God’s Word Translation
Ezekiel 3:19
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.
Ezekiel 3:19 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
- New International Version (NIV)But if you do warn the wicked person and they do not turn from their wickedness or from their evil ways, they will die for their sin; but you will have saved yourself.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But 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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.
Context of Ezekiel 3:19
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. 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. But 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. 21But if you warn righteous people not to sin, and they don’t sin, they will certainly live because they listened to the warning. You will save yourself.”
Read all of Ezekiel 3Ezekiel 3:19 word by word
וְאַתָּה֙ כִּֽי־הִזְהַ֣רְתָּ רָשָׁ֔ע וְלֹא־שָׁב֙ מֵֽרִשְׁע֔וֹ וּמִדַּרְכּ֖וֹ הָרְשָׁעָ֑ה ה֚וּא בַּעֲוֹנ֣וֹ יָמ֔וּת וְאַתָּ֖ה אֶֽת־נַפְשְׁךָ֥ הִצַּֽלְתָּ׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Yet if thou warnזָהַרzâhar · to warnH2094
- the wickedרָשָׁעrâshâ‛ · wickedH7563
- and he turnשׁוּבshûb · to return: repentH7725
- not from his wickednessרֶ֫שַׁעresha‛ · wickednessH7562
- wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
- he shall dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- in his iniquityעָוֺן‛âvôn ‛âvôn · iniquity: crimeH5771
- but thou hast deliveredנָצַלnâtsal · to rescueH5337
- thy soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soulH5315
Cross-references for Ezekiel 3:19
- 2 Kings 17:13The Lord had warned Israel and Judah through every kind of prophet and seer, “Turn from your evil ways, and obey my commands and decrees as I commanded your ancestors in all my teachings, the commands I sent to you through my servants the prophets.”
- 2 Chronicles 36:15The Lord God of their ancestors repeatedly sent messages through his messengers because he wanted to spare his people and his dwelling place.
- Proverbs 29:1A person who will not bend after many warnings will suddenly be broken beyond repair.
- Jeremiah 42:19“The Lord has told you people who are left in Judah not to go to Egypt. You need to know that I am warning you today.
- Jeremiah 44:4I have sent my servants the prophets to you again and again to tell you not to do these detestable things that I hate.
- Luke 10:10“But whenever you go into a city and people don’t welcome you, leave. Announce in its streets,
- Acts 18:5But when Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul devoted all his time to teaching God’s word. He assured the Jews that Jesus is the Messiah.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:6No one should take advantage of or exploit other believers that way. The Lord is the one who punishes people for all these things. We’ve already told you and warned you about this.
- Hebrews 2:1For this reason we must pay closer attention to what we have heard. Then we won’t drift away ⌞from the truth⌟.
- Hebrews 12:25Be careful that you do not refuse to listen when God speaks. Your ancestors didn’t escape when they refused to listen to God, who warned them on earth. We certainly won’t escape if we turn away from God, who warns us from heaven.
- Ezekiel 3:18Suppose 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.
- 2 Thessalonians 1:8He will take revenge on those who refuse to acknowledge God and on those who refuse to respond to the Good News about our Lord Jesus.
- Hebrews 10:26If we go on sinning after we have learned the truth, no sacrifice can take away our sins.
- Ezekiel 3:21But if you warn righteous people not to sin, and they don’t sin, they will certainly live because they listened to the warning. You will save yourself.”
- Ezekiel 14:14Even if these three men—Noah, Daniel, and Job—were in that country, they would, by their righteousness, rescue only themselves,” declares the Almighty Lord.
- Ezekiel 33:5They heard the sound of the horn but ignored its warning. So they are responsible for their own deaths. If they had taken the warning, they would have saved themselves.
Commentaries on Ezekiel 3:19
- 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. 1919. wickedness ... wicked way--internal wickedness of heart, and external of the life, respectively. delivered thy soul--(Is 49:4, 5; Ac 20:26).Read the comment
Topics related to Ezekiel 3:19
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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