To the Elders and the Flock

5 To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder^(A) and a witness^(B) of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed:^{(C) 2} Be shepherds of God’s flock^(D) that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be;^(E) not pursuing dishonest gain,^(F) but eager to serve; ³ not lording it over^(G) those entrusted to you, but being examples^(H) to the flock. ⁴ And when the Chief Shepherd^(I) appears, you will receive the crown of glory^(J) that will never fade away.^(K)

⁵ In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves^(L) to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility^(M) toward one another, because,

⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.^{(O) 7} Cast all your anxiety on him^(P) because he cares for you.^(Q)

⁸ Be alert and of sober mind.^(R) Your enemy the devil prowls around^(S) like a roaring lion^(T) looking for someone to devour. ⁹ Resist him,^(U) standing firm in the faith,^(V) because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.^(W)

¹⁰ And the God of all grace, who called you^(X) to his eternal glory^(Y) in Christ, after you have suffered a little while,^(Z) will himself restore you and make you strong,^(AA) firm and steadfast. ¹¹ To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.^(AB)

Final Greetings

¹² With the help of Silas,^[b](AC) whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly,^(AD) encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it.^(AE)

¹³ She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark.^{(AF) 14} Greet one another with a kiss of love.^(AG)

Peace^(AH) to all of you who are in Christ.

3 “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.

² 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) 3} 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) 4} and the offerings^(O) of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.^(P)

⁵ “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

⁶ “I the Lord do not change.^(X) So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.^{(Y) 7} 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?’

⁸ “Will a mere mortal rob^(AD) God? Yet you rob me.

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

“In tithes^(AE) and offerings. ⁹ 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)

Judgment and Covenant Renewal

4 ^[a]“Surely the day is coming;^(BJ) it will burn like a furnace.^(BK) All the arrogant^(BL) and every evildoer will be stubble,^(BM) and the day that is coming will set them on fire,^(BN)” says the Lord Almighty. “Not a root or a branch^(BO) will be left to them. ² But for you who revere my name,^(BP) the sun of righteousness^(BQ) will rise with healing^(BR) in its rays. And you will go out and frolic^(BS) like well-fed calves. ³ Then you will trample^(BT) on the wicked; they will be ashes^(BU) under the soles of your feet on the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty.

⁴ “Remember the law^(BV) of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb^(BW) for all Israel.^(BX)

⁵ “See, I will send the prophet Elijah^(BY) to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes.^{(BZ) 6} He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children,^(CA) and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike^(CB) the land with total destruction.”^(CC)