- 14After Jesus explained all the scriptures as one consistent whole to them, He commanded them to teach what He had explained to them. 24Then He required them to write down the prophecy Malachi received from the Father. After it was written, He explained what it meant. This is what the Father said to Malachi: I’ll send My messenger and He’ll prepare the way before Me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple, the messenger of the covenant whom you delight in, He will come, says the Lord of Hosts. 2But who can endure the day of His coming? And who will be able to stand when He appears? For He’s like a refiner’s fire and like launderers’ soap. 3He’ll sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He’ll purify the sons of Levi and refine them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness. 4Then will the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be accepted by the Lord, as in the days of old and as in former years. 5And I’ll conduct a trial in which I’ll testify against their false ministers, and against the adulterers, and against those who lie under oath, and against those that cheat the laborer by underpaying his wages, cheat widows, and orphans, and are cruel to foreigners, disobeying Me, says the Lord of Hosts. 6I the Lord, do not change; that’s why you children of Jacob aren’t already destroyed.
- 7Ever since the time of your ancestors you’ve disobeyed Me and changed the ordinances instead of respecting them. Come back to Me and I’ll come back to you, says the Lord of Hosts. But you ask: What do You mean, return? 8Can a person rob God? Yet you’ve robbed Me. But you ask: How have we robbed You? You’ve stolen tithes and offerings. 9You’re cursed with a curse, because you’ve robbed Me, including this whole nation. 10Bring all your tithes into the storehouse, so there’s food in My temple, and test Me, whether I, the Lord of Hosts, won’t open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing upon you so great you won’t have enough room to store it. 11And I’ll drive away pests, protecting your crops, and your vineyards will produce in abundance, says the Lord of Hosts. 12Then every nation will call you blessed, for you’ll occupy a delightful land, says the Lord of Hosts.
- 13Your words have been arrogant against Me, says the Lord. But you ask: What have we said against You? 14You’ve said: It’s useless to serve God. What benefit have we gotten from keeping His ordinances and repenting before the Lord of Hosts? 15We can see the arrogant are blessed, cheaters get rich, evildoers aren’t punished, and those who dare God to punish them aren’t punished.
- 16Then those who respected the Lord prayed about it, and the Lord listened and was persuaded. An account was written up and presented to Him on behalf of those who worshiped the Lord and respected His name. 17I’ll protect them in the day of judgment as My treasured fruit, says the Lord of Hosts. And I’ll have compassion for them like a father has compassion for his own faithful son. 18Then you’ll see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not. 25There’s a day coming that will burn like an oven, and all the proud, and all that are wicked, will burn like straw; entirely burned up, roots, branches, and all.
- 2But for everyone who reveres My name, the Son of Righteousness will rise with healing in His wings. And you’ll go out like calves leaping joyfully when let out of the stall; 3and you’ll trample over the wicked, as if they were ashes under the soles of your feet in the day I accomplish this, says the Lord of Hosts. 4Remember the Law of my servant Moses, the statutes and ordinances I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel to follow. 5Know this, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord, 6and he’ll turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, otherwise I will return and utterly curse the earth.
- 26When Jesus had said this, He explained it to the crowd. He explained everything to them, both great and small. 2He said: These scriptures, which you didn’t have, the Father commanded Me to give to you. Because He wisely wants them to be given to future generations. 3Then He explained everything, from the very beginning until the time when He would return in His glory — indeed, everything that would happen on earth — until the elements are melted with intense heat, the earth is rolled together like a scroll, and the heavens and earth end, 4everything leading to the great and last day when all people of every nation, tribe, and language will stand in front of God to be judged for their works, whether they’re good or evil. 5If they’re good, to the resurrection of everlasting life; and if they’re evil, to the resurrection of damnation, balanced, the one on the one hand and the other on the other hand. This conforms to the mercy, justice, and holiness in Christ, who existed before the world began.
Chapter 11