Maleakhi 3:2-5

3:2 Who can endure the day of his coming? Who can keep standing when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire, ¹  like a launderer’s soap. 3:3 He will act like a refiner and purifier of silver and will cleanse the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will offer the Lord a proper offering. 3:4 The offerings ²  of Judah and Jerusalem ³  will be pleasing to the Lord as in former times and years past.

3:5 “I ⁴  will come to you in judgment. I will be quick to testify against those who practice divination, those who commit adultery, those who break promises, ⁵  and those who exploit workers, widows, and orphans, ⁶  who refuse to help ⁷  the immigrant ⁸  and in this way show they do not fear me,” says the Lord who rules over all.

[3:2]  ¹ sn The refiner’s fire was used to purify metal and refine it by melting it and allowing the dross, which floated to the top, to be scooped off.

[3:4]  ² tn Or “gift.”

[3:4]  ³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[3:5]  ⁴ tn The first person pronoun (a reference to the Lord) indicates that the Lord himself now speaks (see also v. 1). The prophet speaks in vv. 2-4 (see also 2:17).

[3:5]  ⁵ tn Heb “those who swear [oaths] falsely.” Cf. NIV “perjurers”; TEV “those who give false testimony”; NLT “liars.”

[3:5]  ⁶ tn Heb “and against the oppressors of the worker for a wage, [the] widow and orphan.”

[3:5]  ⁷ tn Heb “those who turn aside.”

[3:5]  ⁸ tn Or “resident foreigner”; NIV “aliens”; NRSV “the alien.”