False prophets and those who seek their guidance will all be punished for their sins.
Parallel translations
- WEB They will bear their iniquity. The iniquity of the prophet will be even as the iniquity of him who seeks him;
- KJV And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him;
- BSB They will bear their punishment—the punishment of the inquirer will be the same as that of the prophet—
- NKJV And they shall bear their iniquity; the punishment of the prophet shall be the same as the punishment of the one who inquired,
- NASB And they will bear the punishment for their wrongdoing; as the wrongdoing of the inquirer is, so the wrongdoing of the prophet will be,
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Both the false prophet and the one who consulted him will bear their own guilt equally.
Overview
Responsibility falls on deceiver and deceived alike, since both pursued lies over God's truth. Those who seek out teachers to confirm their idolatry share the prophet's guilt. The verse affirms that everyone is accountable for the spiritual sources they choose to trust.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Ezek 23:49They shall recompense your lewdness on you, and you will bear the sins of your idols; and you shall know that I am the Lord Yahweh.’”
- Ezek 17:18–20For he has despised the oath by breaking the covenant; and behold, he had given his hand, and yet has done all these things. He won’t escape.
- Num 5:31The man shall be free from iniquity, and that woman shall bear her iniquity.’”
- Jer 14:15Therefore Yahweh says concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name, and I didn’t send them, yet they say, ‘Sword and famine will not be in this land.’ Those prophets will be consumed by sword and famine.
- Ezek 14:4Therefore speak to them, and tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Every man of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart, and puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and comes to the prophet; I Yahweh will answer him therein according to the multitude of his idols;
- Deut 13:1–10If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you, and he gives you a sign or a wonder,
- Deut 17:2–7If there is found among you, within any of your gates which Yahweh your God gives you, a man or woman who does that which is evil in Yahweh your God’s sight, in transgressing his covenant,
- Rev 19:19–21I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him who sat on the horse, and against his army.
- Gen 4:13Cain said to Yahweh, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.
- Mic 7:9I will bear the indignation of Yahweh, because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my case, and executes judgment for me. He will bring me out to the light. I will see his righteousness.
- Ezek 14:7–8“‘“For everyone of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who live in Israel, who separates himself from me, and takes his idols into his heart, and puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and comes to the prophet to inquire for himself of me; I Yahweh will answer him by myself.
- Gal 6:5For each man will bear his own burden.
- Jer 8:11–12They have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, “Peace, peace,” when there is no peace.
- Jer 6:14–15They have healed also the hurt of my people superficially, saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ when there is no peace.
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.
How Ezekiel 14:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.