1 Now I am sending my messenger—he will prepare the way before me;And the lord whom you seek will come suddenly to his temple;The messenger of the covenant whom you desire—see, he is coming! says the Lord of hosts.
2 But who can endure the day of his coming?Who can stand firm when he appears?For he will be like a refiner’s fire,like fullers’ lye.
3 He will sit refining and purifying silver,and he will purify the Levites,Refining them like gold or silver,that they may bring offerings to the Lord in righteousness.
4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalemwill please the Lord,as in ancient days, as in years gone by.
5 I will draw near to you for judgment,and I will be swift to bear witnessAgainst sorcerers, adulterers, and perjurers,those who deprive a laborer of wages,Oppress a widow or an orphan,or turn aside a resident alien,without fearing me, says the Lord of hosts.
6 For I, the Lord, do not change,and you, sons of Jacob, do not cease to be.
7 Since the days of your ancestors you have turned asidefrom my statutes and have not kept them.Return to me, that I may return to you,says the Lord of hosts.But you say, “Why should we return?”