And against those who turn away an alien—
Because they do not fear Me,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
6 “For I am the Lord, (N)I do not change;
(O)Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.
7 Yet from the days of (P)your fathers
You have gone away from My ordinances
And have not kept them.
(Q)Return to Me, and I will return to you,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
(R)“But you said,
‘In what way shall we return?’
Do Not Rob God
8 “Will a man rob God?
Yet you have robbed Me!
But you say,
‘In what way have we robbed You?’
(S)In tithes and offerings.
9 You are cursed with a curse,
For you have robbed Me,
Even this whole nation.
10 (T)Bring all the tithes into the (U)storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“If I will not open for you the (V)windows of heaven
And (W)pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it.
11 “And I will rebuke (X)the devourer for your sakes,
So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground,
Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,”
Says the Lord of hosts;
12 “And all nations will call you blessed,
For you will be (Y)a delightful land,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
The People Complain Harshly
13 “Your(Z) words have been [c]harsh against Me,”
Says the Lord,
“Yet you say,
‘What have we spoken against You?’
14 (AA)You have said,
‘It is useless to serve God;
What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance,
And that we have walked as mourners
Before the Lord of hosts?
15 So now (AB)we call the proud blessed,
For those who do wickedness are [d]raised up;
They even (AC)tempt God and go free.’ ”
A Book of Remembrance
16 Then those (AD)who feared the Lord (AE)spoke to one another,
And the Lord listened and heard them;
So (AF)a book of remembrance was written before Him
For those who fear the Lord
And who [e]meditate on His name.
17 “They(AG) shall be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts,
“On the day that I make them My (AH)jewels.[f]
And (AI)I will spare them
As a man spares his own son who serves him.”
18 (AJ)Then you shall again discern
Between the righteous and the wicked,
Between one who serves God
And one who does not serve Him.
Footnotes
- Malachi 3:3 Or refine
- Malachi 3:4 pleasing
- Malachi 3:13 Lit. strong
- Malachi 3:15 Lit. built
- Malachi 3:16 Or esteem
- Malachi 3:17 Lit. special treasure
Malachi 3
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 3
1 Behold, I am sending my messenger[a]
to prepare the way before me.
And suddenly the Lord whom you seek
will come to the temple,
as well as the messenger of the covenant
in whom you delight.
Indeed he is coming,
says the Lord of hosts.
2 But who will be able to endure
the day of his coming,
and who can stand when he appears?
For he is like a refiner’s fire
or like a fuller’s soap.
3 He will sit refining and purifying;
he will purify the descendants of Levi
and refine them like gold or silver
so that they may in righteousness
offer due sacrifice to the Lord.
4 Thus the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem
will be pleasing to the Lord
as in the days of old,
as in the years long past.
5 Then I will draw near to you for judgment,
and I will be swift to bear witness
against the sorcerers, adulterers, and perjurers,
against those who defraud the hired laborer of his wages,
against those who wrong widows and orphans,
against those who thrust aside the foreigner,
and against those who do not fear me,
says the Lord of hosts.
Make the Tithe Offering to the Lord[b]
6 For I, the Lord, do not change,
and you have not ceased to be sons of Jacob.
7 Since 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 hosts.
Yet you ask,
“How can we return?”
8 Can a man rob God?
Yet you are robbing me.
You ask, “How do we rob you?”
In your tithes and offerings.
9 There is a curse on you all,
for your entire nation has defrauded me.
10 Bring the tithes in full into the treasury
so that there may be food in my house.
Put me thus to the test,
says the Lord of hosts,
and see if I will not open
the windows of heaven for you
and pour down blessings upon you
without measure.
11 For your sake I will forbid the locusts
to destroy the produce of your soil,
and the vines in your fields will not be barren,
says the Lord of hosts.
12 Then all nations will call you blessed,
for yours will be a land of delight,
says the Lord of hosts.
The Just Will Have Their Revenge
13 [c]You have spoken harsh words against me,
says the Lord.
Yet you ask,
“What have we said against you?”
14 You have said,
“It is useless to serve God.
What do we profit by keeping his commands
or by going about in penitential garb
before the Lord of hosts?
15 For our part,
we regard the arrogant as happy.
Evildoers not only prosper,
but when they put God to the test,
they come to no harm.”
16 Then those who feared the Lord
spoke with one another.
The Lord listened attentively,
and a book of remembrance was written before him
of those who feared him
and trusted in his name.
17 They shall be mine,
says the Lord of hosts,
my own special possession
on the day when I act,
and I will have compassion on them
as a father has compassion
on the son who serves him.
18 Then you will once again see the difference
between the just and the wicked,
between the one who serves God
and the one who refuses to serve him.
19 For look, the day that is coming
will blaze like a furnace,
and all the proud and all the evildoers
will be stubble.
And the day that is coming
will set them ablaze,
leaving them neither root nor branch,
says the Lord of hosts.
20 But for you who fear my name
the sun of justice will arise
with its healing rays.
You will emerge leaping
like calves released from the stall
21 and tread down the wicked.
They will be ashes
under the soles of your feet
on the day when I act,
says the Lord of hosts.
VIII: Final Exhortation and Promise
22 Remember the law of Moses my servant,
which I enjoined upon him at Horeb,
the statutes and ordinances
for all Israel.
23 Lo, I will send you the prophet Elijah
before the day of the Lord comes,
that great and terrible day.
24 He will reconcile parents to their children
and children to their parents,
so that I will not come
and strike the land with a curse.
Footnotes
- Malachi 3:1 The mysterious messenger of whom this verse speaks was probably a figure familiar to those who, at this period, attempted to imagine the final times: according to a passage added later (vv. 23-24), the reference was to Elijah, whose return was expected among the Jews. Jesus will apply the text to John the Baptist (see Mt 11:10; Mk 1:1; Lk 1:17). The messenger of the covenant is God himself; in Mt 11:10, it is Christ.
- Malachi 3:6 To take the tithe for the Lord up front was a way of acknowledging him as master of the land, rendering him homage, and drawing down his blessing on crops threatened by drought or by insect invasions. The produce thus brought served the needs of the temple and of the priests who saw to the performance of worship (see Num 18:21-32).
- Malachi 3:13 The rather harsh images at the end of this passage must be understood according to the mentality of the time. They express, in an excessive way, the hope which the just had of seeing evil someday disappear.
Copyright © 2011 by Global Bible Initiative
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
