English Standard Version
Ezekiel 3:21
21But if you warn the righteous person not to sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning, and you will have delivered your soul."
Ezekiel 3:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.
- New International Version (NIV)But if you do warn the righteous person not to sin and they do not sin, they will surely live because they took warning, and you will have saved yourself.”
- New King James Version (NKJV)Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)But if you warn righteous people not to sin and they listen to you and do not sin, they will live, and you will have saved yourself, too.”
Context of Ezekiel 3:21
19But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul. 20Again, 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. But if you warn the righteous person not to sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning, and you will have delivered your soul." 22And the hand of the Lord was upon me there. And he said to me, "Arise, go out into the valley, and there I will speak with you." 23So I arose and went out into the valley, and behold, the glory of the Lord stood there, like the glory that I had seen by the Chebar canal, and I fell on my face.
Read all of Ezekiel 3Ezekiel 3:21 word by word
וְאַתָּ֞ה כִּ֧י הִזְהַרְתּ֣וֹ צַדִּ֗יק לְבִלְתִּ֥י חֲטֹ֛א צַדִּ֖יק וְה֣וּא לֹא־חָטָ֑א חָי֤וֹ יִֽחְיֶה֙ כִּ֣י נִזְהָ֔ר וְאַתָּ֖ה אֶֽת־נַפְשְׁךָ֥ הִצַּֽלְתָּ׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ezekiel 3:21
- Matthew 24:24For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
- Acts 20:31Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears.
- 1 Corinthians 4:14I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children.
- 1 Corinthians 10:12Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.
- Galatians 1:6I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—
- Galatians 5:2Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.
- Ephesians 4:17Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.
- Ephesians 5:5For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
- Colossians 1:28Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
- Colossians 3:5Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:6that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:14And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.
- 1 John 3:6No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.
- Revelation 3:19Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.
- Ezekiel 3:20Again, 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.
- Psalms 19:11Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
Commentaries on Ezekiel 3:21
- 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. 1-271. eat ... and ... speak--God's messenger must first inwardly appropriate God's truth himself, before he "speaks" it to others (see on Eze 2:8). Symbolic actions were, when possible and proper, performed outwardly; otherwise, internally and in spiritual vision, the action so narrated making the naked statement more intuitive and impressive by presenting the subject in a concentrated, embodied form.Read the comment
Topics related to Ezekiel 3:21
In the dictionaries
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
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