Malachi 3
American Standard Version
3 Behold, I send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, will suddenly come to his temple; [a]and the [b]messenger of the covenant, whom ye desire, behold, he cometh, saith Jehovah of hosts. 2 But who can 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 will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver; and they shall offer unto Jehovah offerings in righteousness. 4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto Jehovah, as in the days of old, and as in ancient 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 the false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the sojourner from his right, and fear not me, saith Jehovah of hosts. 6 For I, Jehovah, change not; therefore ye, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.
7 From the days of your fathers ye have turned aside from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith Jehovah of hosts. But ye say, Wherein shall we return? 8 Will a man rob God? yet ye rob me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and [c]offerings. 9 Ye are cursed with the curse; for ye rob me, even this whole nation. 10 Bring ye the whole tithe into the store-house, that there may be food in my house, and prove me now herewith, saith Jehovah 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 its fruit before the time in the field, saith Jehovah of hosts. 12 And all nations shall call you happy; for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith Jehovah of hosts.
13 Your words have been stout against me, saith Jehovah. Yet ye say, What have we spoken against thee? 14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept his charge, and that we have walked [d]mournfully before Jehovah of hosts? 15 and now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are built up; yea, they tempt God, and escape.
16 Then they that feared Jehovah spake one with another; and Jehovah hearkened, and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before him, for them that feared Jehovah, and that thought upon his name. 17 And they shall be mine, saith Jehovah of hosts, even mine own possession, in the day that I [e]make; 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.
Footnotes
- Malachi 3:1 Or, even
- Malachi 3:1 Or, angel
- Malachi 3:8 Hebrew heave-offerings.
- Malachi 3:14 Or, in mourning apparel
- Malachi 3:17 Or, do this
Malaki 3
Swedish New Living Bible (Nya Levande Bibeln)
Herrens budbärare
3 Hör här! Jag ska låta min budbärare resa före mig för att bereda väg. Budbäraren med Guds löften, förbundets budbärare som ni väntar på, ska plötsligt komma till sitt tempel. Ja, han ska verkligen komma, säger härskarornas Gud.
2 Men vem kan överleva när han visar sig? Vem kan uthärda när han kommer? Han är som guldsmedens eld som renar ädla metaller, och som tvättarens såpa som kan få den smutsigaste mantel fullkomligt ren!
3 Han ska noga kontrollera att all slagg bränns bort. Han ska rena leviterna, Guds tjänare, rena dem som guld och silver, så att de kan tjänstgöra inför Gud med rena hjärtan.
4 Då ska Herren ännu en gång med glädje ta emot de offer som bärs fram av folket i Juda och Jerusalem, precis som han gjorde förr.
5 Ja, då ska jag mycket snabbt straffa synden. Jag ska genast gå till rätta med spåmän och ogudaktiga människor som bedrar andra, med sådana som är otrogna i äktenskapet och med lögnare, med dem som inte betalar ut lön till sina anställda, med dem som utsuger änkor, faderlösa och utlänningar och dem som inte fruktar mig, säger härskarornas Gud.
6 Jag är Herren och jag ändrar mig inte. Detta är orsaken till att ni ännu inte blivit utrotade.
Att inte ge tionde är att stjäla från Herren
7 Även om ni inte någonsin brytt er om mina lagar kan ni fortfarande få vända tillbaka till mig, säger härskarornas Gud. Kom till mig, så ska jag förlåta er!'Men vi har ju aldrig gått bort! ' säger ni. 'Hur ska vi då kunna återvända?'
8 Får verkligen en människa stjäla från Gud? Naturligtvis inte! Och ändå har ni stulit från mig.'Vad menar du? När stal vi från dig?' säger ni.Ni har stulit tionde och offergåvor som tillhör mig.
9 Därför har Guds förbannelse drabbat er, ja, hela folket har stulit från mig.
10 Ge tionde till mitt förråd så att det alltid finns tillräckligt i mitt tempel. Om ni gör det ska jag öppna himlens fönster och ösa så stora välsignelser över er att ni inte har rum för allt.
Pröva Herren
Pröva detta och låt mig visa er!11 Era skördar ska bli stora, för jag ska skydda dem från insekter och sådant som fördärvar. Druvorna ska inte torka innan de hunnit skördas, säger härskarornas Gud.
12 Alla människor ska kalla er välsignade, för i hela landet ska det råda lycka och välstånd. Detta är löften från härskarornas Gud.
13 Er inställning till mig har varit överlägsen och ni har använt hårda ord mot mig, säger Herren.Ändå undrar ni: 'Vad menar du? Vad har vi sagt och gjort som vi inte borde?'
14-15 Lyssna nu noga! Ni har sagt: 'Det är dåraktigt att be till Gud och lyda honom. Vad har det för gott med sig att man följer hans lagar och ångrar synden? Nej, från och med nu ska vi kalla de fräcka välsignade. Inget händer dem som trotsat Gud och det går ju alldeles utmärkt för de ogudaktiga!'
16 Men de som fruktade Herren och älskade honom talade då med varandra. Herren skrev då upp namnen på dem som fruktade honom och älskade att tala om honom och tänka på honom.
17 De ska vara mina och tillhöra mig på den dag då jag samlar mina egendomar, säger härskarornas Gud. Jag ska skona dem som en far skonar den son som är lydig och plikttrogen mot honom.
18 Då ska ni se skillnaden på Guds behandling av goda och onda människor, skillnaden mellan dem som tjänar honom och dem som inte gör det.
Malachi 3
Amplified Bible
The Purifier
3 “Behold, I am going to send My [a]messenger, and he will prepare and clear the way before Me. And the Lord [the Messiah], whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; the [b]Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the Lord of hosts.(A) 2 But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like launderer’s soap [which removes impurities and uncleanness].(B) 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi [the priests], and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the Lord [grain] offerings in righteousness. 4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in ancient years.
5 “Then I will come near you for judgment; I will be a swift witness against sorcerers, against adulterers, against perjurers, and against those who oppress the laborer in his wages and widows and the fatherless, and against those who turn away the alien [from his right], and those who do not fear Me [with awe-filled reverence],” says the Lord of hosts.(C) 6 “For I am the Lord, I do not change [but remain faithful to My covenant with you]; that is why you, O sons of Jacob, have not come to an end.
7 “Yet from the days of your fathers you have turned away from My statutes and ordinances and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of hosts. “But you say, ‘How shall we return?’
You Have Robbed God
8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings [you have withheld]. 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, this whole nation!(D) 10 Bring all the tithes (the tenth) into the [c]storehouse, so that there may be [d]food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you [so great] a blessing until there is no more room to receive it.(E) 11 Then I will rebuke the [e]devourer (insects, plague) for your sake and he will not destroy the fruits of the ground, nor will your vine in the field drop its grapes [before harvest],” says the Lord of hosts. 12 “All nations shall call you happy and blessed, for you shall be a land of delight,” says the Lord of hosts.
13 “Your words have been harsh against Me,” says the Lord. “But you say, ‘What have we spoken against You?’ 14 You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God. What profit is it if we keep His ordinances, and walk around like mourners before the Lord of hosts? 15 So now we call the arrogant happy and blessed. Evildoers are exalted and prosper; and when they test God, they escape [unpunished].’”
The Book of Remembrance
16 Then those who feared the Lord [with awe-filled reverence] spoke to one another; and the Lord paid attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who fear the Lord [with an attitude of reverence and respect] and who esteem His name. 17 “They will be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts, “on that day when I publicly recognize them and openly declare them to be My own possession [that is, My very special treasure]. And I will have compassion on them and spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.” 18 Then you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not serve Him.
Footnotes
- Malachi 3:1 This is fulfilled in John the Baptist (Matt 11:10; Mark 1:2; Luke 1:76).
- Malachi 3:1 The Messiah as God’s representative will confirm and establish the covenant (see Is 42:6).
- Malachi 3:10 In ancient times special storehouses were established in the temple to receive the tithes of the harvest. If the people were not faithful, the priests could not continue to serve and perform their duties.
- Malachi 3:10 I.e. support for the priests and their families.
- Malachi 3:11 In return for their faithfulness God promised protection for the harvest.
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