¶ Behold, I will¹ send my messenger, and he² shall prepare the way before me: and³ the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even⁴ the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come⁵, saith the LORD of hosts.

But who may abide⁶ the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for⁷ he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers⁸' soap:

And he shall sit⁹ as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons¹⁰ of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an¹¹ offering in righteousness.

Then shall the offering¹² of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as¹³ in the days of old, and as in former¹⁴ years.

And I will come¹⁵ near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift¹⁶ witness against the sorcerers¹⁷, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those¹⁸ that oppress¹⁹ the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear²⁰ not me, saith the LORD of hosts.

For I am²¹ the LORD, I change not;²² therefore²³ ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

¶ Even from the²⁴ days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me,²⁵ and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein²⁶ shall we return?

Will a man²⁷ rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In²⁸ tithes and offerings.

²⁹Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

¶ Bring ye all³⁰ the tithes into the storehouse³¹, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove³² me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open³³ you the windows of heaven, and pour you out³⁴ a blessing, that there³⁵ shall not be room enough to receive it.

And I will rebuke³⁶ the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy³⁷ the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.

And all³⁸ nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome³⁹ land, saith the LORD of hosts.

¶ Your⁴⁰ words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What⁴¹ have we spoken so much against thee?

Ye have said, It is⁴² vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance⁴³, and that we have walked mournfully⁴⁴ before the LORD of hosts?

And now we call⁴⁵ the proud happy; yea,⁴⁶ they that work wickedness are set⁴⁷ up; yea, they that tempt⁴⁸ God are even delivered.

Then they that feared⁴⁹ the LORD spake⁵⁰ often one to another: and the⁵¹ LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book⁵² of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought⁵³ upon his name.

And they shall⁵⁴ be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels⁵⁵; and I⁵⁶ will spare them, as a man spareth his own son⁵⁷ that serveth him.

Then shall⁵⁸ ye return, and discern⁵⁹ between the righteous and the wicked, between him⁶⁰ that serveth God and him that serveth him not.