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1. The Lord All-Powerful says, "I am sending my messenger to prepare the way for me. Then suddenly, the Lord you are looking for will come to his temple. Yes, the messenger you are waiting for, the one who will tell about my agreement, is really coming!
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1. Behold H2009 , I will send H7971 my messenger H4397 , and he shall prepare H6437 the way H1870 before H6440 me : and the Lord H113 , whom H834 ye H859 seek H1245 , shall suddenly H6597 come H935 to H413 his temple H1964 , even the messenger H4397 of the covenant H1285 , whom H834 ye H859 delight H2655 in: behold H2009 , he shall come H935 , saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 .
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2. "No one can prepare for that time or stand against him when he comes. He will be like a burning fire. He will be like the strong soap people use to make things clean.
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2. But who H4310 may abide H3557 H853 the day H3117 of his coming H935 ? and who H4310 shall stand H5975 when he appeareth H7200 ? for H3588 he H1931 is like a refiner H6884 's fire H784 , and like fullers H3526 ' soap H1287 :
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3. He will make the Levites clean. He will make them pure, like silver is made pure with fire! He will make them pure like gold and silver. Then they will bring gifts to the Lord, and they will do things the right way.
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3. And he shall sit H3427 as a refiner H6884 and purifier H2891 of silver H3701 : and he shall purify H2891 H853 the sons H1121 of Levi H3878 , and purge H2212 them as gold H2091 and silver H3701 , that they may offer H1961 H5066 unto the LORD H3068 an offering H4503 in righteousness H6666 .
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4. Then the Lord will accept the gifts from Judah and Jerusalem. It will be as it was in the past�as the time long ago.
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4. Then shall the offering H4503 of Judah H3063 and Jerusalem H3389 be pleasant H6149 unto the LORD H3068 , as in the days H3117 of old H5769 , and as in former H6931 years H8141 .
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5. Then I will bring you to justice. I will be an expert witness and testify about the evil things people do. I will speak out against those who do evil magic or commit adultery. I will speak out against those who make false promises and cheat their workers and don't pay them the money they promised. I will testify against those who don't help strangers, or widows and orphans. And I will testify against those who don't respect me." This is what the Lord All-Powerful said.
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5. And I will come near H7126 to H413 you to judgment H4941 ; and I will be H1961 a swift H4116 witness H5707 against the sorcerers H3784 , and against the adulterers H5003 , and against false H8267 swearers H7650 , and against those that oppress H6231 the hireling H7916 in his wages H7939 , the widow H490 , and the fatherless H3490 , and that turn aside H5186 the stranger H1616 from his right , and fear H3372 not H3808 me, saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 .
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6. "I am the Lord, and I don't change. You are Jacob's children, and you have not been completely destroyed.
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6. For H3588 I H589 am the LORD H3068 , I change H8138 not H3808 ; therefore ye H859 sons H1121 of Jacob H3290 are not H3808 consumed H3615 .
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7. But you never obeyed my laws. Even your ancestors stopped following me. Come back to me, and I will come back to you." This is what the Lord All-Powerful said. "You say, 'How can we come back?'
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7. Even from the days H4480 H3117 of your fathers H1 ye are gone away H5493 from mine ordinances H4480 H2706 , and have not H3808 kept H8104 them . Return H7725 unto H413 me , and I will return H7725 unto H413 you, saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 . But ye said H559 , Wherein H4100 shall we return H7725 ?
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8. "People should not steal things from God, but you stole things from me. "You say, 'What did we steal from you?' "You should have given me one-tenth of your things. You should have given me special gifts.
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8. Will a man H120 rob H6906 God H430 ? Yet H3588 ye H859 have robbed H6906 me . But ye say H559 , Wherein H4100 have we robbed H6906 thee? In tithes H4643 and offerings H8641 .
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9. In this way your whole nation has stolen things from me, so bad things are happening to you." This is what the Lord All-Powerful said.
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9. Ye H859 are cursed H779 with a curse H3994 : for ye H859 have robbed H6906 me, even this whole H3605 nation H1471 .
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10. The Lord All-Powerful says, "Try this test. Bring one-tenth of your things to me. Put them in the treasury. Bring food to my house. Test me! If you do these things, I will surely bless you. Good things will come to you like rain falling from the sky. You will have more than enough of everything.
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10. Bring H935 ye H853 all H3605 the tithes H4643 into H413 the storehouse H1004 H214 , that there may be H1961 meat H2964 in mine house H1004 , and prove H974 me now H4994 herewith H2063 , saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 , if H518 I will not H3808 open H6605 you H853 the windows H699 of heaven H8064 , and pour you out H7324 a blessing H1293 , that H5704 there shall not H1097 be room enough H1767 to receive it .
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11. I will not let pests destroy your crops. All your grapevines will produce grapes." This is what the Lord All-Powerful said.
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11. And I will rebuke H1605 the devourer H398 for your sakes , and he shall not H3808 destroy H7843 H853 the fruits H6529 of your ground H127 ; neither H3808 shall your vine H1612 cast her fruit before the time H7921 in the field H7704 , saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 .
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12. "People from other nations will be good to you. You will have a wonderful country." This is what the Lord All-Powerful said.
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12. And all H3605 nations H1471 shall call you blessed H833 H853 : for H3588 ye H859 shall be H1961 a delightful H2656 land H776 , saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 .
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13. The Lord says, "You said cruel things to me." But you ask, "What did we say about you?"
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13. Your words H1697 have been stout H2388 against H5921 me, saith H559 the LORD H3068 . Yet ye say H559 , What H4100 have we spoken H1696 so much against H5921 thee?
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14. You said, "It is useless to worship the Lord. We did what the Lord All-Powerful told us, but we didn't gain anything. We were sad {for our sins} like people crying at a funeral, but it didn't help.
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14. Ye have said H559 , It is vain H7723 to serve H5647 God H430 : and what H4100 profit H1215 is it that H3588 we have kept H8104 his ordinance H4931 , and that H3588 we have walked H1980 mournfully H6941 before H4480 H6440 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 ?
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15. We think proud people are happy. Evil people succeed. They do evil things to test God's patience, and God does not punish them."
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15. And now H6258 we H587 call the proud happy H833 H2086 ; yea H1571 , they that work H6213 wickedness H7564 are set up H1129 ; yea H1571 , they that tempt H974 God H430 are even delivered H4422 .
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16. Then the Lord's followers spoke with each other, and the Lord listened to them. There is a book in front of him. In that book are the names of his followers. They are the people who honor the Lord's name.
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16. Then H227 they that feared H3373 the LORD H3068 spoke H1696 often one H376 to H854 another H7453 : and the LORD H3068 hearkened H7181 , and heard H8085 it , and a book H5612 of remembrance H2146 was written H3789 before H6440 him for them that feared H3372 the LORD H3068 , and that thought H2803 upon his name H8034 .
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17. The Lord said, "They belong to me. I will be kind to them. Parents are very kind to their children who obey them. In the same way I will be kind to my followers.
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17. And they shall be H1961 mine, saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 , in that day H3117 when H834 I H589 make up H6213 my jewels H5459 ; and I will spare H2550 H5921 them, as H834 a man H376 spareth H2550 H5921 his own son H1121 that serveth H5647 him.
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18. You people will come back to me, and you will learn the difference between good and evil. You will learn the difference between someone who follows God and someone who does not.
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18. Then shall ye return H7725 , and discern H7200 between H996 the righteous H6662 and the wicked H7563 , between H996 him that serveth H5647 God H430 and him H834 that serveth H5647 him not H3808 .
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