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Thursday, November 13th, 2025
the Week of Proper 27 / Ordinary 32
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THE MESSAGE

Ezekiel 3:21

This verse is not available in the MSG!

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Minister, Christian;   Thompson Chain Reference - Leaders;   Ministers;   Religious;   The Topic Concordance - Life;   Turning;   Warning;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Prophets;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Evangelist;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ezekiel;   Life;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ezekiel;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Justification (2);   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Roll;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But if you warn the righteous person that he should not sin, and he does not sin, he will indeed live because he listened to your warning, and you will have rescued yourself.”
Hebrew Names Version
Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man, that the righteous not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning; and you have delivered your soul.
King James Version
Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.
English Standard Version
But if you warn the righteous person not to sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning, and you will have delivered your soul."
New American Standard Bible
"However, if you have warned the righteous person that the righteous is not to sin, and he does not sin, he shall certainly live because he took warning; and you have saved yourself."
New Century Version
But if you have warned those good people not to sin, and they do not sin, they will surely live, because they believed the warning. And you will have saved your life."
Amplified Bible
"However, if you have warned the righteous man not to sin and he does not sin, he will surely live because he took warning; also you have freed yourself [from responsibility]."
World English Bible
Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man, that the righteous not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning; and you have delivered your soul.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Neuerthelesse, if thou admonish that righteous man, that the righteous sinne not, and that he doeth not sinne, he shall liue because he is admonished: also thou hast deliuered thy soule.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"However, if you have warned the righteous man that the righteous should not sin and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; and you have delivered yourself."
Legacy Standard Bible
However, if you have warned the righteous man that the righteous should not sin and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; and you have delivered yourself."
Berean Standard Bible
But if you warn the righteous man not to sin, and he does not sin, he will indeed live because he heeded your warning, and you will have saved yourself."
Contemporary English Version
But if you do warn them, and they listen to you and stop sinning, I will let them live. And you will be innocent.
Complete Jewish Bible
But if you warn the righteous person that a righteous person should not sin, and he doesn't sin; then he will certainly live, because he took the warning; and you too will have saved your life."
Darby Translation
And if thou warn the righteous [man], that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall certainly live, for he hath taken warning; and thou hast delivered thy soul.
Easy-to-Read Version
"But if you warn good people and tell them to stop sinning, and they listen to your warning and stop sinning, they will not die. In that way you will have saved your own life."
George Lamsa Translation
Nevertheless, if you warn the righteous man, that he may not sin, and he does not sin, the righteous man shall surely live, because he is warned; and you have delivered your soul.
Good News Translation
If you do warn a good man not to sin and he listens to you and doesn't sin, he will stay alive, and your life will also be spared."
Lexham English Bible
And if you warn him, the righteous, not to sin, and the righteous does not sin, surely he will live, for he heeded a warning. And you will have saved your life."
Literal Translation
But you, because you warned him, the righteous, so that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, living he shall live because he is warned. And you have delivered your soul.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Neuertheles, yf thou exhortest the rightuous, that he synne not, and so ye rightuous do not synne: Then shall he lyue, because he hath receaued thy warnynge, and thou hast discharged thy soule.
American Standard Version
Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning; and thou hast delivered thy soul.
Bible in Basic English
But if you say to the upright man that he is not to do evil, he will certainly keep his life because he took note of your word; and your life will be safe.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning; and thou hast delivered thy soul.'
King James Version (1611)
Neuerthelesse if thou warne the righteous man, that the righteous sinne not, and he doth not sinne; he shall surely liue, because he is warned: also thou hast deliuered thy soule.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Neuerthelesse, if thou exhortest that righteous that he sinne not, and so the righteous do not sinne: then shall he liue, because he hath receaued thy warning, and thou hast deliuered thy soule.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
But if thou warn the righteous not to sin, and he sin not, the righteous shall surely live, because thou hast warned him; and thou shalt deliver thine own soul.
English Revised Version
Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning; and thou hast delivered thy soul.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe if thou tellist to a iust man, that a iust man do not synne, and he doith not synne, he lyuynge schal lyue, for thou teldist to hym, and thou hast delyuered thi soule.
Update Bible Version
Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man, that the righteous not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning; and you have delivered your soul.
Webster's Bible Translation
Nevertheless if thou shalt warn the righteous [man], that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.
New English Translation
However, if you warn the righteous person not to sin, and he does not sin, he will certainly live because he was warned, and you will have saved your own life."
New King James Version
Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul."
New Living Translation
But if you warn righteous people not to sin and they listen to you and do not sin, they will live, and you will have saved yourself, too."
New Life Bible
Yet if you have told the right and good man of the danger of his sinning, and he does not sin, he will live for sure because he listened to you. And you will have saved yourself."
New Revised Standard
If, however, you warn the righteous not to sin, and they do not sin, they shall surely live, because they took warning; and you will have saved your life.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
whereas when Thou hast warned a righteous man. That a righteous man must not sin and he hath not sinned, he shall surely live in that he took warning, and thou hast delivered thine own soul.
Douay-Rheims Bible
But if thou warn the just man, that the just may not sin, and he doth not sin: living he shall live, because thou hast warned him, and thou hast delivered thy soul.
Revised Standard Version
Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man not to sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning; and you will have saved your life."
Young's Literal Translation
And thou, because thou hast warned him -- the righteous -- that the righteous sin not, and he hath not sinned, he surely liveth, because he hath been warned; and thou thy soul hast delivered.'

Contextual Overview

16 At the end of the seven days, I received this Message from God : 17"Son of man, I've made you a watchman for the family of Israel. Whenever you hear me say something, warn them for me. If I say to the wicked, ‘You are going to die,' and you don't sound the alarm warning them that it's a matter of life or death, they will die and it will be your fault. I'll hold you responsible. But if you warn the wicked and they keep right on sinning anyway, they'll most certainly die for their sin, but you won't die. You'll have saved your life. 20"And if the righteous turn back from living righteously and take up with evil when I step in and put them in a hard place, they'll die. If you haven't warned them, they'll die because of their sins, and none of the right things they've done will count for anything—and I'll hold you responsible. But if you warn these righteous people not to sin and they listen to you, they'll live because they took the warning—and again, you'll have saved your life."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

if thou: Matthew 24:24, Matthew 24:25, Acts 20:31, 1 Corinthians 4:14, 1 Corinthians 10:12, Galatians 1:6-10, Galatians 5:2-7, Ephesians 4:17-21, Ephesians 5:5, Ephesians 5:6, Colossians 1:28, Colossians 3:5-8, 1 Thessalonians 4:6-8, 1 Thessalonians 5:14, Titus 2:15, 1 John 3:6-9, Revelation 3:19

he shall: Ezekiel 3:20, Psalms 19:11, Proverbs 9:9, Proverbs 17:10, Galatians 2:11-13, James 5:20

also: Ezekiel 3:19, 1 Timothy 4:16

Reciprocal: Jeremiah 42:19 - know Ezekiel 18:17 - he shall surely Ezekiel 18:21 - he shall surely Ezekiel 18:24 - when Ezekiel 33:9 - if thou Ezekiel 33:12 - The righteousness 1 John 2:1 - that

Cross-References

Genesis 3:2
The Woman said to the serpent, "Not at all. We can eat from the trees in the garden. It's only about the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, ‘Don't eat from it; don't even touch it or you'll die.'"
Genesis 3:7
Immediately the two of them did "see what's really going on"—saw themselves naked! They sewed fig leaves together as makeshift clothes for themselves.
Isaiah 61:10
I will sing for joy in God , explode in praise from deep in my soul! He dressed me up in a suit of salvation, he outfitted me in a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom who puts on a tuxedo and a bride a jeweled tiara. For as the earth bursts with spring wildflowers, and as a garden cascades with blossoms, So the Master, God , brings righteousness into full bloom and puts praise on display before the nations.
2 Corinthians 5:21
How? you ask. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Nevertheless, if thou warn the righteous [man],.... Every righteous man, that is so in a judgment of charity, whether truly righteous or not, which the event shows; who should be warned not to trust in their own righteousness, but to depend on the righteousness of Christ; that they be careful to maintain good works, to avoid sin, and live holy lives and conversations, as follows:

that the righteous sin not; not that there is any just man that does good, and sins not; the best of men are often sinning in thought, word, or deed; but he is to be warned that he does not continue in sin, and lead a sinful coups of life; which is contrary to his character, and to his faith in Christ for righteousness, which is attended with good works:

and he doth not sin; the warning and exhortation given him having so good an effect, through the power of divine grace, as to be a means of preserving him from a vain conversation:

he shall surely live; spiritually and comfortably now, and eternally hereafter:

because he is warned; that being a means, and with the divine blessing taking effect:

also thou hast delivered thy soul; :-.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

This passage anticipates the great moral principle of divine government Ezekiel 18:0 that each man is individually responsible for his own actions, and will be judged according to these and these alone.

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 who seem to be righteous fall.

Because thou ... his blood ... - So far as the prophet was concerned, the neglect of his duty is reckoned as the cause of the seemingly righteous man’s fall.

His righteousness ... - Or, righteousnesses, i. e. acts of righteousness. The “righteous” man here is one, who had hitherto done the “acts of righteousness” prescribed by the Law, but when trial came was shown to lack the “principle of righteousness.”

Ezekiel 3:21

The repetition of the word “righteous” is to be noted. There seems to be an intimation that sin is alien to the character of a “righteous” man. Compare 1 John 3:7-9.


 
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