The. holie. Bible. conteynyng the olde Testament and the newe.

The .iii. Chapter

Of the messenger of the Lorde Iohn Baptist, and of Christes office.

[unspec A]

1 BEholde, I wyll sende my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me, and the lord (a) 1.1 whom ye seeke, shal speedyly come to his temple, and the mes∣senger of the couenaunt whom ye desire, beholde he commeth, saith the Lorde of hoastes.

2 But who may abyde the day of his comming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is lyke a purging fire, and lyke fullers sope.

3 And he shall sit downe to trye and fine the siluer, and he shal purge the children of Leui, and purifie them as golde and siluer: and they shal bring vnto the lorde offeringes in righteousnesse.

4 Then shall the * 1.2 offeringes of Iuda and Hierusalem be acceptable vnto the Lorde, as in olde tyme, and as in the yeres afore.

5 And I wyl come neare to you in iudge∣ment, and I wyll be a * 1.3 swyft witnesse against the * 1.4 soothsayers, and against the adulterers, and against false swea∣rers, and against those that wrongfully keepe backe the hirelynges wages, and vexe the widowe and the fatherlesse, and oppresse the straunger, and feare not me, saith the Lorde of hoastes.

6 For I am the Lorde, I chaunge not: and you sonnes of Iacob are not consu∣med.

[unspec B] 7 From the dayes of your fathers ye are gone away from myne ordinaunces, and haue not kept [them:] turne you to me, and I wyll turne to you, saith the Lorde of hoastes. And ye saide, Where∣in shall we returne?

8 Wyll a man(e) 1.5 spoyle his Gods? yet ye haue spoyled me: and ye say, Where∣in haue we spoyled thee? In tythes and offeringes?

9 Ye are cursed with a curse, & me haue ye spoyled, euen this whole nation.

10 Bryng euery tythe into the store house, that there may be meate in myne house, and prooue me withal, saith the Lorde of hoastes: if I wyl not open the win∣dowes of heauen vnto you, and poure you out a blessing without measure.

11 And I wyl reprooue the deuourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruite of the grounde, neither shall your vine be barren in the fielde, saith the Lorde of hoastes.

12 And al nations shal call you blessed: be∣cause you shalbe a pleasaunt lande, saith the Lorde of hoastes.

13 Your wordes haue ben stout against [unspec C] me saith the lorde: and you saide, Wher∣in haue we spoken against thee?

14 Ye haue saide: [it is but] vayne to serue God, and what profite [is it] that we haue kept his commaundement, & that we haue walked humbly before the face of the Lorde of hoastes?

15 And nowe we call the proude happie: yea the workers of wickednesse are set vp, and also they that tempt God, yea they are deliuered.

16 Then they that feared God, saide eue∣ry one to his neighbour: and the Lorde considered and hearde, and there was

written a booke of remēbraunce before him for them that feared the Lorde, and for them that thinke vpon his name.

17 And they shalbe to me, saith the Lorde of hoastes, in that day wherein I shall do [iudgement,] a flocke: and I wyl spare them as a man spareth his owne sonne which serueth him.

18 Then shall ye returne, and discerne betweene the iust and the wicked, be∣tweene him that serueth God, and him that serueth him not.

Notes

• (a) 1.1

  Though 〈◊〉〈◊〉 you 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for the seeke an 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Mes∣••s and a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 king∣d••e.
• * 1.2

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.3

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.4

  〈…〉〈…〉
• (e) 1.5

  Such re∣garde ••th God to his ministers one poore mem∣bers, that he thinketh him selfe robbed when they are defrauded.