Malachi 3:1
What does Malachi 3:1 mean?
A plain-English look at Malachi 3:1 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Malachi 3:1 means
This verse announces the imminent coming of two messengers. First, God promises to send "my messenger," who will prepare the way for the second, the Lord himself. The identity of this first messenger is clearly revealed in the New Testament as John the Baptist (Matthew 11:10), who indeed paved the way for Jesus Christ. The Lord, described as "whom ye seek" and "the messenger of the covenant, whom ye desire," refers to the Messiah, Jesus, who would suddenly come to His temple. This prophecy speaks of the Lord's future visitation in both grace and judgment, a fulfillment eagerly anticipated but profoundly impactful.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Behold, I send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant, whom ye desire, behold, he cometh, saith Jehovah of hosts.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Behold, 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.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Behold, I send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant, whom ye desire, behold, he cometh, saith Jehovah of hosts.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949See, I am sending my servant, and he will make ready the way before me; and the Lord, whom you are looking for, will suddenly come to his Temple; and the angel of the agreement, in whom you have delight, see, he is coming, says the Lord of armies.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Lo, I am sending My messenger, And he hath prepared a way before Me, And suddenly come in unto his temple Doth the Lord whom ye are seeking, Even the messenger of the covenant, Whom ye are desiring, Lo, he is coming, said Jehovah of Hosts.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Behold I send my angel, and he shall prepare the way before my face. And presently the Lord, whom you seek, and the angel of the testament, whom you desire, shall come to his temple. Behold, he cometh, saith the Lord of hosts.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Behold, I send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me; and the Lord whom ye seek will suddenly come to his temple, and the Angel of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he cometh, saith Jehovah of hosts.
Context
This opening verse immediately plunges into a prophetic declaration, shifting from the previous chapter's denunciations of priestly corruption to a promise of divine intervention. It sets the stage for the rest of the chapter, which will detail the nature of this coming, clarifying that it will involve both purification and judgment. This initial promise of a messenger provides the hopeful foundation for the challenging words that follow.
v.1This passage
v.2But who can 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:
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Luke 7:19
And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to the Lord, saying, Art thou he that cometh, or look we for another?
- Exodus 23:20
Behold, I send an angel before thee, to keep thee by the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.
- Acts 19:4
And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people that they should believe on him that should come after him, that is, on Jesus.
- Luke 1:16
And many of the children of Israel shall he turn unto the Lord their God.
- Luke 2:46
And it came to pass, after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both hearing them, and asking them questions:
- Acts 7:38
This is he that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel that spake to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers: who received living oracles to give unto us:
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