The refiner's fire
Look, I am sending my messenger, and he will clear the way ahead of me. And the Lord you are looking for will come suddenly to his temple — the messenger of the covenant you long for. He is coming, says the Lord Almighty. But who can stand the day he comes? Who can stay on his feet when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire, and like a launderer's soap. He will sit like a refiner and purifier of silver. He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so they can bring the Lord an offering in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will please the Lord, as in the old days, as in years gone by. And I will come to you for judgement. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, against adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who short-change the labourer of his wages, and against those who push the widow and the orphan and the stranger aside, and have no fear of me, says the Lord Almighty. For I am the Lord. I do not change. That is why you sons of Jacob are not finished.
Look — I'll send my messenger, and he'll get the road ready in front of me. And the Lord you're looking for will come suddenly to his temple, the messenger of the covenant you want. Look — he's coming, says the Lord Almighty. But who can stand the day he comes? And who can stand up when he shows himself? Because he's like a refiner's fire and like the soap of the ones who wash wool. And he'll sit as a refiner and cleaner of silver. And he'll clean the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so they bring the Lord an offering in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord, the way it was in the old days and in the years before. And I'll come near you for judgment. And I'll be a quick witness against the sorcerers and against the ones who break their marriage and against the ones who swear falsely, and against the ones who hold back the wages of the hired man, and crush the widow and the orphan, and push the stranger aside, and don't fear me, says the Lord Almighty. Because I'm the Lord, and I don't change. That's why you sons of Jacob aren't finished.
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. 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: 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. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years. 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. For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
Look, I am sending my messenger, and he will clear the way ahead of me. And the Lord you are looking for will come suddenly to his temple — the messenger of the covenant you long for. He is coming, says the Lord Almighty.
Look — I'll send my messenger, and he'll get the road ready in front of me. And the Lord you're looking for will come suddenly to his temple, the messenger of the covenant you want. Look — he's coming, says the Lord Almighty.
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.
But who can stand the day he comes? Who can stay on his feet when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire, and like a launderer's soap.
But who can stand the day he comes? And who can stand up when he shows himself? Because he's like a refiner's fire and like the soap of the ones who wash wool.
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:
He will sit like a refiner and purifier of silver. He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so they can bring the Lord an offering in righteousness.
And he'll sit as a refiner and cleaner of silver. And he'll clean the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so they bring the Lord an offering in righteousness.
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.
Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will please the Lord, as in the old days, as in years gone by.
Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord, the way it was in the old days and in the years before.
Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.
And I will come to you for judgement. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, against adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who short-change the labourer of his wages, and against those who push the widow and the orphan and the stranger aside, and have no fear of me, says the Lord Almighty.
And I'll come near you for judgment. And I'll be a quick witness against the sorcerers and against the ones who break their marriage and against the ones who swear falsely, and against the ones who hold back the wages of the hired man, and crush the widow and the orphan, and push the stranger aside, and don't fear me, says the Lord Almighty.
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.
For I am the Lord. I do not change. That is why you sons of Jacob are not finished.
Because I'm the Lord, and I don't change. That's why you sons of Jacob aren't finished.
For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
Test me on it
Ever since your fathers' days you have turned away from my rules and not kept them. Come back to me, and I will come back to you, says the Lord Almighty. But you come back with, How are we supposed to return? Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. And you say, How have we robbed you? In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse, the whole nation of you, because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so there is food in my house. Put me to the test on this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I don't throw open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing on you — more than you will have room for. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sake, so he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, and your vine will not drop its fruit before its time in the field, says the Lord Almighty. And all nations will call you blessed, because you will be a delightful land, says the Lord Almighty.
Since the days of your fathers you've gone off my rules and haven't kept them. Come back to me and I'll come back to you, says the Lord Almighty. But you said: How are we to come back? Will a man rob God? But you've robbed me. And you say: How have we robbed you? In the tenths and the offerings. You're cursed with a curse, because you've robbed me — this whole nation. Bring all the tenths into the storehouse, so there's food in my house. And test me on it now, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I won't open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing till there's no room enough for it. And I'll tell off the one who eats it up for you, so he doesn't wreck the fruit of your ground. And your vine won't drop its fruit before its time in the field, says the Lord Almighty. And all the nations will call you happy, because you'll be a land people take delight in, says the Lord Almighty.
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? Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 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. 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. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.
Ever since your fathers' days you have turned away from my rules and not kept them. Come back to me, and I will come back to you, says the Lord Almighty. But you come back with, How are we supposed to return?
Since the days of your fathers you've gone off my rules and haven't kept them. Come back to me and I'll come back to you, says the Lord Almighty. But you said: How are we to come back?
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?
Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. And you say, How have we robbed you? In tithes and offerings.
Will a man rob God? But you've robbed me. And you say: How have we robbed you? In the tenths and the offerings.
Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
You are under a curse, the whole nation of you, because you are robbing me.
You're cursed with a curse, because you've robbed me — this whole nation.
Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so there is food in my house. Put me to the test on this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I don't throw open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing on you — more than you will have room for.
Bring all the tenths into the storehouse, so there's food in my house. And test me on it now, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I won't open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing till there's no room enough for it.
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.
And I will rebuke the devourer for your sake, so he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, and your vine will not drop its fruit before its time in the field, says the Lord Almighty.
And I'll tell off the one who eats it up for you, so he doesn't wreck the fruit of your ground. And your vine won't drop its fruit before its time in the field, says the Lord Almighty.
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.
And all nations will call you blessed, because you will be a delightful land, says the Lord Almighty.
And all the nations will call you happy, because you'll be a land people take delight in, says the Lord Almighty.
And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.
A book of remembrance
You have said hard things about me, says the Lord. And you come back with, What have we said against you? You have said, There's no point serving God. What have we got out of keeping his rules and walking about in mourning before the Lord Almighty? So now we call the arrogant fortunate. The ones who do wickedly get ahead. They put God to the test and get away with it. Then those who feared the Lord talked it over with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. And a book of remembrance was written in his presence for those who feared the Lord and thought on his name. They will be mine, says the Lord Almighty, on the day when I make up my jewels. I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him. Then you will return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not serve him.
Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord. But you say: What have we said against you? You've said: It's no use serving God. What have we got out of keeping what he keeps, and out of walking about in black in front of the Lord Almighty? And now we call the proud happy. Yes, the ones who do wickedness are built up. Yes, they test God and they get away with it. Then the ones who feared the Lord spoke to each other. And the Lord paid attention and heard it. And a book of remembrance was written in front of him for the ones who feared the Lord and thought about his name. And they'll be mine, says the Lord Almighty, on the day I make up my treasure. And I'll spare them the way a man spares his own son who serves him. Then you'll turn back and see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who doesn't serve him.
Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee? 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? And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered. 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. 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. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.
You have said hard things about me, says the Lord. And you come back with, What have we said against you?
Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord. But you say: What have we said against you?
Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?
You have said, There's no point serving God. What have we got out of keeping his rules and walking about in mourning before the Lord Almighty?
You've said: It's no use serving God. What have we got out of keeping what he keeps, and out of walking about in black in front of the Lord Almighty?
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?
So now we call the arrogant fortunate. The ones who do wickedly get ahead. They put God to the test and get away with it.
And now we call the proud happy. Yes, the ones who do wickedness are built up. Yes, they test God and they get away with it.
And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.
Then those who feared the Lord talked it over with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. And a book of remembrance was written in his presence for those who feared the Lord and thought on his name.
Then the ones who feared the Lord spoke to each other. And the Lord paid attention and heard it. And a book of remembrance was written in front of him for the ones who feared the Lord and thought about his name.
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.
They will be mine, says the Lord Almighty, on the day when I make up my jewels. I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him.
And they'll be mine, says the Lord Almighty, on the day I make up my treasure. And I'll spare them the way a man spares his own son who serves him.
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.
Then you will return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not serve him.
Then you'll turn back and see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who doesn't serve him.
Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.