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

18When I say to the wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak to warn the wicked of his wicked way, to save his life, that wicked person will die in his iniquity, but I will require his blood from your hand. 19Yet you, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he will die in his iniquity, but you have delivered your soul. When a righteous person turns from his righteousness and acts perversely, I will lay a stumbling block before him and he will die. Because you have not warned him, he will die in his sin. His righteous deeds that he has done will not be remembered—but I will require his blood at your hand. 21If you warn the righteous person not to sin and the righteous person does not sin, he will surely live, because he took warning. You will have delivered your soul.” 22The hand of Adonai came upon me there. He said to me: “Arise, go out to the valley. 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 the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity and does according to all the detestable acts that the wicked man does, will he live? None of his righteous deeds that he has done will be remembered; for his trespass that he trespassed and for his sin that he has sinned, for them he will die.
• Ezekiel 33:12“You, son of man, say to the children of your people: ‘The righteousness of the righteous person will not deliver him in the day of his transgression. Nor will the wickedness of the wicked person make him stumble in it on the day he turns away from his wickedness. Nor will the righteous person be able to live by it on the day he sins.
• 2 Chronicles 24:2Joash did what was right in the eyes of Adonai all the days of Jehoiada the kohen.
• Psalms 36:3For he flatters himself in his own eyes, too much to notice his iniquity —or hate it.
• Psalms 125:5But as for those who turn aside to their crooked ways, Adonai will lead them away with evildoers. Shalom be upon Israel.
• Zephaniah 1:6those turning from following Adonai, not seeking Adonai or consulting Him.
• Matthew 13:20“The one sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy.
• Hebrews 10:38But My righteous one shall live by emunah; and if he shrinks back, My soul takes no pleasure in him.”
• 2 Peter 2:18For by mouthing grandiosities that amount to nothing, they entice in sensual fleshly passions those who are barely escaping from those who live in error.
• 1 John 2:19They left us, but they didn’t really belong to us. If they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But they left us so it became clear that none of them belongs to us.
• Isaiah 64:6No one calls on Your Name, or stirs himself up to take hold of You. For You have hidden Your face from us, and have consumed us, because of our iniquities.
• Daniel 9:18Give ear, my God, and hear! Open Your eyes and see our desolation and the city called by Your name. We do not present our supplications before You because of our own righteousness, but because of Your great compassions.
• Ezekiel 7:19They will throw their silver in the streets. Their gold will be as garbage. Their silver and their gold cannot deliver them in the day of Adonai’s wrath. They will not satisfy their appetite or fill their bellies, for their iniquity is a stumbling block.
• Ezekiel 14:3“Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts. They have put the stumbling block of their iniquity right before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all?
• Deuteronomy 13:3and the sign or wonder he spoke to you comes true, while saying, ‘Let’s follow other gods’—that you have not known, and—‘Let’s serve them!’
• Psalms 119:165Great peace have they who love Your Torah, and nothing causes them to 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