Bible Strands
Malachi 3:18
So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The LORD of Hosts speaks to Israel in the final verse of Malachi, closing the book's oracle about the coming day of distinction.
The words — שַׁבְתֶם (shavtem, "you will return," H7725) carries the sense of turning back to discernment, and רְאִיתֶם (re'item, "you will see," H7200) makes the distinction experiential rather than abstract.
The thread — The same separation appears in Matthew 25:46 (righteous into eternal life, the wicked into punishment), Genesis 18:25 (Abraham objects to killing the righteous with the wicked), and Psalms 58:10 (the righteous see vengeance).
Why it lands — The verse is not a moral exhortation but a declaration that the distinction will become visible; it asks the reader to reckon with which side of the line they stand on before that day.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.
Cross-references
- Matthew 25:46 And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
- Genesis 18:25 Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”
- Psalms 58:10 The righteous will rejoice when they see they are avenged; they will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked.
- Joshua 24:15 But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!”
- Malachi 3:14 You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What have we gained by keeping His requirements and walking mournfully before the LORD of Hosts?
- Acts 27:23 For just last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me
- Jeremiah 12:15 But after I have uprooted them, I will once again have compassion on them and return each one to his inheritance and to his land.
- John 12:26 If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
- 2 Thessalonians 1:5 All this is clear evidence of God’s righteous judgment. And so you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.
- Isaiah 3:10 Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their labor.