| Chapter 3 |
1 |
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. --
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2 |
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: --
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3 |
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. --
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4 |
Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years. --
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5 |
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. --
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6 |
For I [am] the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. --
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7 |
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? --
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8 |
Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. --
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9 |
Ye [are] cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, [even] this whole nation. --
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10 |
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]. --
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11 |
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. --
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12 |
And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts. --
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13 |
Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken [so much] against thee? --
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14 |
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? --
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15 |
And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, [they that] tempt God are even delivered. --
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16 |
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. --
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17 |
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. --
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18 |
Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not. --
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