The Messenger of the Lord
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d You have wearied the Lord with your words. x But you say, "How have we wearied him?" e By saying, "Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them." Or by asking, f "Where is the God of justice?"
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g "Behold, I send h my messenger, and i he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord j whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and k the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.
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But l who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For m he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap.
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He will sit n as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring o offerings in righteousness to the Lord.
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p Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.
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"Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be q a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those r who oppress the hired worker in his wages, s the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.
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Cross References
Isaiah 43:24
You have not bought me sweet cane with money, or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with your sins; you have wearied me with your iniquities.
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Cross References
Malachi 2:14
But you say, "Why does he not?" Because the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.
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Cross References
Malachi 3:15
And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.'
Isaiah 5:20
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
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Cross References
Malachi 3:1
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 in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.
2 Peter 3:4
They will say, "Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.
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Cross References
Matthew 11:10
This is he of whom it is written, "'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.
Mark 1:2
As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, "Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way.
Luke 7:27
This is he of whom it is written, "'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.
Malachi 4:5
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.
Luke 1:76
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways.
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Cross References
Malachi 2:7
For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.
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Cross References
Isaiah 40:3
A voice cries: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord ; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
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Cross References
Malachi 2:17
You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, "How have we wearied him?" By saying, "Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them." Or by asking, "Where is the God of justice?
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Cross References
Malachi 4:5
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.
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Cross References
Joel 2:11
The Lord utters his voice before his army, for his camp is exceedingly great; he who executes his word is powerful. For the day of the Lord is great and very awesome; who can endure it?
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Cross References
Isaiah 4:4
When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning.
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Cross References
Isaiah 1:25
I will turn my hand against you and will smelt away your dross as with lye and remove all your alloy.
Zechariah 13:9
And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'They are my people'; and they will say, 'The Lord is my God.'
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Cross References
Malachi 1:7
By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, 'How have we polluted you?' By saying that the Lord 's table may be despised.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 20:40
For on my holy mountain, the mountain height of Israel, declares the Lord God, there all the house of Israel, all of them, shall serve me in the land. There I will accept them, and there I will require your contributions and the choicest of your gifts, with all your sacred offerings.
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Cross References
Malachi 2:14
But you say, "Why does he not?" Because the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.
Jeremiah 29:23
Because they have done an outrageous thing in Israel, they have committed adultery with their neighbors' wives, and they have spoken in my name lying words that I did not command them. I am the one who knows, and I am witness, declares the Lord.'
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Cross References
Leviticus 19:13
You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired servant shall not remain with you all night until the morning.
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Cross References
Deuteronomy 24:17
You shall not pervert the justice due to the sojourner or to the fatherless, or take a widow's garment in pledge.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.