1 ¶ Behold, I will send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me: then the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire: behold, he will come, says the LORD of hosts.

2 But who can endure the day of his coming? and who will be able to stand when he appears? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:

3 And he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them like gold and silver, so that they may present their offerings to the LORD in righteousness.

4 Then the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in years gone by.

5 Then I will come to judge you; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired man in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, those who deprive a foreigner of what is right, and do not fear me, says the LORD of hosts.

6 For I am the LORD, I do not change; that is why you sons of Jacob have not been destroyed.

7 ¶ From the days of your fathers you have turned away from my ordinances, and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. But you ask, How should we return?

8 Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed me. But you ask, How have we robbed you? In your tithes and offerings.

9 You are cursed with a curse: because this whole nation has robbed me.

10 Bring all your tithes into the storehouse, so that there will be food in my house, and prove me in this way, says the LORD of hosts, see if I will not open to you the windows of heaven, and pour out a blessing to you, that there will not be room enough to receive.

11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sake, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your ground; nor will your vine drop its fruit in the field before the time, says the LORD of hosts.

12 And all nations will say that you are blessed: for you will be a delightful land, says the LORD of hosts.

13 ¶ You have stubbornly opposed me in your words, says the LORD. Yet you ask, What have we said against you?

14 You have said, It is disappointing to serve God: and what did we get when we did what he wanted, and walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?

15 It looks to us like the proud are happy; and those who do evil get ahead; yea, even those who tempt God get away with it.

16 Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one to another: and the LORD was interested, and listened, and a book was written before him as a record of those who fear the LORD, and have a high regard for his name.

17 And they will be mine, says the LORD of hosts, on the day when I act they will be my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him.

18 Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.