Lectionary Calendar
Sunday, August 24th, 2025
the Week of Proper 16 / Ordinary 21
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Read the Bible

Good News Translation

Ezekiel 15:5

It was useless even before it was burned. Now that the fire has burned it and charred it, it is even more useless."

Bible Study Resources

Dictionaries:

- Holman Bible Dictionary - Ezekiel;   Vine;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ezekiel;   Vine, Vineyard;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Fuel;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Even when it was whole it could not be made into a useful object. How much less can it ever be made into anything useful when the fire has devoured it and it is charred!”
Hebrew Names Version
Behold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work: how much less, when the fire has devoured it, and it is burned, shall it yet be meet for any work!
King James Version
Behold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work: how much less shall it be meet yet for any work, when the fire hath devoured it, and it is burned?
English Standard Version
Behold, when it was whole, it was used for nothing. How much less, when the fire has consumed it and it is charred, can it ever be used for anything!
New American Standard Bible
"Behold, while it is intact, it is not made into anything. How much less, when the fire has consumed it and it is charred, can it still be made into anything!
New Century Version
When the vine was whole, it couldn't be made into anything. When the fire has burned it completely, it certainly cannot be made into anything."
Amplified Bible
"Notice this, even when it was complete, it was not useful and was not made into anything. How much less, after the fire has burned [part of] it and [the remainder of] it is charred, can it still be made into anything?
World English Bible
Behold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work: how much less, when the fire has devoured it, and it is burned, shall it yet be meet for any work!
Geneva Bible (1587)
Behold, when it was whole, it was meete for no worke: how much lesse shall it bee meete for any worke, when the fire hath consumed it, and it is burnt?
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Behold, while it is intact, it is not made into anything. How much less, when the fire has consumed it and it is charred, can it still be made into anything!
Legacy Standard Bible
Behold, while it is intact, it is not made into anything. How much less, when the fire has consumed it and it is charred, can it still be made into anything!
Berean Standard Bible
Even when it was whole, it could not be made useful. How much less can it ever be useful when the fire has consumed and charred it!
Contemporary English Version
The wood is useless before it is burned, and afterwards, it is completely worthless.
Complete Jewish Bible
When it was whole, it was good for nothing; so how much less, when the fire has consumed it, and it is singed, will it be useful for making something!
Darby Translation
Behold, when it was whole, it was used for no work; how much less when the fire hath consumed it, and it is burned, should it yet be used for any work?
Easy-to-Read Version
If you cannot make anything from that wood before it is burned, you surely cannot make anything from that wood after it is burned!
George Lamsa Translation
Behold, when it was whole, it was not useful for implements; how much less shall it be useful when the fire has devoured it and it is destroyed?
Lexham English Bible
Look! When it is in perfect condition, it will not be used for anything, how much less when the fire has consumed it and it is charred; and then can it be used again for anything?
Literal Translation
Behold, when it was whole it was not made for work. How much less when the fire has devoured it, and it is charred! Shall it yet be made to work?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Seinge then, that it was mete for no worke, beinge whole: moch lesse maye there eny thinge be made of it, when the fyre hath consumed and brent it.
American Standard Version
Behold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work: how much less, when the fire hath devoured it, and it is burned, shall it yet be meet for any work!
Bible in Basic English
Truly, before it was cut down, it was not used for any purpose: how much less, when the fire has made a meal of it and it is burned, will it be made into anything?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Behold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work; how much less, when the fire hath devoured it, and it is singed, shall it yet be meet for any work?
King James Version (1611)
Behold, when it was whole it was meete for no worke: how much lesse shall it be meete yet for any worke, when the fire hath deuoured it, and it is burned?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Seeing then that it was meete for no worke beyng whole, muche lesse may there any thing be made of it when the fire hath consumed and brent it.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Not even while it is yet whole will it be useful for any work: if the fire shall have utterly consumed it, will it still be fit for work?
English Revised Version
Behold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work: how much less, when the fire hath devoured it, and it is burned, shall it yet be meet for any work?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Yhe, whanne it was hool, it was not couenable to werk; hou myche more whanne fier hath deuourid, and hath brent it, no thing of werk schal be maad therof?
Update Bible Version
Look, when it was whole, it was meet for no work: how much less, when the fire has devoured it, and it is burned, shall it yet be meet for any work!
Webster's Bible Translation
Behold, when it was whole, it was fit for no work: how much less then shall it be fit for [any] work, when the fire hath devoured it, and it is burned?
New English Translation
Indeed! If it was not made into anything useful when it was whole, how much less can it be made into anything when the fire has burned it up and it is charred?
New King James Version
Indeed, when it was whole, no object could be made from it. How much less will it be useful for any work when the fire has devoured it, and it is burned?
New Living Translation
Vines are useless both before and after being put into the fire!
New Life Bible
See, if it is not used for anything while it is whole, how much less can it ever be used for anything when the fire has burned it up and it has turned black!
New Revised Standard
When it was whole it was used for nothing; how much less—when the fire has consumed it, and it is charred— can it ever be used for anything!
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Lo! when it was yet whole, it could not be made into any work, - how much less when !the fire hath devoured it. and it is charred, can it still be made into any work?
Douay-Rheims Bible
Even when it was whole it was not fit for work: how much less, when the fire hath devoured and consumed it, shall any work be made of it?
Revised Standard Version
Behold, when it was whole, it was used for nothing; how much less, when the fire has consumed it and it is charred, can it ever be used for anything!
Young's Literal Translation
Lo, in its being perfect it is not used for work, How much less, when fire hath eaten of it, And it is scorched, Hath it been used yet for work?
THE MESSAGE
"Hardly. When it was whole it wasn't good for anything. Half-burned is no improvement. What's it good for?

Contextual Overview

1 The Lord spoke to me. 2 "Mortal man," he said, "how does a vine compare with a tree? What good is a branch of a grapevine compared with the trees of the forest? 3 Can you use it to make anything? Can you even make a peg out of it to hang things on? 4 It is only good for building a fire. And when the ends are burned up and the middle is charred, can you make anything out of it? 5 It was useless even before it was burned. Now that the fire has burned it and charred it, it is even more useless." 6 Now this is what the Sovereign Lord is saying: "Just as a vine is taken from the forest and burned, so I will take the people who live in Jerusalem 7 and will punish them. They have escaped one fire, but now fire will burn them up. When I punish them, you will know that I am the Lord . 8 They have been unfaithful to me, and so I will make the country a wilderness." The Sovereign Lord has spoken.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

meet: Heb. made fit, Jeremiah 3:16, *marg.

Cross-References

Genesis 12:2
I will give you many descendants, and they will become a great nation. I will bless you and make your name famous, so that you will be a blessing.
Genesis 13:16
I am going to give you so many descendants that no one will be able to count them all; it would be as easy to count all the specks of dust on earth!
Genesis 15:7
Then the Lord said to him, "I am the Lord , who led you out of Ur in Babylonia, to give you this land as your own."
Genesis 15:8
But Abram asked, "Sovereign Lord , how can I know that it will be mine?"
Genesis 16:10
Then he said, "I will give you so many descendants that no one will be able to count them.
Genesis 22:17
I promise that I will give you as many descendants as there are stars in the sky or grains of sand along the seashore. Your descendants will conquer their enemies.
Genesis 26:4
I will give you as many descendants as there are stars in the sky, and I will give them all this territory. All the nations will ask me to bless them as I have blessed your descendants.
Genesis 28:14
They will be as numerous as the specks of dust on the earth. They will extend their territory in all directions, and through you and your descendants I will bless all the nations.
Exodus 32:13
Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Remember the solemn promise you made to them to give them as many descendants as there are stars in the sky and to give their descendants all that land you promised would be their possession forever."
Deuteronomy 1:10
The Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Behold, when it was whole it was meet for no work,.... Before it was cut into pieces, and east into the fire, it was not fit to make so much as a pin of to hang anything on; so Israel, when all together, before the ten tribes were carried captive, or the Jews before the captivity of Jeconiah, were useless and unfruitful, and to every good work reprobate:

how much less shall it be meet yet for [any] work when the fire hath devoured it, and it is burned? as its wood is good for nothing before it is burned, its ashes are useless after.


 
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