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.
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.”
- BSB 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.”
- 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 4:16Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
- 1 Cor 4:14I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.
- Prov 9:9Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
- Jas 5:20Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
- Titus 2:15These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.
- Ezek 3:19–20Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
- Gal 1:6–10I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
- Ps 19:11Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
- 1 Jn 3:6–9Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
- Acts 20:31Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
- 1 Th 4:6–8That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.
- Col 3:5–8Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
- Prov 17:10A reproof entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.
- 1 Th 5:14Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
- Gal 5:2–7Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
- Rev 3:19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
- Col 1:28Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
- Gal 2:11–13But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
- Eph 5:5–6For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
- Matt 24:24–25For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
- Eph 4:17–21This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
- 1 Cor 10:12Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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
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