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Malachi  


3 : 1 Behold, I sendmy messenger, andhe will prepare the way before me. And the Lordwhom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; andthe messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says theLordof hosts.
3 : 2 Butwho can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? Forhe is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap.
3 : 3 He will sitas a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bringofferings in righteousness to theLord.
3 : 4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to theLordas in the days of old and as in former years.
3 : 5 Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will bea swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against thosewho oppress the hired worker in his wages,the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says theLordof hosts.
3 : 6 ForI theLorddo not change;therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.
3 : 7 From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them.Return to me, and I will return to you, says theLordof hosts.But you say,How shall we return?
3 : 8 Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me.But you say,How have we robbed you?In your tithes and contributions.
3 : 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you.
3 : 10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And therebyput me to the test, says theLordof hosts, if I will not openthe windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.
3 : 11 I will rebukethe devourerfor you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says theLordof hosts.
3 : 12 Thenall nations will call you blessed, for you will bea land of delight, says theLordof hosts.
3 : 13 Your words have been hard against me, says theLord.But you say,How have we spoken against you?
3 : 14 You have said,It is vain to serve God.What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before theLordof hosts?
3 : 15 And now we callthe arrogant blessed.Evildoers not only prosper butthey put God to the test and they escape.
3 : 16 Then those who feared theLordspoke with one another. TheLordpaid attention and heard them, anda book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared theLordand esteemed his name.
3 : 17 They shall be mine, says theLordof hosts,in the day when I make upmy treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him.
3 : 18 Then once more you shallsee the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.