万军之耶和华说:“我要差遣我的使者为我开路。你们所寻求的主必突然来到祂的殿中。你们所期盼的那位立约的使者快要来了!” 然而,祂来临的日子,谁能承受得了呢?祂出现的时候,谁能站立得住呢?因为祂像炼金之火,又像漂白衣裳的碱。 祂要坐下来,像炼净银子的人那样洁净利未的子孙,像熬炼金银一样熬炼他们,使他们凭公义向耶和华献祭。 这样,犹大和耶路撒冷所献的祭物就会蒙耶和华悦纳,如同以往的日子、从前的岁月。

万军之耶和华说:“我要来到你们当中施行审判,速速作证指控那些行邪术的、通奸的、起假誓的、克扣工人薪水的、欺压寡妇孤儿的、冤枉异乡人的,以及不敬畏我的。

十分之一奉献

“我耶和华永恒不变,所以你们这些雅各的子孙才没有灭绝。” 万军之耶和华说:“从你们祖先开始,你们就常常偏离我的律例,不肯遵从。现在你们要转向我,我就转向你们。可是你们竟然说,‘我们怎么转向你呢?’ 人怎可抢夺上帝的东西呢?可是你们不但抢夺我的东西,还说,‘我们在何事上抢过你的东西呢?’

“你们在十分之一的奉献和其他供物上抢夺我的东西。 举国上下都是如此,所以你们必受咒诅。” 10 万军之耶和华说:“你们要把当纳的十分之一全部送到我的仓库,使我的殿中有粮。你们这样试试,看我会不会为你们打开天上的窗户,把祝福倾倒给你们,直到无处可容。” 11 万军之耶和华说:“我必为你们驱除害虫,不许它们毁坏你们地里的出产,你们田间的葡萄必不会未熟先落。” 12 万军之耶和华说:“万国必称你们为有福的,因为这地方必成为一片乐土。”

13 耶和华说:“你们出言毁谤我,还问,‘我们怎么毁谤你了?’ 14 你们说,‘事奉上帝是虚空的。遵从上帝的吩咐,在万军之耶和华面前痛悔有什么益处? 15 如今我们称狂傲的人有福,因为作恶的人凡事顺利,他们虽然试探上帝,却仍能逃过灾祸。’”

16 那时,敬畏耶和华的彼此交谈,耶和华必留心倾听,祂面前的纪念册上记录着敬畏祂和尊崇祂名的人。 17 万军之耶和华说:“到我所定的日子,他们必成为我宝贵的产业,我要怜悯他们,如同父亲怜悯他的孝顺儿子。 18 那时,你们将再度看出义人与恶人之间的区别,事奉上帝者和不事奉上帝者之间的不同。

萬軍之耶和華說:「我要差遣我的使者為我開路。你們所尋求的主必突然來到祂的殿中。你們所期盼的那位立約的使者快要來了!」 然而,祂來臨的日子,誰能承受得了呢?祂出現的時候,誰能站立得住呢?因為祂像煉金之火,又像漂白衣裳的鹼。 祂要坐下來,像煉淨銀子的人那樣潔淨利未的子孫,像熬煉金銀一樣熬煉他們,使他們憑公義向耶和華獻祭。 這樣,猶大和耶路撒冷所獻的祭物就會蒙耶和華悅納,如同以往的日子、從前的歲月。

萬軍之耶和華說:「我要來到你們當中施行審判,速速作證指控那些行邪術的、通姦的、起假誓的、克扣工人薪水的、欺壓寡婦孤兒的、冤枉異鄉人的,以及不敬畏我的。

十分之一奉獻

「我耶和華永恆不變,所以你們這些雅各的子孫才沒有滅絕。」 萬軍之耶和華說:「從你們祖先開始,你們就常常偏離我的律例,不肯遵從。現在你們要轉向我,我就轉向你們。可是你們竟然說,『我們怎麼轉向你呢?』 人怎可搶奪上帝的東西呢?可是你們不但搶奪我的東西,還說,『我們在何事上搶過你的東西呢?』

「你們在十分之一的奉獻和其他供物上搶奪我的東西。 舉國上下都是如此,所以你們必受咒詛。」 10 萬軍之耶和華說:「你們要把當納的十分之一全部送到我的倉庫,使我的殿中有糧。你們這樣試試,看我會不會為你們打開天上的窗戶,把祝福傾倒給你們,直到無處可容。」 11 萬軍之耶和華說:「我必為你們驅除害蟲,不許牠們毀壞你們地裡的出產,你們田間的葡萄必不會未熟先落。」 12 萬軍之耶和華說:「萬國必稱你們為有福的,因為這地方必成為一片樂土。」

13 耶和華說:「你們出言譭謗我,還問,『我們怎麼譭謗你了?』 14 你們說,『事奉上帝是虛空的。遵從上帝的吩咐,在萬軍之耶和華面前痛悔有什麼益處? 15 如今我們稱狂傲的人有福,因為作惡的人凡事順利,他們雖然試探上帝,卻仍能逃過災禍。』」

16 那時,敬畏耶和華的彼此交談,耶和華必留心傾聽,祂面前的紀念冊上記錄著敬畏祂和尊崇祂名的人。 17 萬軍之耶和華說:「到我所定的日子,他們必成為我寶貴的產業,我要憐憫他們,如同父親憐憫他的孝順兒子。 18 那時,你們將再度看出義人與惡人之間的區別,事奉上帝者和不事奉上帝者之間的不同。

“I will send my messenger,(A) who will prepare the way before me.(B) Then suddenly the Lord(C) you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant,(D) whom you desire,(E) will come,” says the Lord Almighty.

But who can endure(F) the day of his coming?(G) Who can stand(H) when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire(I) or a launderer’s soap.(J) He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver;(K) he will purify(L) the Levites and refine them like gold and silver.(M) Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness,(N) and the offerings(O) of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.(P)

“So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers,(Q) adulterers(R) and perjurers,(S) against those who defraud laborers of their wages,(T) who oppress the widows(U) and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners(V) among you of justice, but do not fear(W) me,” says the Lord Almighty.

Breaking Covenant by Withholding Tithes

“I the Lord do not change.(X) So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.(Y) Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away(Z) from my decrees and have not kept them. Return(AA) to me, and I will return to you,”(AB) says the Lord Almighty.

“But you ask,(AC) ‘How are we to return?’

“Will a mere mortal rob(AD) God? Yet you rob me.

“But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’

“In tithes(AE) and offerings. You are under a curse(AF)—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe(AG) into the storehouse,(AH) that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates(AI) of heaven and pour out(AJ) so much blessing(AK) that there will not be room enough to store it.(AL) 11 I will prevent pests from devouring(AM) your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,(AN)” says the Lord Almighty. 12 “Then all the nations will call you blessed,(AO) for yours will be a delightful land,”(AP) says the Lord Almighty.(AQ)

Israel Speaks Arrogantly Against God

13 “You have spoken arrogantly(AR) against me,” says the Lord.

“Yet you ask,(AS) ‘What have we said against you?’

14 “You have said, ‘It is futile(AT) to serve(AU) God. What do we gain by carrying out his requirements(AV) and going about like mourners(AW) before the Lord Almighty? 15 But now we call the arrogant(AX) blessed. Certainly evildoers(AY) prosper,(AZ) and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it.’”

The Faithful Remnant

16 Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard.(BA) A scroll(BB) of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared(BC) the Lord and honored his name.

17 “On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my(BD) treasured possession.(BE) I will spare(BF) them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son(BG) who serves him. 18 And you will again see the distinction between the righteous(BH) and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.(BI)

万军之耶和华说:“我要差遣我的使者为我开路。你们所寻求的主必突然来到祂的殿中。你们所期盼的那位立约的使者快要来了!” 然而,祂来临的日子,谁能承受得了呢?祂出现的时候,谁能站立得住呢?因为祂像炼金之火,又像漂白衣裳的碱。 祂要坐下来,像炼净银子的人那样洁净利未的子孙,像熬炼金银一样熬炼他们,使他们凭公义向耶和华献祭。 这样,犹大和耶路撒冷所献的祭物就会蒙耶和华悦纳,如同以往的日子、从前的岁月。

万军之耶和华说:“我要来到你们当中施行审判,速速作证指控那些行邪术的、通奸的、起假誓的、克扣工人薪水的、欺压寡妇孤儿的、冤枉异乡人的,以及不敬畏我的。

十分之一奉献

“我耶和华永恒不变,所以你们这些雅各的子孙才没有灭绝。” 万军之耶和华说:“从你们祖先开始,你们就常常偏离我的律例,不肯遵从。现在你们要转向我,我就转向你们。可是你们竟然说,‘我们怎么转向你呢?’ 人怎可抢夺上帝的东西呢?可是你们不但抢夺我的东西,还说,‘我们在何事上抢过你的东西呢?’

“你们在十分之一的奉献和其他供物上抢夺我的东西。 举国上下都是如此,所以你们必受咒诅。” 10 万军之耶和华说:“你们要把当纳的十分之一全部送到我的仓库,使我的殿中有粮。你们这样试试,看我会不会为你们打开天上的窗户,把祝福倾倒给你们,直到无处可容。” 11 万军之耶和华说:“我必为你们驱除害虫,不许它们毁坏你们地里的出产,你们田间的葡萄必不会未熟先落。” 12 万军之耶和华说:“万国必称你们为有福的,因为这地方必成为一片乐土。”

13 耶和华说:“你们出言毁谤我,还问,‘我们怎么毁谤你了?’ 14 你们说,‘事奉上帝是虚空的。遵从上帝的吩咐,在万军之耶和华面前痛悔有什么益处? 15 如今我们称狂傲的人有福,因为作恶的人凡事顺利,他们虽然试探上帝,却仍能逃过灾祸。’”

16 那时,敬畏耶和华的彼此交谈,耶和华必留心倾听,祂面前的纪念册上记录着敬畏祂和尊崇祂名的人。 17 万军之耶和华说:“到我所定的日子,他们必成为我宝贵的产业,我要怜悯他们,如同父亲怜悯他的孝顺儿子。 18 那时,你们将再度看出义人与恶人之间的区别,事奉上帝者和不事奉上帝者之间的不同。

萬軍之耶和華說:「我要差遣我的使者為我開路。你們所尋求的主必突然來到祂的殿中。你們所期盼的那位立約的使者快要來了!」 然而,祂來臨的日子,誰能承受得了呢?祂出現的時候,誰能站立得住呢?因為祂像煉金之火,又像漂白衣裳的鹼。 祂要坐下來,像煉淨銀子的人那樣潔淨利未的子孫,像熬煉金銀一樣熬煉他們,使他們憑公義向耶和華獻祭。 這樣,猶大和耶路撒冷所獻的祭物就會蒙耶和華悅納,如同以往的日子、從前的歲月。

萬軍之耶和華說:「我要來到你們當中施行審判,速速作證指控那些行邪術的、通姦的、起假誓的、克扣工人薪水的、欺壓寡婦孤兒的、冤枉異鄉人的,以及不敬畏我的。

十分之一奉獻

「我耶和華永恆不變,所以你們這些雅各的子孫才沒有滅絕。」 萬軍之耶和華說:「從你們祖先開始,你們就常常偏離我的律例,不肯遵從。現在你們要轉向我,我就轉向你們。可是你們竟然說,『我們怎麼轉向你呢?』 人怎可搶奪上帝的東西呢?可是你們不但搶奪我的東西,還說,『我們在何事上搶過你的東西呢?』

「你們在十分之一的奉獻和其他供物上搶奪我的東西。 舉國上下都是如此,所以你們必受咒詛。」 10 萬軍之耶和華說:「你們要把當納的十分之一全部送到我的倉庫,使我的殿中有糧。你們這樣試試,看我會不會為你們打開天上的窗戶,把祝福傾倒給你們,直到無處可容。」 11 萬軍之耶和華說:「我必為你們驅除害蟲,不許牠們毀壞你們地裡的出產,你們田間的葡萄必不會未熟先落。」 12 萬軍之耶和華說:「萬國必稱你們為有福的,因為這地方必成為一片樂土。」

13 耶和華說:「你們出言譭謗我,還問,『我們怎麼譭謗你了?』 14 你們說,『事奉上帝是虛空的。遵從上帝的吩咐,在萬軍之耶和華面前痛悔有什麼益處? 15 如今我們稱狂傲的人有福,因為作惡的人凡事順利,他們雖然試探上帝,卻仍能逃過災禍。』」

16 那時,敬畏耶和華的彼此交談,耶和華必留心傾聽,祂面前的紀念冊上記錄著敬畏祂和尊崇祂名的人。 17 萬軍之耶和華說:「到我所定的日子,他們必成為我寶貴的產業,我要憐憫他們,如同父親憐憫他的孝順兒子。 18 那時,你們將再度看出義人與惡人之間的區別,事奉上帝者和不事奉上帝者之間的不同。

“I will send my messenger,(A) who will prepare the way before me.(B) Then suddenly the Lord(C) you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant,(D) whom you desire,(E) will come,” says the Lord Almighty.

But who can endure(F) the day of his coming?(G) Who can stand(H) when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire(I) or a launderer’s soap.(J) He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver;(K) he will purify(L) the Levites and refine them like gold and silver.(M) Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness,(N) and the offerings(O) of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.(P)

“So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers,(Q) adulterers(R) and perjurers,(S) against those who defraud laborers of their wages,(T) who oppress the widows(U) and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners(V) among you of justice, but do not fear(W) me,” says the Lord Almighty.

Breaking Covenant by Withholding Tithes

“I the Lord do not change.(X) So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.(Y) Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away(Z) from my decrees and have not kept them. Return(AA) to me, and I will return to you,”(AB) says the Lord Almighty.

“But you ask,(AC) ‘How are we to return?’

“Will a mere mortal rob(AD) God? Yet you rob me.

“But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’

“In tithes(AE) and offerings. You are under a curse(AF)—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe(AG) into the storehouse,(AH) that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates(AI) of heaven and pour out(AJ) so much blessing(AK) that there will not be room enough to store it.(AL) 11 I will prevent pests from devouring(AM) your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,(AN)” says the Lord Almighty. 12 “Then all the nations will call you blessed,(AO) for yours will be a delightful land,”(AP) says the Lord Almighty.(AQ)

Israel Speaks Arrogantly Against God

13 “You have spoken arrogantly(AR) against me,” says the Lord.

“Yet you ask,(AS) ‘What have we said against you?’

14 “You have said, ‘It is futile(AT) to serve(AU) God. What do we gain by carrying out his requirements(AV) and going about like mourners(AW) before the Lord Almighty? 15 But now we call the arrogant(AX) blessed. Certainly evildoers(AY) prosper,(AZ) and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it.’”

The Faithful Remnant

16 Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard.(BA) A scroll(BB) of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared(BC) the Lord and honored his name.

17 “On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my(BD) treasured possession.(BE) I will spare(BF) them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son(BG) who serves him. 18 And you will again see the distinction between the righteous(BH) and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.(BI)