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   and I gave them to him. With awe he feared Me,   
   and he was reverent before My name.   
   6 (Jer 23:22; Da 12:3) True instruction was in his mouth,   
   and injustice was not found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace   
   and with uprightness, and turned many away from iniquity.   
   7 (Lev 10:11; Jer 18:18) For a priest's lips should preserve knowledge,   
   and people should seek the law from his mouth; for he is the messenger   
   of the Lord of Hosts.   
   8 (Jer 18:15; 1Sa 2:17) But you have departed from the way. You have caused   
   many to stumble at the law. You have violated the covenant of Levi,   
   says the Lord of Hosts.   
   9 (Dt 1:17; 1Sa 2:30) So I have made you contemptible   
   and base before all the people, because you have not kept My ways,   
   but have shown partiality in the law.   
      
   [1] And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.   
   [2] If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory   
   unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you,   
   and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye   
   do not lay it to heart.   
   [3] Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even   
   the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it.   
   [4] And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my   
   covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.   
   [5] My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for   
   the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.   
   [6] The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his   
   lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from   
   iniquity.   
   [7] For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the   
   law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.   
   [8] But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at   
   the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.   
   [9] Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the   
   people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the   
   law.   
      
   The Covenant Profaned   
      
   10 (1Co 8:6; Isa 63:16) Have we not all one Father?   
   Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously with one another,   
   by profaning the covenant of our fathers?   
   11 (Ezr 9:1-2) Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination   
   has been committed in Israel and Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned   
   the sanctuary of the Lord, which He loves, and has married the daughter   
   of a foreign god.   
   12 May the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob any descendant   
   of the man who does this, teacher and student, yet who brings an offering   
   to the Lord of Hosts.   
   13 This is the second thing you do: You cover the altar of the Lord   
   with tears, with weeping and crying out, because He no longer regards   
   the offering, nor receives it with good will from your hand.   
   14 (Isa 54:6; Mal 3:5) Yet you say, "Why?" It is because the Lord   
   has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth,   
   against whom you have dealt treacherously. Yet she is your companion   
   and your wife by covenant.   
   15 (Mt 19:4-6; 1Co 7:14) Did He not make them one, having a remnant   
   of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring.   
   So take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.   
   16 (Mt 5:31-32; Lk 16:18) For the Lord, the God of Israel,   
   says that He hates divorce; for it covers one's garment with violence,   
   says the Lord of Hosts.   
   Therefore take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.   
      
   [10] Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal   
   treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of   
   our fathers?   
   [11] Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in   
   Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD   
   which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.   
   [12] The LORD will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the   
   scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering   
   unto the LORD of hosts.   
   [13] And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears,   
   with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the   
   offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand.   
   [14] Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee   
   and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet   
   is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.   
   [15] And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And   
   wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your   
   spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.   
   [16] For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for   
   one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore   
   take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.   
      
   Injustice Committed   
      
   17 (Isa 43:24; Zep 1:12) You have wearied the Lord with your words.   
   Yet you say, "How have we wearied Him?"   
   When you say, "Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord,   
   and He delights in them," or, "Where is the God of justice?"   
      
   [17] Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we   
   wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of   
   the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?   
      
   Malachi 3   
      
   The Coming Messenger   
      
   1 (Mal 4:5; Isa 63:9) I will send My messenger, and he will prepare   
   the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come   
   to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant,   
   in whom you delight. He is coming, says the Lord of Hosts.   
   2 (Zec 13:9; Rev 6:17) But who can endure the day of his coming,   
   and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire   
   and like fullers' soap.   
   3 (Isa 1:25; Da 12:10) He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver;   
   he will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them like gold and silver,   
   and they will present to the Lord offerings in righteousness.   
   4 (2Ch 7:1-3) Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant   
   to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.   
   5 (Lev 19:13; Dt 24:17) Then I will draw near to you for judgment.   
   I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers,   
   against the perjurers, against those who oppress the hired worker   
   in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who turn aside   
   the stranger, and do not fear Me, says the Lord of Hosts.   
      
   [1] Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before   
   me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to this temple, even the   
   messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith   
   the LORD of hosts.   
   [2] 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] And he shall sit as a refiner and purifer 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] 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] 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   
      
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   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)