Malachi 3

Behold me! sending my messenger, who will prepare a way before me,— and, suddenly, shall come to his temple The Lord whom ye are seeking, even the messenger of the covenant in whom ye are delighting, Lo! he cometh! saith God of hosts.

But who may endure the day of his coming? And who is he that can stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ alkali;

Therefore will he sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and will purify the sons of Levi, and will smelt them, as gold and as silver; so shall they belong to God, offering a gift in righteousness.

Then shall the gift of Judah and Jerusalem, be pleasant to God,—as in the days of age-past times, and as in the ancient years.

Therefore will I draw near unto you for judgment, and will become a swift witness against the mutterers of incantations, and against the adulterers, and against them that swear to a falsehood,—and against them who rob the hire of the hireling, the widow and the fatherless, and that drive away the sojourner, and do not revere me, saith God of hosts.

Because, I, God, have not changed, therefore, ye, the sons of Jacob, have not been utterly consumed.

From the days of your fathers, have ye departed from my statutes, and not observed them, Return ye unto me, that I may return unto you, saith God of hosts. And yet ye say, Wherein shall we return?

Will, a son of earth, defraud, God? Nevertheless, ye, have been defrauding me, and yet ye say, Wherein have we defrauded thee? In the tithe and the offering.

With a curse, have ye been cursing, and yet, me, have ye been defrauding,— the whole nation.

Bring ye all the tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, Yea, I pray you, put me to the proof hereby, saith God of hosts, whether I will not open to you the sluices of the heavens, and pour out for you blessing, until there be no room.

Then will I rebuke, for you, the devourer that he spoil not, for you, the fruit of the ground,— neither shall the vine in the field, be barren to you, saith God of hosts.

So shall all the nations, pronounce you happy,—for, ye, shall become, a land of delight, saith God of hosts.

Stout against me, have been your words, saith God,—and yet ye say, What have we spoken, one to another, against thee?

Ye have said, Vain is it to serve God,—and, What profit when we have kept his charge, or when we have walked gloomily before God of hosts?

Now, therefore, we are pronouncing happy—the proud,—and, the doers of lawlessness have, even been built up, and, they who have put God to the proof, have even been delivered.

Then, they who revered God, conversed, one with another,—and God hearkened, and heard, and there was written a book of remembrance before him, for them who revered God, and for such as thought of his Name.

Therefore shall they be mine, saith God of hosts, in the day for which, I, am preparing treasure,—and I will deal tenderly with them, just as a man, dealeth tenderly, with his own son who is serving him.

So shall ye return, and see the difference, between the righteous and the lawless,—between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not.