Malachi 3 - Contemporary English Version (CEV)

The Promised Messenger

3 (A) I, the Lord All-Powerful,
will send my messenger
to prepare the way for me.
Then suddenly the Lord
you are looking for
will appear in his temple.
The messenger you desire
is coming with my promise,
and he is on his way.

A Day of Change

2 (B) On the day the Lord comes, he will be like a furnace that purifies silver or like strong soap in a washbasin. No one will be able to stand up to him. 3 The Lord will purify the descendants of Levi,[a] as though they were gold or silver. Then they will bring the proper offerings to the Lord, 4 and the offerings of the people of Judah and Jerusalem will please him, just as they did in the past.

Don't Cheat God

5 The Lord All-Powerful said:

I'm now on my way to judge you. And I will quickly condemn all who practice witchcraft or cheat in marriage or tell lies in court or rob workers of their pay or mistreat widows and orphans or steal the property of foreigners or refuse to respect me.

6 (C) Descendants of Jacob, I am the Lord All-Powerful, and I never change. That's why you haven't been wiped out, 7 even though you have ignored and disobeyed my laws ever since the time of your ancestors. But if you return to me, I will return to you.

And yet you ask, “How can we return?”

8 You people are robbing me, your God. And, here you are, asking, “How are we robbing you?”

You are robbing me of the offerings and of the ten percent that belongs to me.[b] 9 That's why your whole nation is under a curse. 10 (D) I am the Lord All-Powerful, and I challenge you to put me to the test. Bring the entire ten percent into the storehouse, so there will be food in my house. Then I will open the windows of heaven and flood you with blessing after blessing.[c] 11 I will also stop locusts[d] from destroying your crops and keeping your vineyards from producing. 12 Everyone of every nation will talk about how I have blessed you and about your wonderful land. I, the Lord All-Powerful, have spoken!

13 You have said horrible things about me, and yet you ask, “What have we said?”

14 Here is what you have said: “It's foolish to serve the Lord God All-Powerful. What do we get for obeying God and from going around looking sad? 15 See how happy those arrogant people are. Everyone who does wrong is successful, and when they put God to the test, they always get away with it.”

Faithfulness Is Rewarded

16 All those who truly respected the Lord and honored his name started discussing these things, and when God saw what was happening, he had their names[e] written as a reminder in his book.

17 Then the Lord All-Powerful said:

You people are precious to me, and when I come to bring justice, I will protect you, just as parents protect an obedient child. 18 Then everyone will once again see the difference between those who obey me by doing right and those who reject me by doing wrong.

Footnotes

  1. 3.3 descendants of Levi: The priests.
  2. 3.8 the ten percent … to me: The people of Israel were supposed to give a tenth of their harvests and of their flocks and herds to the Lord (see Leviticus 27.30-33; Deuteronomy 14.22-29).
  3. 3.10 open the windows … blessing: This may refer to rain, since there seems to have been a terrible drought at this time.
  4. 3.11 locusts: A kind of grasshopper that comes in swarms and causes great damage to plant life.
  5. 3.16 names: Or “deeds.”

Cross references

  1. 3.1 : Mt 11.10; Mk 1.2; Lk 1.76; 7.27.
  2. 3.2 : Jl 2.11; Rev 6.17.
  3. 3.6 : Si 48.10.
  4. 3.10 : Lv 27.30; Nu 18.21-24; Dt 12.5-19; 14.22-29; Ne 13.12.

You Might Also Like:

Malachi 3 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

3 Lo, I am sending My messenger, And he hath prepared a way before Me, And suddenly come in unto his temple Doth the Lord whom ye are seeking, Even the messenger of the covenant, Whom ye are desiring, Lo, he is coming, said Jehovah of Hosts. 2 And who is bearing the day of his coming? And who is sta...
Read More

Malachi 3 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

3 Lo! I shall send mine angel, and he shall make ready the way before my face; and anon the Lord, whom ye seek, shall come to his holy temple, and the angel of the testament, whom ye will. Lo! he cometh, saith the Lord of hosts; (Lo! I shall send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before my ...
Read More

Malachi 3 - World English Bible (WEB)

3 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me; and the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, behold, he comes!” says Yahweh of Armies. 2 “But who can endure the day of his coming? And who will stand when he...
Read More

Malachi 3 - The Voice (VOICE)

3 These are the words of the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies:Eternal One: Pay attention! I am sending My messenger, and he will clear the road ahead for Me.[a] The Lord you seek will suddenly arrive at His temple. And the Messenger of God’s covenant, your soul’s delight, Watch, because He, too...
Read More

Malachi 3 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

My Messenger is Coming3 “Behold, I am sending My messenger[a],and he will clear the way before Me.[b]Suddenly He will come to His Temple—the Lord whom you seek—and the Messenger of the covenant—the One whom you desire— behold, He is coming,”says Adonai-Tzva’ot.2 But who can endure the day of His com...
Read More

Malachi 3 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

The Coming Messenger3 “Behold, I send my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stan...
Read More

Malachi 3 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

The Coming Messenger3 “Behold, I send my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stan...
Read More

Malachi 3 - Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB)

3 Hineni, I will send malachi, and he shall prepare the Derech before me: and HaAdon (the L-rd [Moshiach] Zech 4:14), whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His Heikhal, even the Malach HaBrit, in whom ye have chafetz (delight): hinei, He is coming, saith Hashem Tzva’os. 2 But who may abide the Yom Bo...
Read More

Malachi 3 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

The Coming Messenger3 See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can sta...
Read More

Malachi 3 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Coming Messenger3 See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.(A)2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can st...
Read More

Malachi 3 - New Living Translation (NLT)

The Coming Day of Judgment3 “Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 2 “But who will be ab...
Read More

Malachi 3 - New Life Version (NLV)

The One to Come3 “See, I am going to send one with news, and he will make the way ready before Me. Then all at once the Lord you are looking for will come to His house. The one with the news of the agreement, whom you desire, is coming,” says the Lord of All. 2 “But who can live through the day of ...
Read More

Malachi 3 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The Coming Messenger3 “Behold, (A)I send My messenger,And he will (B)prepare the way before Me.And the Lord, whom you seek,Will suddenly come to His temple,(C)Even the Messenger of the covenant,In whom you delight.Behold, (D)He is coming,”Says the Lord of hosts. 2 “But who can endure (E)the day of H...
Read More

Malachi 3 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

3 ‘I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,’ says the Lord Almighty. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will ...
Read More

Malachi 3 - New International Version (NIV)

3 “I will send my messenger,(A) who will prepare the way before me.(B) Then suddenly the Lord(C) you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant,(D) whom you desire,(E) will come,” says the Lord Almighty. 2 But who can endure(F) the day of his coming?(G) Who can stand(H) when ...
Read More

Malachi 3 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

3 The Lord who rules over all says, “I will send my messenger. He will prepare my way for me. Then suddenly the Lord you are looking for will come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant will come. He is the one you long for.” 2 But who can live through the day when he comes? Who will be left s...
Read More