The Lord sends his angel to prepare the way for his arrival, and he will refine and cleanse his people like silver and gold. He will judge those who have done evil and oppressed the weak, and he will be a witness against those who have not feared him. The Lord calls his people to return to him and to bring their tithes and offerings, promising to bless them abundantly if they do. Those who fear the Lord and consider his name will be spared and will see the difference between the just and the impious.
1 Behold, I send my angel, and he will prepare the way before my face. And presently the Sovereign, whom you seek, and the angel of testimony, whom you desire, will arrive at his temple. Behold, he approaches, says the Lord of hosts 2 And who will be able to consider the day of his advent, and who will stand firm in order to see him? For he is like a refining fire, and like the fuller’s herb 3 And he will sit refining and cleansing the silver, and he will purge the sons of Levi, and he will gather them like gold and like silver, and they will offer sacrifices to the Lord in justice 4 And the sacrifice of Judah and of Jerusalem will please the Lord, just as in the days of past generations, and as in the ancient years 5 And I will approach you in judgment, and I will be a swift witness against evil-doers, and adulterers, and perjurers, and those who cheat the hired hand in his wages, the widows and the orphans, and who oppress the traveler, and who have not feared me, says the Lord of hosts 6 For I am the Lord, and I do not change. And you, the sons of Jacob, have not been consumed 7 For, from the days of your fathers, you have withdrawn from my ordinances and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. And you have said, "In what way, shall we return? 8 If a man will afflict God, then you greatly afflict me. And you have said, "In what way, do we afflict you?" In tithes and in first-fruits 9 And you have been cursed with privation, and you greatly afflict me, even your entire people 10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, and let there be food in my house. And test me about this, says the Lord, as to whether I will not open to you the floodgates of heaven, and pour out to you a blessing, all the way to abundance 11 And I will rebuke for your sakes the devourer, and he will not corrupt the fruit of your land. Neither will the vine in the field be barren, says the Lord of hosts 12 And all nations will call you blessed. For you will be a desirable land, says the Lord of hosts 13 Your words have gathered strength over me, says the Lord 14 And you have said, "What have we spoken against you?" You have said, "He labors in vain who serves God," and, "What advantage is it that we have kept his precepts, and that we have walked sorrowfully in the sight of the Lord of hosts 15 Therefore, we now call the arrogant blessed, as if those who work impiety have been built up, and as if they have tempted God and been saved. 16 Then those who fear the Lord spoke, each one with his neighbor. And the Lord paid attention and heeded. And a book of remembrance was written in his sight, for those who fear the Lord and for those who consider his name 17 And they will be my special possession, says the Lord of hosts, on the day that I act. And I will spare them, just as a man spares his son who serves him 18 And you shall be converted, and you will see the difference between the just and the impious, and between those who serve God and those who do not serve him