万军之耶和华说：“看哪，我要差遣我的使者在我前面预备道路。你们所寻求的主必忽然来到他的殿；立约的使者，就是你们所仰慕的，看哪，快要来到。”
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.
2他来的日子，谁能当得起呢？他显现的时候，谁能立得住呢？因为他如炼金匠的火，如漂洗者的碱。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:
3他必坐下如炼净银子的人，必洁净利未人，熬炼他们像金银一样；他们就凭公义献供物给耶和华。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.
4那时，犹大和耶路撒冷所献的供物必蒙耶和华悦纳，仿佛古时之日、上古之年。Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.
5万军之耶和华说：“我必临近你们，施行审判。我必速速作见证，警戒那些行邪术的、犯奸淫的、起假誓的、剥削雇工工钱的、欺压孤儿寡妇的、屈枉寄居者的和不敬畏我的人。”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.
十一奉献
6“我－耶和华是不改变的；所以，雅各的子孙啊，你们不致灭亡。For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
7从你们祖先的日子以来，你们就偏离我的律例而不遵守。现在你们要转向我，我就转向你们。这是万军之耶和华说的。你们却说：‘我们如何转向呢？’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?
8人岂可抢夺神呢？你们竟抢夺我！你们却说：‘我们在何事上抢夺你呢？’其实就是在你们当纳的十分之一奉献和当献的供物上。Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
9因你们全国上下都抢夺我的供物，诅咒就临到你们身上。Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
10你们要将当纳的十分之一全然送入仓库，使我家有粮，以此试试我，是否为你们敞开天上的窗户，倾福与你们，甚至无处可容。这是万军之耶和华说的。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.
11我必为你们斥责蝗虫☛“蝗虫”：原文是“吞噬者”。，不容它毁坏你们的土产。你们田间的葡萄树，果实未熟以先也不会掉落。这是万军之耶和华说的。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.
12万国必称你们为有福的，因你们必成为喜乐之地。这是万军之耶和华说的。”And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.
神应许施怜悯
13耶和华说：“你们用话顶撞我。”你们却说：“我们说了什么话顶撞你呢？”Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?
14你们说：“事奉神是枉然，我们遵守神所吩咐的，在万军之耶和华面前哀痛而行，有什么益处呢？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?
15现在，我们称狂傲的人为有福，并且行恶的人得以建立；他们虽然试探神，却得以逃脱。”And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.
16那时，敬畏耶和华的人彼此谈论，耶和华侧耳而听，且有纪念册在他面前，记录那敬畏耶和华、思念他名的人。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.
17万军之耶和华说：“在我所定的日子，他们必属我，是我宝贵的产业。我必怜悯他们，如同人怜悯那服侍他的儿子。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.
18那时你们必再一次☛“再一次”：七十士译本是“归回”。看出义人和恶人，事奉神和不事奉神的人有何差别。”Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.