Ezekiel 3:20

Ezekiel 3:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
• New International Version (NIV)“Again, when a righteous person turns from their righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before them, they will die. Since you did not warn them, they will die for their sin. The righteous things that person did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Again, if a righteous person turns from his righteousness and commits injustice, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die. Because you have not warned him, he shall die for his sin, and his righteous deeds that he has done shall not be remembered, but his blood I will require at your hand.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand.

Context of Ezekiel 3:20

18If I say to the wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ but you do not warn him — you don’t speak out to warn him about his wicked way in order to save his life — that wicked person will die for his iniquity. Yet I will hold you responsible for his blood. 19But if you warn a wicked person and he does not turn from his wickedness or his wicked way, he will die for his iniquity, but you will have rescued yourself. Now if a righteous person turns from his righteousness and acts unjustly, and I put a stumbling block in front of him, he will die. If you did not warn him, he will die because of his sin, and the righteous acts he did will not be remembered. Yet I will hold you responsible for his blood. 21But if you warn the righteous person that he should not sin, and he does not sin, he will indeed live because he listened to your warning, and you will have rescued yourself.” 22The hand of the Lord was on me there, and he said to me, “Get up, go out to the plain, and I will speak with you there.”

Ezekiel 3:20 word by word

וּבְשׁ֨וּב צַדִּ֤יק מִצִּדְקוֹ֙ וְעָ֣שָׂה עָ֔וֶל וְנָתַתִּ֥י מִכְשׁ֛וֹל לְפָנָ֖יו ה֣וּא יָמ֑וּת כִּ֣י לֹ֤א הִזְהַרְתּוֹ֙ בְּחַטָּאת֣וֹ יָמ֔וּת וְלֹ֣א תִזָּכַ֗רְןָ צִדְקֹתָיו֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה וְדָמ֖וֹ מִיָּדְךָ֥ אֲבַקֵּֽשׁ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Againשׁוּבshûb · to return: repentH7725
• When a righteousצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662
• doth turnשׁוּבshûb · to return: repentH7725
• from his righteousnessצֶ֫דֶקtsedeq · righteousnessH6664
• and commitעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• iniquityעָ֫וֶל‛evel ‛âvel ‛avlâh ‛ôlâh ‛ôlâh · injusticeH5766
• and I layנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• a stumblingblockמִכְשׁוֹלmikshôl mikshôl · stumblingH4383
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• him, he shall dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• because thou hast not given him warningזָהַרzâhar · to warnH2094
• in his sinחַטָּאתchaţţâ'âh chaţţâ'th · sinH2403
• and his righteousnessצְדָקָהtsedâqâh · righteousnessH6666
• which he hath doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• shall not be rememberedזָכַרzâkar · to rememberH2142
• but his bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
• will I requireבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• at thine handיָדyâd · handH3027

Cross-references for Ezekiel 3:20

• Ezekiel 18:24But when a righteous person turns from his righteousness and acts unjustly, committing the same detestable acts that the wicked do, will he live? None of the righteous acts he did will be remembered. He will die because of the treachery he has engaged in and the sin he has committed.
• Ezekiel 33:12“Now, son of man, say to your people, ‘The righteousness of the righteous person will not save him on the day of his transgression; neither will the wickedness of the wicked person cause him to stumble on the day he turns from his wickedness. The righteous person won’t be able to survive by his righteousness on the day he sins.
• 2 Chronicles 24:2Throughout the time of the priest Jehoiada, Joash did what was right in the Lord’s sight.
• Psalms 36:3The words from his mouth are malicious and deceptive; he has stopped acting wisely and doing good.
• Psalms 125:5But as for those who turn aside to crooked ways, the Lord will banish them with the evildoers. Peace be with Israel.
• Zephaniah 1:6and those who turn back from following the Lord, who do not seek the Lord or inquire of him.
• Matthew 13:20And the one sown on rocky ground — this is one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy.
• Hebrews 10:38But my righteous one will live by faith; and if he draws back, I have no pleasure in him.
• 2 Peter 2:18For by uttering boastful, empty words, they seduce, with fleshly desires and debauchery, people who have barely escaped from those who live in error.
• 1 John 2:19They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. However, they went out so that it might be made clear that none of them belongs to us.
• Isaiah 64:6All of us have become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like a polluted garment; all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.
• Daniel 9:18Listen closely, my God, and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations and the city that bears your name. For we are not presenting our petitions before you based on our righteous acts, but based on your abundant compassion.
• Ezekiel 7:19They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will seem like something filthy. Their silver and gold will be unable to save them in the day of the Lord’s wrath. They will not satisfy their appetites or fill their stomachs, for these were the stumbling blocks that brought about their iniquity.
• Ezekiel 14:3“Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and have put their sinful stumbling blocks in front of themselves. Should I actually let them inquire of me?
• Deuteronomy 13:3do not listen to that prophet’s words or to that dreamer. For the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul.
• Psalms 119:165Abundant peace belongs to those who love your instruction; nothing makes them stumble.

Commentaries on Ezekiel 3:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness - Which these words plainly state he may do, and commit iniquity and die in his sin; and consequently die eternally, which is also here granted; if he have not been warned, though he die in his sin, the blood - the life and salvation, of this person also will God require at the watchman's hand. Pastor hunc occidit, quia eum tacendo morti tradidit. "This man the pastor kills; for in being silent, he…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18-21Verses 18-21 This passage anticipates the great moral principle of divine government Ezekiel 3:20 I lay a stumblingblock before him - I bring him to trial by placing difficulties and temptations in his way (compare Ezekiel 7:19; Ezekiel 44:12 margin; Ezekiel 14:3-4). It is true that God tempts no man in order to his destruction, but in the course of His Providence He permits men to be tried in order that their faith may be approved, and in this trial some…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-21Verses 12-21 This mission made the holy angels rejoice. All this was to convince Ezekiel, that the God who sent him had power to bear him out in his work. He was overwhelmed with grief for the sins and miseries of his people, and overpowered by the glory of the vision he had seen. And however retirement, meditation, and communion with God may be sweet, the servant of the Lord must prepare to serve his generation. The Lord told the prophet he had appointed…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-21The prophet spoke to two groups of people: the righteous and the wicked. Ezekiel had to deliver his message to both groups. He did not choose who would hear it. Both the righteous and the wicked would be judged by how they responded to his word (see Matthew 13:3–9, 18–23). Those who listened and obeyed would receive life. Those who rejected his message would receive death, even if they had once been righteous. Faith in the Lord’s word, spoken through his…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. righteous ... turn from ... righteousness--not one "righteous" as to the root and spirit of regeneration (Psa 89:33; 138:8; Is 26:12; 27:3; Joh 10:28; Php 1:6), but as to its outward appearance and performances. So the "righteous" (Pr 18:17; Mt 9:13). As in Eze 3:19 the minister is required to lead the wicked to good, so in Eze 3:20 he is to confirm the well-disposed in their duty. commit iniquity--that is, give himself up wholly to it (1Jo 3:8, 9)…Read the comment

Topics related to Ezekiel 3:20

• Apostasy
• Backsliders
• Minister, Christian
• Stumbling
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Hard
• Living creatures
• Warning
• Agabus
• Creature

Commentaries on Ezekiel 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings