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立約的使者快臨

萬軍之耶和華說:“看哪!我派我的使者,在我前面預備道路;你們所尋求的主,必忽然進入他的殿;你們所愛慕立約的使者,就要來到。” 可是,他來的日子,誰能當得起呢?他顯現的時候,誰能站立得住呢?因為他像煉金之人的火,又像漂布之人的鹼。 他必坐著,像熬煉和潔淨銀子的人;他必潔淨利未人,煉淨他們像煉淨金銀一樣。這樣,他們就會憑公義獻禮物給耶和華。 那時,猶大和耶路撒冷所獻的禮物,必蒙耶和華悅納,正如古時的日子,也像往昔之年一樣。 萬軍之耶和華說:“我必臨近你們施行審判;我要快快指證那些行邪術的、犯姦淫的、起假誓的、在工錢上欺壓雇工的、欺壓孤兒寡婦的、屈枉寄居的和不敬畏我的。”

萬軍之耶和華說:“因為我耶和華是不改變的,所以你們雅各的子孫也不會滅沒。

當納十分之一

“從你們列祖的日子以來,你們就偏離了我的律例而不遵守。現在你們要轉向我,我就必轉向你們。你們還問:‘我們要怎樣回轉呢?’ 人怎可搶奪 神之物呢?你們卻搶奪屬我之物,竟還問:‘我們搶奪了你的甚麼呢?’就是搶奪了當納的十分之一和當獻的祭物。 你們要受嚴厲的咒詛,因你們全國的人都搶奪了屬我之物。” 10 萬軍之耶和華說:“你們要把當納的十分之一,全部送入倉庫,使我家中有糧;藉此試驗我,看我是不是為你們敞開天窗,把福氣倒給你們,直到充足有餘呢。” 11 萬軍之耶和華說:“我必為你們斥責那吞吃者,不容他毀壞你們地上的果實,也不讓你們田間的葡萄在未熟以先就掉下來。” 12 萬軍之耶和華說:“萬國都要稱你們為有福,因為你們的地必成為喜樂之地。”

指摘以色列狂傲自大

13 耶和華說:“你們用無禮的話頂撞我。你們還問:‘我們用甚麼話頂撞了你呢?’ 14 你們說:‘事奉 神是白費的;遵守他的吩咐,在萬軍之耶和華面前哀痛而行,有甚麼益處呢? 15 現在我們稱驕傲的人為有福,作惡的人得建立;他們雖然試探 神,卻得以逃脫。’”

敬畏耶和華的必蒙憐恤

16 那時,敬畏耶和華的人彼此談論,耶和華也留意細聽;在他面前有記錄冊,記錄那些敬畏耶和華和思念他名的人。 17 萬軍之耶和華說:“在我施行作為的日子,他們要屬我,作特別的產業;我必憐恤他們,好像人憐恤那服事自己的兒子一樣。 18 那時,你們就要再看出義人與惡人、事奉 神的人和不事奉他的人之間有甚麼分別。”

Chapter 3

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.
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.
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.
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.
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]

For I, the Lord, do not change,
    and you have not ceased to be sons of Jacob.
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?”
Can a man rob God?
    Yet you are robbing me.
You ask, “How do we rob you?”
    In your tithes and offerings.
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

  1. 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.
  2. 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).
  3. 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.

The Coming Messenger

“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.

“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.
(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.

“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.
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.

“For I am the Lord, (N)I do not change;
(O)Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.
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

“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.
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

  1. Malachi 3:3 Or refine
  2. Malachi 3:4 pleasing
  3. Malachi 3:13 Lit. strong
  4. Malachi 3:15 Lit. built
  5. Malachi 3:16 Or esteem
  6. Malachi 3:17 Lit. special treasure

Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.

But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:

And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.

Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years.

And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts.

For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?

Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.

12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.

13 Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?

14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?

15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.

16 Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.

17 And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

“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)