| International Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1"Watch out! I'm sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly, the LORD you are looking for will come to his Temple. He is the messenger of the covenant whom you desire. Watch out! He is coming!" says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. | 1"I am about to send my messenger, who will clear the way before me. Indeed, the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his temple, and the messenger of the covenant, whom you long for, is certainly coming," says the LORD who rules over all. |
| 2But who will survive the day when he comes? Or who can stand when he appears? Because he's like a refiner's fire and a launderer's soap, | 2Who can endure the day of his coming? Who can keep standing when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire, like a launderer's soap. |
| 3he will sit refining and purifying silver, purifying the descendants of Levi, refining them like gold and silver. Then they'll bring a righteous offering to the LORD. | 3He will act like a refiner and purifier of silver and will cleanse the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will offer the LORD a proper offering. |
| 4Then the offering to the LORD by Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable as it was in the past, even as in former years. | 4The offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in former times and years past. |
| 5"I'll come near to you for judgment. I'll be a witness, quick to speak against sorcerers, against adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who defraud the laborer of his wage, against those who defraud the widow and the orphan, against those who deprive the alien of justice, and against those who don't fear me," says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. | 5"I will come to you in judgment. I will be quick to testify against those who practice divination, those who commit adultery, those who break promises, and those who exploit workers, widows, and orphans, who refuse to help the immigrant and in this way show they do not fear me," says the LORD who rules over all. |
| 6"Because I the LORD don't change; therefore you children of Jacob aren't destroyed." | 6"Since, I, the LORD, do not go back on my promises, you, sons of Jacob, have not perished. |
| 7"Ever since the time of your ancestors, you have turned away from my decrees and haven't kept them. Return to me and I'll return to you," says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. "But you ask, 'How will we return?' | 7From the days of your ancestors you have ignored my commandments and have not kept them! Return to me, and I will return to you," says the LORD who rules over all. "But you say, 'How should we return?' |
| 8"Will a person rob God? Yet you are robbing me! But you ask, 'How are we robbing you?' "By the tithe and the offering. | 8Can a person rob God? You indeed are robbing me, but you say, 'How are we robbing you?' In tithes and contributions! |
| 9You are cursed under the curse—the entire nation—because you are robbing me! | 9You are bound for judgment because you are robbing me--this whole nation is guilty. |
| 10"Bring the entire tithe into the storehouse that there may be food in my house. So put me to the test in this right now," says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, "and see if I won't throw open the windows of heaven for you and pour out on you blessing without measure. | 10"Bring the entire tithe into the storehouse so that there may be food in my temple. Test me in this matter," says the LORD who rules over all, "to see if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until there is no room for it all. |
| 11And I'll prevent the devourer from harming you, so that he does not destroy the crops of your land. Nor will the vines in your fields drop their fruit," says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. | 11Then I will stop the plague from ruining your crops, and the vine will not lose its fruit before harvest," says the LORD who rules over all. |
| 12"Then all the nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight," says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. | 12"All nations will call you happy, for you indeed will live in a delightful land," says the LORD who rules over all. |
| 13"You have spoken arrogant words against me," says the LORD. "Yet you ask, 'What did we say against you?' | 13"You have criticized me sharply," says the LORD, "but you ask, 'How have we criticized you?' |
| 14You said, 'It is futile to serve God,' and, 'What did we get out of it when we carried out his requirements and went about like mourners in the presence of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies?' | 14You have said, 'It is useless to serve God. How have we been helped by keeping his requirements and going about like mourners before the LORD who rules over all? |
| 15and, 'Now we call the arrogant one blessed. Those who do evil prosper and those who challenge God escape the consequences.'" | 15So now we consider the arrogant to be happy; indeed, those who practice evil are successful. In fact, those who challenge God escape!'" |
| 16Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other. The LORD listened and took note, and a scroll of remembrance was written in his presence about those who fear the LORD and honor His name. | 16Then those who respected the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD took notice. A scroll was prepared before him in which were recorded the names of those who respected the LORD and honored his name. |
| 17"They'll be mine," says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, "in the day when I prepare my treasured possession. I'll spare them, just as a man spares his own son who serves him. | 17"They will belong to me," says the LORD who rules over all, "in the day when I prepare my own special property. I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. |
| 18When you return, you will see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, and between the one who serves God and the one who does not." | 18Then once more you will see that I make a distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not. |
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