Malachi 3:1-5

Expanded Bible

3 The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts] says, “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way for me [Is. 40:3; Matt. 11:10; Mark 1:2; Luke 7:27]. Suddenly, the Lord you are ·looking for [seeking] will come to his Temple; the messenger of the ·agreement [covenant; treaty], ·whom you want [in whom you delight], will come.” ² ·No one can live through [^LWho can endure…?] ·that time [the day of his coming]; ·no one can survive [who can stand…?] when he ·comes [appears]. He will be like a ·purifying [refiner’s] fire and like ·laundry [launderer’s] soap. ³ Like someone who ·heats [refines] and purifies silver, he will purify the ·Levites [^Lsons/descendants of Levi] and ·make them pure [refine them] like gold and silver. Then they will bring offerings to the Lord in ·the right way [righteousness]. ⁴ And the Lord will ·accept [be pleased with] the offerings from Judah and Jerusalem, as it was in ·the past [^Ldays of antiquity and former years]. ⁵ The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts] says, “Then I will come to you and judge you. I will be quick to testify against those who take part in ·evil magic [sorcery], adultery, and ·lying under oath [perjury], those who cheat workers of their pay and who cheat widows and orphans, those who ·are unfair to [turn away; deprive of justice] ·foreigners [aliens; immigrants], and those who do not ·respect [fear] me [Prov. 1:7].