Lectionary Calendar
Monday, August 11th, 2025
the Week of Proper 14 / Ordinary 19
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Read the Bible

Good News Translation

Ezekiel 18:23

Do you think I enjoy seeing evil people die?" asks the Sovereign Lord . "No, I would rather see them repent and live.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Children;   Death;   God Continued...;   Judgment;   Penitent;   Repentance;   Responsibility;   Seekers;   Wicked (People);   Thompson Chain Reference - Death;   Dying;   Life-Death;   Man;   Wicked, the;   The Topic Concordance - Death;   Life;   Pleasure;   Turning;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Conversion;   Death of the Wicked, the;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Forgiveness;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Repentance;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Death;   Ezekiel;   Life;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Death;   Ethics;   Ezekiel;   Prophecy, Prophets;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Individual;   Self-Examination;   Zeal;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - 11 To Desire, Will, Purpose;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Lead;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Babylonish Captivity, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Conversion;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Anger;   Atonement;   Captivity;   Judaism;   Theology;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked?” This is the declaration of the Lord God. “Instead, don’t I take pleasure when he turns from his ways and lives?
Hebrew Names Version
Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked? says the Lord GOD; and not rather that he should return from his way, and live?
King James Version
Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God : and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
English Standard Version
Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God , and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?
New American Standard Bible
"Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked," declares the Lord GOD, "rather than that he would turn from his ways and live?
New Century Version
I do not really want the wicked to die, says the Lord God . I want them to stop their bad ways and live.
Amplified Bible
"Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked," says the Lord GOD, "rather than that he should turn [away] from his [malevolent] acts and live?
World English Bible
Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked? says the Lord Yahweh; and not rather that he should return from his way, and live?
Geneva Bible (1587)
Haue I any desire that the wicked should die, sayth the Lord God? or shall he not liue, if he returne from his wayes?
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked," declares the Lord GOD, "rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?
Legacy Standard Bible
Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked," declares Lord Yahweh, "is it not that he should turn from his ways and live?
Berean Standard Bible
Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Lord GOD. Would I not prefer he turn from his ways and live?
Contemporary English Version
I, the Lord God, don't like to see wicked people die. I enjoy seeing them turn from their sins and live.
Complete Jewish Bible
Do I take any pleasure at all in having the wicked person die?" asks Adonai Elohim . "Wouldn't I prefer that he turn from his ways and live?
Darby Translation
Have I any pleasure at all in the death of the wicked? saith the Lord Jehovah; is it not in his turning from his way, that he may live?
Easy-to-Read Version
The Lord God says, "I don't want evil people to die. I want them to change their lives so that they can live!
George Lamsa Translation
I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner, says the LORD God; but rather that he should return from his evil ways and live.
Lexham English Bible
Have I delight by any means in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord Yahweh, and not at his turning from his way, so that he lives?
Literal Translation
Delighting, do I delight in the death of the wicked? declares the Lord Jehovah. Is it not that he should turn from his ways and live?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For haue I eny pleasure in the death of a synner, saieth the LORDE God? but rather that he conuerte, and lyue?
American Standard Version
Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked? saith the Lord Jehovah; and not rather that he should return from his way, and live?
Bible in Basic English
Have I any pleasure in the death of the evil-doer? says the Lord: am I not pleased if he is turned from his way so that he may have life?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD; and not rather that he should return from his ways, and live?
King James Version (1611)
Haue I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die, saith the Lord God ? And not that he should returne from his wayes, and liue?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For haue I any pleasure in the death of a sinner saith the Lorde God? shall he not liue if he returne from his wayes?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Shall I at all desire death of the sinner, saith the Lord, as I desire that he should turn from his evil way, and live?
English Revised Version
Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked? saith the Lord GOD: and not rather that he should return from his way, and live?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Whether the deth of the wickid man is of my wille, seith the Lord God, and not that he be conuertid fro his weies, and lyue?
Update Bible Version
Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked? says the Lord Yahweh; and not rather that he should return from his way, and live?
Webster's Bible Translation
Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: [and] not that he should return from his ways, and live?
New English Translation
Do I actually delight in the death of the wicked, declares the sovereign Lord ? Do I not prefer that he turn from his wicked conduct and live?
New King James Version
Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?" says the Lord GOD, "and not that he should turn from his ways and live?
New Living Translation
"Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign Lord . Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live.
New Life Bible
Am I pleased with the death of a sinful man?" says the Lord God. "No, instead I would like him to turn from his sinful ways and live.
New Revised Standard
Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord God , and not rather that they should turn from their ways and live?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Could I take delight, in the death of the lawless? Demandeth My Lord. Yahweh. Must it not be in his turning from his ways in which case he shall live?
Douay-Rheims Bible
Is it my will that a sinner should die, saith the Lord God, and not that he should be converted from his ways, and live?
Revised Standard Version
Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?
Young's Literal Translation
Do I at all desire the death of the wicked? An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, Is it not in his turning back from his way -- And he hath lived?

Contextual Overview

21 "If someone evil stops sinning and keeps my laws, if he does what is right and good, he will not die; he will certainly live. 22 All his sins will be forgiven, and he will live, because he did what is right. 23 Do you think I enjoy seeing evil people die?" asks the Sovereign Lord . "No, I would rather see them repent and live. 24 "But if a righteous person stops doing good and starts doing all the evil, disgusting things that evil people do, will he go on living? No! None of the good he did will be remembered. He will die because of his unfaithfulness and his sins. 25 "But you say, ‘What the Lord does isn't right.' Listen to me, you Israelites. Do you think my way of doing things isn't right? It is your way that isn't right. 26 When a righteous person stops doing good and starts doing evil and then dies, he dies because of the evil he has done. 27 When someone evil stops sinning and does what is right and good, he saves his life. 28 He realizes what he is doing and stops sinning, so he will certainly not die, but go on living. 29 And you Israelites say, ‘What the Lord does isn't right.' You think my way isn't right, do you? It is your way that isn't right.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I any: Ezekiel 18:32, Ezekiel 33:11, Lamentations 3:33, Hosea 11:8, 1 Timothy 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9

not that: Exodus 34:6, Exodus 34:7, Job 33:27, Job 33:28, Psalms 147:11, Jeremiah 31:20, Micah 7:18, Luke 15:4-7, Luke 15:10, Luke 15:22-24, Luke 15:32, James 2:13

Reciprocal: Jeremiah 8:4 - turn Jeremiah 18:11 - return Jeremiah 36:3 - they may Luke 15:5 - rejoicing Romans 11:11 - Have they stumbled

Cross-References

Genesis 18:4
Let me bring some water for you to wash your feet; you can rest here beneath this tree.
Genesis 18:5
I will also bring a bit of food; it will give you strength to continue your journey. You have honored me by coming to my home, so let me serve you." They replied, "Thank you; we accept."
Genesis 18:6
Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, "Quick, take a sack of your best flour, and bake some bread."
Genesis 18:7
Then he ran to the herd and picked out a calf that was tender and fat, and gave it to a servant, who hurried to get it ready.
Genesis 18:25
Surely you won't kill the innocent with the guilty. That's impossible! You can't do that. If you did, the innocent would be punished along with the guilty. That is impossible. The judge of all the earth has to act justly."
Genesis 20:4
But Abimelech had not come near her, and he said, "Lord, I am innocent! Would you destroy me and my people?
2 Samuel 24:17
David saw the angel who was killing the people, and said to the Lord , "I am the guilty one. I am the one who did wrong. What have these poor people done? You should punish me and my family."
Job 8:3
God never twists justice; he never fails to do what is right.
Job 34:17
Are you condemning the righteous God? Do you think that he hates justice?
Psalms 73:28
But as for me, how wonderful to be near God, to find protection with the Sovereign Lord and to proclaim all that he has done!

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God,.... Perish by sword, famine, or pestilence, or go into captivity; this, though the Lord's will and work, yet is his strange work; mercy is his delight. This is to be understood not absolutely; for the Lord does take pleasure in these things, as they fulfil his word, secure the honour of his truth and holiness, and glorify his justice, and especially when they are the means of reclaiming men from the evil of their ways; but comparatively, as follows:

[and] not that he should return from his ways, and live? that is, it is more pleasing to God that a man should repent of his sins, and forsake his vicious course of life, and enjoy good things, than to go on in his sins, and bring ruin on himself, here and hereafter.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezekiel 18:23. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? — No! That is foreign to him whose name is love, and whose nature is mercy. On the contrary he "wills that he should return from his evil ways and live."

And if God can have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, he cannot have made a decree to abandon him to the evil of his nature, and then damn him for what he could not avoid: for as God can do nothing with which he is not pleased, so he can decree nothing with which he is not pleased. But he is "not pleased with the death of a sinner," therefore he cannot have made a decree to bring him to this death.


 
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