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

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. 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. If 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.” 22The power of the Lord came over me. He said, “Get up, and go to the plain. I will speak to 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 18:24“But suppose a righteous person turns away from doing right and he does evil things. He does all the disgusting things that the wicked person did. Will he live? All the right things that he has done will not be remembered because of his unfaithfulness and because of his sin. He will die because of them.
• Ezekiel 33:12“Son of man, say to your people, ‘The right things that a righteous person has done will not save him when he rebels. The wicked things that a wicked person has done will not make him stumble when he turns from his wickedness. The righteous person will not live when he sins.’
• 2 Chronicles 24:2Joash did what the Lord considered right, as long as the priest Jehoiada lived.
• Psalms 36:3The words from his mouth are ⌞nothing but⌟ trouble and deception. He has stopped doing what is wise and good.
• Psalms 125:5But when people become crooked, the Lord will lead them away with troublemakers. Let there be peace in Israel!
• Zephaniah 1:6I will remove those who have turned away from following the Lord and those who no longer seek the Lord or ask him for help.”
• Matthew 13:20The seed planted on rocky ground ⌞is the person who⌟ hears the word and accepts it at once with joy.
• Hebrews 10:38The person who has God’s approval will live by faith. But if he turns back, I will not be pleased with him.”
• 2 Peter 2:18They arrogantly use nonsense to seduce people by appealing to their sexual desires, especially to sexual freedom. They seduce people who have just escaped from those who live in error.
• 1 John 2:19They left us. However, they were never really part of us. If they had been, they would have stayed with us. But by leaving they made it clear that none of them were part of us.
• Isaiah 64:6We’ve all become unclean, and all our righteous acts are like permanently stained rags. All of us shrivel like leaves, and our sins carry us away like the wind.
• Daniel 9:18Open your ears and listen, my God. Open your eyes and look at our ruins and at the city called by your name. We are not requesting this from you because we are righteous, but because you are very compassionate.
• Ezekiel 7:19They will throw their silver and gold into the streets like garbage. Their silver and gold won’t be able to rescue them on the day of the Lord’s anger. It will no longer satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs. Their silver and gold caused them to fall into sin.
• Ezekiel 14:3“Son of man, these people are devoted to their idols, and they are allowing themselves to fall into sin. Should they be allowed to ask me for help?
• Deuteronomy 13:3The Lord your God is testing you to find out if you really love him with all your heart and with all your soul.
• Psalms 119:165There is lasting peace for those who love your teachings. Nothing can make those people 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