Malachi Chapter 3
Listen up, I’m sending my messenger to set the vibes right before me: the Lord you’ve been waiting for is about to show up at his temple, even the messenger of the covenant you’re all about: no cap, he’s coming, says the Lord of hosts.
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 handle the day he arrives? Who's gonna stand tall when he rolls through? He’s like a refiner’s fire, and like soap that scrubs clean.
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’s gonna vibe as a refiner and purifier of silver: cleaning up the sons of Levi, making them shine like gold and silver, so they can serve the Lord with mad good vibes.
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 offerings from Judah and Jerusalem will be fire to the Lord, just like from the old days, and as in those solid times.
Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years. {former: or, ancient}
And I’m rolling through for judgment; I’ll be a quick witness against the sorcerers, the frauds, the liars, and those who exploit the workers, the widows, and the orphans, and who don’t fear me, says the Lord of hosts.
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. {oppress: or, defraud}
For I’m the Lord, I stay the same; that’s why you sons of Jacob aren't wiped out.
For I {am} the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
From your fam’s days, you’ve been ghosting my commands and not keeping them. Return to me, and I’ll return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you’re like, "How do we even return?"
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?
Can a dude really rob God? Yet you’ve robbed me. But you’re asking, "How we rob you?" In tithes and offerings.
Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
You’re under a curse: you’ve robbed me, even this whole crew.
Ye {are} cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, {even} this whole nation.
Bring all the tithes to the storehouse so there’s food in my place, and test me on this, says the Lord of hosts, if I won’t open the windows of heaven and drop a blessing so huge you can’t even deal with 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}. {pour...: Heb. empty out}
And I’ll call out the devourer for your sake, and he won’t mess up the fruits of your land; your vine won't drop its fruit too soon, says the Lord of hosts.
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. {destroy: Heb. corrupt}
All nations will call you blessed: you’ll be a dope land, says the Lord of hosts.
And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.
Your words have been harsh against me, says the Lord. Yet you’re like, "What have we even 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’ve claimed it’s pointless to serve God: what’s the gain in following his rules and walking around all bummed out before the Lord of hosts?
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? {ordinance: Heb. observation} {mournfully: Heb. in black}
And now we’re saying the proud are happy; yeah, those who do wicked stuff are thriving; even the ones who test God are getting 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. {are set up: Heb. are built}
Then those who feared the Lord were chatting a lot with each other: and the Lord peeped in, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written for those 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.
And they’ll be mine, says the Lord of hosts, on that day when I gather my jewels; I’ll spare them like a dude 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. {jewels: or, special treasure}
Then you’ll come back and see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who don’t.
Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.