These three activities are expressed here as if they were things. However, they may be expressed as actions, either in passive form or in active form. Alternate translation: "they will be refined, cleansed, and purified" or "their suffering will refine, cleanse, and purify them" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]])
This refers to the purifying of metal by melting it in a fire. When God makes his people more faithful to himself, this is spoken of as if they were metal that a worker was making more pure by putting it into fire. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])
# cleansing
This refers to making people, places, or objects suitable for God's use by separating them from sin and other forms of evil. It speaks of evil as if it were physical dirtiness that could be removed by washing. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])
# purifying
This idea is very similar to refining, discussed earlier. Metal that is refined can also be said to be purified. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])
# time of the end
"the final days" or "the end of the world." See how you translated this in [Daniel 8:17](../08/17.md).
Here "appointed time" implies that God has set the time. This can be put into active form. Alternate translation: "Yahweh has set the time in the future"