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The Messenger and the Lord

(A)Behold, I am going to send (B)My [a]messenger, and he will [b](C)prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; [c]and the [d](D)messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says Yahweh of hosts. “But who can (E)endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a (F)smelter’s fire and like [e]fullers’ soap. And He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will (G)purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may (H)present to Yahweh [f]offerings in righteousness. Then the [g]offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be (I)pleasing to Yahweh as in the (J)ancient days and as in former years.

“Then I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the (K)sorcerers and against the (L)adulterers and against those who (M)swear falsely and against those who oppress the (N)wage earner in his wages, the (O)widow and the [h]orphan, and those who turn aside the (P)sojourner and do not [i]fear Me,” says Yahweh of hosts.

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Footnotes

  1. Malachi 3:1 Or angel
  2. Malachi 3:1 Or clear
  3. Malachi 3:1 Or even
  4. Malachi 3:1 Or angel
  5. Malachi 3:2 Lit laundrymen’s
  6. Malachi 3:3 Or grain offerings
  7. Malachi 3:4 Or grain offering
  8. Malachi 3:5 Or fatherless
  9. Malachi 3:5 Or reverence

An Oracle From the Lord About the Messiah

Look! I am sending my messenger![a] He will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord, whom you are seeking, will come to his temple! The Messenger of the Covenant,[b] in whom you delight, will surely come, says the Lord of Armies.

But who can endure the day when he comes? Who will remain standing when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire, like launderers bleach![c] He will be seated like a refiner and a purifier of silver. He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and like silver. They will belong to the Lord and bring him an offering in righteousness.

Judah and Jerusalem’s offerings will be pleasing to the Lord as they were in the days of old, in years long ago.

I will approach you to judge you. I will be quick to give testimony against those who practice occult arts, those who commit adultery, those who swear false oaths, those who cheat workers out of their wages, those who wrong a widow and a fatherless child, those who turn away a resident alien—all those who do not fear me, says the Lord of Armies.

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Footnotes

  1. Malachi 3:1 This is fulfilled by John the Baptist.
  2. Malachi 3:1 Or the Angel of the Covenant. This refers to Christ, who is also called the Angel of the Lord.
  3. Malachi 3:2 Literally lye. Lye was used to bleach wool.