God’s Word Translation
Ezekiel 3:18
18Suppose I tell you that wicked people will surely die, but you don’t warn them or speak out so that they can change their wicked ways in order to save their lives. Then these wicked people will die because of their sin, but I will hold you responsible for their deaths.
Ezekiel 3:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
- New International Version (NIV)When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.
- English Standard Version (ESV)If I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand.
- New King James Version (NKJV)When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand.
Context of Ezekiel 3:18
16After seven days the Lord spoke his word to me. He said, 17“Son of man, I have made you a watchman over the people of Israel. Listen to what I say, and warn them for me. Suppose I tell you that wicked people will surely die, but you don’t warn them or speak out so that they can change their wicked ways in order to save their lives. Then these wicked people will die because of their sin, but I will hold you responsible for their deaths. 19But suppose you warn the wicked people, and they don’t turn from their wicked ways. Then they will die because of their sin, but you will save yourself. 20If righteous people turn from living the right way and do wrong, I will make them stumble, and they will die. If you don’t warn them, they will die because of their sin, and the right things they did will not be remembered. I will hold you responsible for their deaths.
Read all of Ezekiel 3Ezekiel 3:18 word by word
בְּאָמְרִ֤י לָֽרָשָׁע֙ מ֣וֹת תָּמ֔וּת וְלֹ֣א הִזְהַרְתּ֗וֹ וְלֹ֥א דִבַּ֛רְתָּ לְהַזְהִ֥יר רָשָׁ֛ע מִדַּרְכּ֥וֹ הָרְשָׁעָ֖ה לְחַיֹּת֑וֹ ה֤וּא רָשָׁע֙ בַּעֲוֹנ֣וֹ יָמ֔וּת וְדָמ֖וֹ מִיָּדְךָ֥ אֲבַקֵּֽשׁ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- When I sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto the wickedרָשָׁעrâshâ‛ · wickedH7563
- Thou shalt surelyמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- and thou givest him not warningזָהַרzâhar · to warnH2094
- nor speakestדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
- to save his lifeחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421
- in his iniquityעָוֺן‛âvôn ‛âvôn · iniquity: crimeH5771
- but his bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
- will I requireבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
- at thine handיָדyâd · handH3027
Cross-references for Ezekiel 3:18
- Ezekiel 18:4The life of every person belongs to me. Fathers and their children belong to me. The person who sins will die.
- Ezekiel 33:6“ ‘But if the watchman sees the enemy coming and doesn’t blow his horn to warn the people and the enemy comes and kills someone, that watchman must die because of his sin. I will hold him responsible for their deaths.’
- Genesis 2:17But you must never eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil because when you eat from it, you will certainly die.”
- Genesis 3:3except the tree in the middle of the garden. God said, ‘You must never eat it or touch it. If you do, you will die!’ ”
- Numbers 26:55But the land must be divided by drawing lots. The tribes will receive their land based on the names of their ancestors.
- 2 Kings 1:4This is what the Lord says: You will not get up from the bed you are lying on. Instead, you will die there.’ ” Then Elijah left.
- Isaiah 3:11How horrible it will be for the wicked! Disaster will strike them. What they have done will be done to them.
- Luke 13:3No! I can guarantee that they weren’t. But if you don’t turn to God and change the way you think and act, then you, too, will all die.
- Ephesians 5:5You know very well that no person who is involved in sexual sin, perversion, or greed (which means worshiping wealth) can have any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
- Ezekiel 18:30“That is why I will judge each of you by what you have done, people of Israel,” declares the Almighty Lord. “Change the way you think and act. Turn away from all the rebellious things that you have done so that you will not fall into sin.
- Acts 2:40Peter said much more to warn them. He urged, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”
- Acts 3:19So change the way you think and act, and turn ⌞to God⌟ to have your sins removed.
- 1 Timothy 4:16Focus on your life and your teaching. Continue to do what I’ve told you. If you do this, you will save yourself and those who hear you.
- James 5:19My brothers and sisters, if one of you wanders from the truth, someone can bring that person back.
- Proverbs 14:32A wicked person is thrown down by his own wrongdoing, but even in his death a righteous person has a refuge.
- John 8:21Jesus spoke to the Pharisees again. He said, “I’m going away, and you’ll look for me. But you will die because of your sin. You can’t go where I’m going.”
Commentaries on Ezekiel 3:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Thou shalt surely die - That is, If he turn not from his wickedness, and thou givest him not warning, as above, he shalt die in his iniquity, which he should not have committed; but his blood will I require at thy hand - I will visit thy soul for the loss of his. O how awful is this! Hear it, ye priests, ye preachers, ye ministers of the Gospel; ye, especially, who have entered into the ministry for a living, ye who gather a congregation to yourselves…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. 16-19Ezekiel was called to be a watchman, a common role for Old Testament prophets (see Isaiah 56:10; Jeremiah 6:17; Hosea 9:8). The watchman looked out for the community. He had to warn people about approaching enemies so they could find safety in time. In this case, the enemy was not a human invader but God. If Ezekiel stayed silent, he would be responsible for the blood of those he failed to warn.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. warning ... speakest to warn--The repetition implies that it is not enough to warn once in passing, but that the warning is to be inculcated continually (2Ti 4:2, "in season, out of season"; Ac 20:31, "night and day with tears"). save--Eze 2:5 had seemingly taken away all hope of salvation; but the reference there was to the mass of the people whose case was hopeless; a few individuals, however, were reclaimable. die in ... iniquity--(Joh 8:21, 24)…Read the comment
Topics related to Ezekiel 3:18
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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