Malachi 3

Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.

Look, I'll send a guide to pave the path for me. The Lord you're searching for will arrive unexpectedly at his temple. The promised messenger you've been waiting for will come, says the Lord of all.

But who may 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:

Who can endure the day of His arrival? Who can remain standing when He reveals Himself? For His presence is as intense as a purifying fire and as cleansing as a soap.

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

He will be like a silversmith, refining and purifying. He will cleanse the descendants of Levi, purifying them like gold and silver. This way, they can sincerely offer their hearts to the Lord.

Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.

The gifts from Judah and Jerusalem will once again bring joy to the Lord, just like in the good old days.

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 false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.

I will approach you for judgment, swiftly testifying against those who practice magic, cheat on their partners, lie under oath, exploit workers, neglect the widow and orphan, deny rights to strangers, and do not respect me, says the Lord Almighty.

For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

As your God, I remain constant, unchanging; hence, you, descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.

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

Since long ago, you've strayed from my teachings, ignoring them. Come back to me, and I'll come back to you, says the Lord. Yet, you ask, "How can we return?"

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

Can a person really steal from God? Yet, you've done just that. You might wonder, how have we stolen from you, God? Through not giving your tithes and offerings.

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

You are under a curse, for you have robbed me, the whole nation of you.

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD 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.

Bring all your tithes into the storehouse, so there will be food in my house. Put me to the test in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I won't open the windows of heaven and shower you with blessings so abundant you won't have room for them all.

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

I, the Lord, will protect you, ensuring no harm comes to your harvest. Your vines won't drop their fruits prematurely. Trust in me.

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

Every nation will recognize your blessings, for you will be a land of joy, promises the Lord Almighty.

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

You've spoken harshly about me, says the Lord. But you ask, "When did we ever speak against you?"

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

You've claimed that serving God is pointless, questioning the benefits of following His rules and living a life of reverence.

And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.

Now, we see the arrogant rejoicing; those who do evil are celebrated; even those who challenge God seem to escape unscathed.

Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

Those who respected God often talked about Him. God listened and remembered, keeping a special book for those who held Him in their hearts and minds.

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

In the day when I gather my treasures, says the Lord, they will be mine. I will protect them, just as a father protects his devoted son.

Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

Then you'll come back, understanding the difference between good and evil, between those who serve God and those who don't.