Limitless Word
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.”
Ezekiel 3:21 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB 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.”
  • KJV 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.
  • NKJV 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.”
  • NASB 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.”
  • NLT 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.”

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

If Ezekiel warns the righteous and they heed it, they live, and he has saved his own soul. Heeded warning leads to life for both.

Overview

When the righteous take the warning and do not sin, they are preserved. Ezekiel's faithful warning delivers his own soul as well. This highlights the life-giving power of heeding God's word. It encourages both messenger and hearer to take God's warnings seriously unto life.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 22

  • 1 Tim 4:16Pay close attention to your life and to your teaching. Persevere in these things, for by so doing you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
  • 1 Cor 4:14I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children.
  • Prov 9:9Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man, and he will increase his learning.
  • Jas 5:20consider this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
  • Titus 2:15Speak these things as you encourage and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.
  • Ezek 3:19–20But if you warn a wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness and his wicked way, he will die in his iniquity, but you will have saved yourself.
  • Gal 1:6–10I am amazed how quickly you are deserting the One who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—
  • Ps 19:11By them indeed Your servant is warned; in keeping them is great reward.
  • 1 Jn 3:6–9No one who remains in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has seen Him or known Him.
  • Acts 20:31Therefore be alert and remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
  • 1 Th 4:6–8and no one should ever violate or exploit his brother in this regard, because the Lord will avenge all such acts, as we have already told you and solemnly warned you.
  • Col 3:5–8Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.
  • Prov 17:10A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool.
  • 1 Th 5:14And we urge you, brothers, to admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, and be patient with everyone.
  • Gal 5:2–7Take notice: I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all.
  • Rev 3:19Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent.
  • Col 1:28We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
  • Gal 2:11–13When Cephas came to Antioch, however, I opposed him to his face, because he stood to be condemned.
  • Eph 5:5–6For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure, or greedy person (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
  • Matt 24:24–25For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible.
  • Eph 4:17–21So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.
  • 1 Cor 10:12So the one who thinks he is standing firm should be careful not to fall.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (1)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Ezekiel videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Ezekiel 3:21YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on EzekielMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    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 3:21 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.