Malachi 3
Wycliffe Bible
3 Lo! I shall send mine angel, and he shall make ready the way before my face; and anon the Lord, whom ye seek, shall come to his holy temple, and the angel of the testament, whom ye will. Lo! he cometh, saith the Lord of hosts; (Lo! I shall send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before my face; and at once the Lord, whom ye seek, shall come to his holy Temple, and also the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in. Lo! he cometh, saith the Lord of hosts;)
2 and who shall be able to think (on) the day of his coming? and who shall stand to see him? For he shall be as fire welling together, and as the herb of fullers, either tuckers; (and then who shall be able to even think, let alone endure, on the day of his coming? and who shall be able to stand firm to see him? For he shall be like a fire welling together, or purging and refining, and like fuller’s, or tucker’s, soap;)
3 and he shall sit welling together and cleansing silver, and he shall purge the sons of Levi; and he shall purge them as gold and as silver, and they shall be offering to the Lord sacrifices in rightwiseness. (and he shall sit welling together and cleansing, or purging and refining, silver, and he shall purge the Levites; yea, he shall refine them like gold and silver, and then they shall offer to the Lord sacrifices in righteousness.)
4 And the sacrifice of Judah and of Jerusalem shall please the Lord, as the days of the world, and as old years. (And then the sacrifices, or the offerings, of Judah and of Jerusalem shall please the Lord, like in the days of old, and like in the years long ago.)
5 And I shall come to you in doom, and I shall be a swift witness to mis-doers, either enchanters of devil’s craft, and to adulterers, and to forsworn men, and that falsely challenge the hire of an hired man, and widows, and fatherless children, and oppress a pilgrim, and dreaded not me, saith the Lord of hosts. (And I shall come to you in judgement, and I shall be a swift witness against all evil-doers, that is, enchanters of the devil’s craft, and adulterers, and perjurers, and those who cheat hired men out of their wages, and do wrong to widows, and fatherless, or motherless, children, and foreigners, yea, those who do not fear me/yea, those who do not revere, or respect, me, saith the Lord of hosts.)
6 Forsooth I am the Lord, and I am not changed; and ye sons of Jacob be not wasted. (Yea, I am the Lord, and I do not change; and so ye sons of Jacob be not completely lost, or separated from me.)
7 Forsooth from the days of your fathers ye went away from my lawful things, and kept not; turn ye again to me, and I shall again turn to you, saith the Lord of hosts. And ye said, In what thing shall we turn again? (Though from the days of your forefathers ye went away from my laws, and did not keep them; return ye to me, and I shall return to you, saith the Lord of hosts. And ye said, How can we return to thee?/Though from the days of your forefathers ye went away from my laws, and did not keep them; turn ye back to me, and I shall turn back to you, saith the Lord of hosts. And ye said, How do we turn back to thee?)
8 If a man shall torment God, for ye tormented me. And ye said, In what thing tormented we thee? In tithes and in first fruits; (Shall a man rob God, for ye have robbed me. And ye said, How have we robbed thee? In the matter of tithes and of first fruits;)
9 and ye be cursed in neediness, and all ye folk deceived me, and tormented. (and so ye be cursed with need, or with want, yea, your whole nation hath deceived me, and hath robbed me.)
10 Bring ye each tithe into my barn, that meat be in mine house, and prove ye me on this thing, saith the Lord, if I shall not open to you the gutters of heaven, and shall shed out to you blessing, till to abundance. (Bring ye each tithe into my barn, so that there be food in my House, and prove ye me on this thing, saith the Lord; see if I shall not open the windows of heaven for you, and pour out blessings upon you, yea, in abundance.)
11 And I shall blame for you that that devoureth, and he shall not destroy the fruit of your land; neither barren vine shall be in the field, saith the Lord of hosts, (And I shall rebuke the devourers, or I shall forbid the pests, for your sakes, and they shall not destroy the fruit of your land; nor shall there be any barren vines in your fields, saith the Lord of hosts,)
12 and all folks shall say you blessed; for ye shall be a desirable land, saith the Lord of hosts. (and all the nations shall say that you be blessed; for ye shall have a very desirable land/for yours shall be a very desirable land, saith the Lord of hosts.)
13 Your words waxed strong on me, saith the Lord; and ye said, What have we spoken against thee? (Your words have grown strong against me, saith the Lord; and ye said, What have we said against thee?)
14 And ye said, He is vain, that serveth God; and what winning for we kept his behests, and for we went sorrowful before the Lord of hosts? (Ye have said, It is empty and futile to serve God; and what profit, or what benefit, is there for us, though we have kept his commands, and we have gone sorrowfully before the Lord of hosts, because of our shortcomings?)
15 Therefore now we say proud men [be] blessed; for they be builded doing wickedness, and they tempted God, and be made safe. (And so now we say that proud people be blessed; for they be built up, or become prosperous, doing wickedness, and they tempted God, and came to no harm.)
16 Then men dreading God spake, each with his neighbour; and the Lord perceived, and heard, and a book of mind is written before him, to them that dreaded God, and thought on his name. (Then those who feared God spoke, each with his neighbour; and the Lord perceived, and heard, and a Book of Remembrance was written before him, listing those who feared God, and who kept his name in their thoughts./Then those who revered God spoke, one to another; and the Lord perceived, and heard, and a Book of Remembrance was written before him, listing those who revered God, and who kept his name in their thoughts. )
17 And they shall be to me, saith the Lord of hosts, in the day in which I shall make, into a special treasure; and I shall spare them, as a man spareth his son serving to him. (And on that day that I shall make/And on that day when I shall act, saith the Lord of hosts, they shall be my special treasure; and I shall spare them, like a man spareth his son who serveth him.)
18 And ye shall be turned again, and ye shall see, what is betwixt the just man and the unpious, betwixt the (one) serving to the Lord, and (the one) not serving to him. (And ye shall turn, and ye shall see, what shall happen to the righteous, and to the unrighteous, yea, to those who serve the Lord, and to those who do not serve him.)
Malachi 3
1599 Geneva Bible
3 1 Of the messenger of the Lord, John Baptist, and of Christ’s office.
1 Behold, I will send my [a]messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the [b]Lord whom ye seek, shall speedily come to his Temple: even the [c]messenger of the Covenant, whom ye desire: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.
2 But who [d]may abide the day of his coming? and who shall endure, when he appeareth? for he is like a purging fire, and like fuller’s soap.
3 And he shall sit down to try and fine the silver: he shall even fine the sons of [e]Levi and purify them as gold and silver, that they may bring offerings unto the Lord in righteousness.
4 Then shall the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem be acceptable unto the Lord, as in old time and in the years afore.
5 And I will come near to you to judgment, and I will be a swift witness against the soothsayers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that wrongfully keep back the hireling’s wages, and vex the widow, and the fatherless, and oppress the stranger, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts.
6 For I am the Lord: I change not, and ye sons of Jacob [f]are not consumed.
7 From the days of your fathers, ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them: [g]return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts: but ye said, Wherein shall we return?
8 Will a [h]man spoil his gods? yet have ye spoiled me: but ye say, Wherein have we spoiled thee? In [i]tithes and offerings.
9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have spoiled me, even this whole nation.
10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven unto you, and pour you out a blessing [j]without measure.
11 And I will rebuke the [k]devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruit of your ground, neither shall your vine be barren in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.
12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a pleasant land, saith the Lord of hosts.
13 Your words have been stout [l]against me, saith the Lord: yet ye say, What have we spoken against thee?
14 Ye have said, It is in vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his commandment, and that we walked humbly before the Lord of hosts?
15 Therefore we count the proud blessed: even they that work wickedness, are set up, and they that tempt God, yea, they are [m]delivered.
16 [n]Then spake they that feared the Lord, everyone to his neighbor, and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a [o]book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his Name.
17 And they shall be to me, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day [p]that I shall do this, for a flock, and I will [q]spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
18 Then shall you return, and discern between the righteous and wicked, between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not.
Footnotes
- Malachi 3:1 This is meant of John Baptist, as Christ expoundeth it, Luke 7:27.
- Malachi 3:1 Meaning, Messiah, Ps. 40:1, 7; Dan. 9:17, 25.
- Malachi 3:1 That is, Christ, by whom the covenant was made and ratified, who is called the Angel or messenger of the covenant, because he reconcileth us to his father and is Lord or king, because he hath the government of his Church.
- Malachi 3:2 He showeth that the hypocrites which wish so much for the Lord’s coming will not abide when he draweth near: for he will consume them, and purge his and make them clean.
- Malachi 3:3 He beginneth at the Priests that they might be lights, and shine unto others.
- Malachi 3:6 They murmured against God, because they saw not his help ever present to defend them: and therefore he accuseth them of ingratitude, and showeth that in that they are not daily consumed, it is a token, that he doth still defend them, and so his mercy toward them never changeth.
- Malachi 3:7 Read Zech. 1:3.
- Malachi 3:8 There are none of the heathen so barbarous, that will defraud their gods of their honor, or deal deceitfully with them.
- Malachi 3:8 Whereby the service of God should have been maintained, and the Priests and the poor relieved.
- Malachi 3:10 Not having respect how much ye need, but I will give you in all abundance: so that ye shall lack place to put my blessings in.
- Malachi 3:11 Meaning, the caterpillar, and whatsoever destroyeth corn and fruits.
- Malachi 3:13 The Prophet condemneth them of double blasphemy against God: first, in that they said that God had no respect to them that served him, and next, that the wicked were more in his favor than the godly.
- Malachi 3:15 They are not only preferred to honor, but also delivered from dangers.
- Malachi 3:16 After these admonitions of the Prophet, some were lively touched, and encouraged others to fear God.
- Malachi 3:16 Both because the thing was strange that some turned to God in that great and universal corruption, and also that this might be an example of God’s mercies to all penitent sinners.
- Malachi 3:17 When I shall restore my Church according to my promise, they shall be as mine own proper goods.
- Malachi 3:17 That is, forgive their sins, and govern them with my Spirit.
Malachi 3
Authorized (King James) Version
3 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.
2 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: 3 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. 4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years.
5 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. 6 For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
7 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?
8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9 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.
2001 by Terence P. Noble
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
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