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Malachi 3
English Standard Version
Malachi 3
English Standard Version
3 (A)“Behold, I send (B)my messenger, and (C)he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord (D)whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and (E)the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2 But (F)who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For (G)he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. 3 He will sit (H)as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring (I)offerings in righteousness to the Lord.[a] 4 (J)Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.
5 “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be (K)a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those (L)who oppress the hired worker in his wages, (M)the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.
Robbing God
6 “For (N)I the Lord do not change; (O)therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. 7 (P)From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. (Q)Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. (R)But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ 8 Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. (S)But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ (T)In your tithes and contributions. 9 (U)You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. 10 (V)Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby (W)put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open (X)the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. 11 I will rebuke (Y)the devourer[b] for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. 12 Then (Z)all nations will call you blessed, for you will be (AA)a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.
13 (AB)“Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord. (AC)But you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?’ 14 You have said, (AD)‘It is vain to serve God. (AE)What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? 15 And now we call (AF)the arrogant blessed. (AG)Evildoers not only prosper but (AH)they put God to the test and they escape.’”
The Book of Remembrance
16 Then those who feared the Lord (AI)spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and (AJ)a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name. 17 “They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, (AK)in the day when I make up (AL)my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. 18 Then once more you shall (AM)see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.
Footnotes
- Malachi 3:3 Or and they will belong to the Lord, bringers of an offering in righteousness
- Malachi 3:11 Probably a name for some crop-destroying pest or pests
Malachi 3
EasyEnglish Bible
Malachi 3
EasyEnglish Bible
The special person comes as a judge
3 ‘Look! I will send someone to speak my message. He will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord that you are waiting for will quickly return to his temple. The one who brings the message about the covenant will certainly come. He is the one that you really want to see.’
That is what the Lord Almighty says.
2 ‘But when he comes, he will be like a hot fire that makes metal pure. He will be like strong soap that makes clothes completely clean. Nobody will be able to stand in front of him when he appears. On that day, nobody will remain the same.[a] 3 He will work like a man who uses a hot fire to make gold and silver pure. He will make the Levites clean and pure. He will remove their dirt. Then they can offer proper sacrifices to the Lord. 4 The Lord will accept the gifts that the people of Judah and Jerusalem offer to him. He will be happy with them as he was in earlier times.
5 At that time, I will come among you as your judge. I will speak clearly against those who have done wrong things. I will punish the magicians, the adulterers and those who tell lies against other people. I will punish those people who are cruel to their workers, or they deceive widows or children who have no family. And I will punish those who do not help foreigners who live among them. People who do those things show that they do not respect me.’
That is what the Lord Almighty says.
The Israelites are robbing God
6 ‘I am the Lord and I do not change. Because of my promises to my people, I have not destroyed you, descendants of Jacob. 7 I have told you my commands. But you do not listen to me any longer. You have not obeyed me, even since the time of your ancestors. Now, return to me! Then I will return to bless you.’
That is what the Lord Almighty says.
‘But you ask, “How do we return to you?”
8 I say to you, “A man should not rob God. But you are robbing me.”
But you ask, “How do we rob you?”
I say, “You do not give to me the tithes and the offerings that you should give.” 9 Yes, all of you are robbing me. The whole nation of Israel is guilty. So you will receive the punishment of a curse.
10 Now you must bring the whole tithe that belongs to me.[b] Store it in my temple, so that there will be food in my house.[c] Obey me and then see what I will do.’
That is what the Lord Almighty says.
‘You will see how much I will bless you! You will not have enough room to store all the good things that I will give to you. I will pour blessings out of the sky like rain. 11 I will stop insects from eating your crops. The grapes will not fall from your vines before they are ready to eat. 12 You will be happy to live in your land. The people of all the other nations will see that God has blessed you.’
That is what the Lord Almighty says.
13 The Lord says, ‘You have spoken bad words against me.
But you ask, “What have we said against you?”
14 You have said, “We serve God, but that has not helped us at all. We are careful to do what he tells us to do. When we do wrong things, we have sad faces to show the Lord Almighty that we are sorry. 15 But it is proud people that God blesses! Yes, it is the people who do evil things who become rich! God does not even punish people who like to test him. That is what we think.” ’
The great day of the Lord
16 Then the people who respected the Lord talked to each other. The Lord listened to what they said. While the Lord watched, someone wrote names on a scroll. Those were the names of the people who worshipped the Lord and respected the Lord's name. They wrote down their names so that people would remember them.
17 The Lord Almighty says, ‘These people will belong to me. One day I will come to judge everyone. At that time I will bring together all my own special people. I will not punish them. I will take care of them, like a father takes care of his son who serves him. 18 Because of that, you will see again that I am kind to good people, but I punish wicked people. I show the difference between people who serve me well and those who do not.’
Footnotes
- 3:2 The purpose of the hot fire is not to destroy the metal but to make it pure. So on this difficult day the Lord will remove from people everything that is not good.
- 3:10 The Israelites had to give some of their crops to the temple to take care of it. They also had to give something to the priests and the Levites, because they worked there. Each year they gave one part in ten (a tithe) of the crops and money that they had received. They could give more if they wanted to.
- 3:10 The temple is the place where the Israelites worshipped God.
Malachi 3
International Standard Version
Malachi 3
International Standard Version
The Coming of the Messenger
3 “Watch out! I’m sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly, the Lord you are looking for will come to his Temple. He is the messenger of the covenant whom you desire. Watch out! He is coming!” says the Lord of the Heavenly Armies.
2 But who will survive the day when he comes? Or who can stand when he appears? Because he’s like a refiner’s fire and a launderer’s soap, 3 he will sit refining and purifying silver, purifying the descendants of Levi, refining them like gold and silver. Then they’ll bring a righteous offering to the Lord. 4 Then the offering to the Lord by Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable as it was in the past, even as in former years.
The Judgment of God
5 “I’ll come near to you for judgment. I’ll be a witness, quick to speak against sorcerers, against adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who defraud the laborer of his wage, against those who defraud[a] the widow and the orphan, against those who deprive the alien of justice, and against those who don’t fear me,” says the Lord of the Heavenly Armies. 6 “Because I the Lord don’t change; therefore you children of Jacob aren’t destroyed.”
God’s Sixth Complaint: Against His People—Gifts and Offerings
7 “Ever since the time of your ancestors, you have turned away from my decrees and haven’t kept them. Return to me and I’ll return to you,” says the Lord of the Heavenly Armies. “But you ask, ‘How will we return?’ 8 “Will a person rob God? Yet you are robbing me! But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ “By the tithe and the offering. 9 You are cursed under the curse—the entire nation—because you are robbing me!
10 “Bring the entire tithe into the storehouse that there may be food in my house. So put me to the test in this right now,” says the Lord of the Heavenly Armies, “and see if I won’t throw open the windows[b] of heaven for you and pour out on you blessing without measure. 11 And I’ll prevent the devourer from harming you,[c] so that he does not destroy the crops of your land. Nor will the vines in your fields drop their fruit,” says the Lord of the Heavenly Armies.
12 “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight,” says the Lord of the Heavenly Armies.
God’s Seventh Complaint: Against His People—Slandering God
13 “You have spoken arrogant words against me,” says the Lord. “Yet you ask, ‘What did we say against you?’ 14 You said, ‘It is futile to serve God,’ and, ‘What did we get out of it[d] when we carried out his requirements and went about like mourners in the presence of the Lord of the Heavenly Armies?’ 15 and, ‘Now we call the arrogant one blessed. Those who do evil prosper and those who challenge God escape the consequences.’”[e]
The Repentance of the Righteous
16 Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other. The Lord listened and took note,[f] and a scroll of remembrance was written in his presence about those who fear the Lord and honor His name. 17 “They’ll be mine,” says the Lord of the Heavenly Armies, “in the day when I prepare my treasured possession. I’ll spare them, just as a man spares his own son who serves him. 18 When you return, you will see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, and between the one who serves God and the one who does not.”
Footnotes
- Malachi 3:5 The Heb. lacks against those who defraud
- Malachi 3:10 Or floodgates
- Malachi 3:11 Lit. I’ll rebuke the devourer from you
- Malachi 3:14 Lit. What gain
- Malachi 3:15 The Heb. lacks the consequences
- Malachi 3:16 Lit. heard
Malachi 3
New International Version
Malachi 3
New International Version
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)
English Standard Version (ESV) 
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EasyEnglish Bible (EASY)
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International Standard Version (ISV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.