| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1“Behold, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple—the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight—see, He is coming,” says the LORD of Hosts. | 1See, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. Then the Lord you seek will suddenly come to His temple, the Messenger of the covenant you desire--see, He is coming," says the LORD of Hosts. |
| 2But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He will be like a refiner’s fire, like a launderer’s soap. | 2But who can endure the day of His coming? And who will be able to stand when He appears? For He will be like a refiner's fire and like cleansing lye. |
| 3And He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will present offerings to the LORD in righteousness. | 3He will be like a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will present offerings to the LORD in righteousness. |
| 4Then the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will please the LORD, as in days of old and years gone by. | 4And the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will please the LORD as in days of old and years gone by." |
| 5“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. And I will be a swift witness against sorcerers and adulterers and perjurers, against oppressors of the widowed and fatherless, and against those who defraud laborers of their wages and deny justice to the foreigner but do not fear Me,” says the LORD of Hosts. | 5I will come to you in judgment, and I will be ready to witness against sorcerers and adulterers; against those who swear falsely; against those who oppress the widow and the fatherless, and cheat the wage earner; and against those who deny justice to the foreigner. They do not fear Me," says the LORD of Hosts. " |
| 6“Because I, the LORD, do not change, you descendants of Jacob have not been destroyed. | 6Because I, Yahweh, have not changed, you descendants of Jacob have not been destroyed." |
| 7Yet from the days of your fathers, you have turned away from My statutes and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD of Hosts. “But you ask, ‘How can we return?’ | 7Since the days of your fathers, you have turned from My statutes; you have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you," says the LORD of Hosts. But you ask: "How can we return?"" |
| 8Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you ask, ‘How do we rob You?’ In tithes and offerings. | 8Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me!" You ask: "How do we rob You?"" By not making the payments of the tenth and the contributions. |
| 9You are cursed with a curse, yet you—the whole nation—are still robbing Me. | 9You are suffering under a curse, yet you--the whole nation--are still robbing Me. |
| 10Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this,” says the LORD of Hosts. “See if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour out for you blessing without measure. | 10Bring the full tenth into the storehouse so that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this way," says the LORD of Hosts. "See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure. |
| 11I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your land, and the vine in your field will not fail to produce fruit,” says the LORD of Hosts. | 11I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not ruin the produce of your land and your vine in your field will not fail to produce fruit," says the LORD of Hosts. " |
| 12“Then all the nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight,” says the LORD of Hosts. | 12Then all the nations will consider you fortunate, for you will be a delightful land," says the LORD of Hosts." |
| 13“Your words against Me have been harsh,” says the LORD. “Yet you ask, ‘What have we spoken against You?’ | 13Your words against Me are harsh," says the LORD. Yet you ask: "What have we spoken against You?" |
| 14You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What have we gained by keeping His requirements and walking mournfully before the LORD of Hosts? | 14You have said: "It is useless to serve God. What have we gained by keeping His requirements and walking mournfully before the LORD of Hosts? |
| 15So now we call the arrogant blessed. Not only do evildoers prosper, they even test God and escape.’ ” | 15So now we consider the arrogant to be fortunate. Not only do those who commit wickedness prosper, they even test God and escape." |
| 16At that time those who feared the LORD spoke with one another, and the LORD listened and heard them. So a scroll of remembrance was written before Him regarding those who feared the LORD and honored His name. | 16At that time those who feared the LORD spoke to one another. The LORD took notice and listened. So a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who feared Yahweh and had high regard for His name. " |
| 17“They will be Mine,” says the LORD of Hosts, “on the day when I prepare My treasured possession. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him. | 17They will be Mine," says the LORD of Hosts, "a special possession on the day I am preparing. I will have compassion on them as a man has compassion on his son who serves him. |
| 18So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.” | 18So you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him." |
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