Ezekiel 18:23
New International Version
Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their 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.

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?

Berean Standard Bible
Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Lord GOD. Wouldn’t I prefer that he turn from his ways and live?

King James Bible
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 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 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?

NASB 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?

NASB 1977
“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?

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?

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?

Holman 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?

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?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
I do not desire the death of a sinner, says THE LORD OF LORDS, but that he would return from his evil way, and he will live

Brenton Septuagint Translation
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?

Contemporary English Version
I, the LORD God, don't like to see wicked people die. I had much rather see them turn back from their sins and 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?

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?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I don't want wicked people to die." declares the Almighty LORD. "I want them to turn from their evil ways and live.

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

International Standard Version
"I don't take delight in the death of the wicked, do I?" asks the Lord GOD. "Shouldn't I rather delight when he turns from his wicked ways and lives?

JPS Tanakh 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?

Literal Standard Version
Do I take pleasure [or] delight in the death of the wicked?” A declaration of Lord YHWH, “Is it not in his turning back from his way—And he has lived?

Majority Standard Bible
Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Lord GOD. Wouldn’t I prefer that he turn from his ways and live?

New American Bible
Do I find pleasure in the death of the wicked—oracle of the Lord GOD? Do I not rejoice when they turn from their evil way and live?

NET Bible
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 Revised Standard Version
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?

New Heart English Bible
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?

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?

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?

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?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Soul who Sins will Die
22None of the transgressions he has committed will be held against him. Because of the righteousness he has practiced, he will live. 23Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Lord GOD. Wouldn’t I prefer that he turn from his ways and live? 24But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, committing the same abominations as the wicked, will he live? None of the righteous acts he did will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness and sin he has committed, he will die.…

Cross References
1 Timothy 2:4
who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Job 37:23
The Almighty is beyond our reach; He is exalted in power! In His justice and great righteousness He does not oppress.

Psalm 147:11
The LORD is pleased with those who fear Him, who hope in His loving devotion.

Ezekiel 18:32
For I take no pleasure in anyone's death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent and live!

Ezekiel 33:11
Say to them: 'As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked should turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?'

Micah 7:18
Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance--who does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in loving devotion?


Treasury of Scripture

Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? said the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?

I any

Ezekiel 18:32
For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.

Ezekiel 33:11
Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

Lamentations 3:33
For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.

not that

Exodus 34:6,7
And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, …

Job 33:27,28
He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; …

Psalm 147:11
The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.

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Ezekiel 18
1. God defends his justice
31. and exhorts to repentance














(23) Have I any pleasure at all?--This brings out that fundamental truth which underlies the whole teaching of both the Old and New Testaments, and which should have satisfied Israel of the Lord's readiness to receive every penitent sinner. God created man; and when he had fallen, ordered both the old and the new dispensations, and employed methods of infinite love to win him to salvation. He can have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; His delight can only be when man fulfils the design for which he was created, and returns to obedience and communion with God. Yet neither, as is declared in the next verse, can the Almighty suffer that His creature should set at nought His love and despise His salvation.

Verse 23. - Have I any pleasure, etc.? Ezekiel's anticipations of the gospel of Christ take a yet wider range, and we come at last to what had been throughout the suppressed premise of the argument. To him, as afterwards to St. Paul (1 Timothy 2:4) and St. Peter (2 Peter 3:9), the mind of God was presented as being at once absolutely righteous and absolutely loving. The death of the wicked, the loss, i.e., of true life, for a time, or even forever, might be the necessary consequence of laws that were righteous in themselves, and were working out the well being of the universe; but that death was not to be thought of as the result of a Divine decree, or contemplated by the Divine mind with any satisfaction. If it were not given to Ezekiel to see, as clearly as Isaiah seems to have seen it, how the Divine philanthropy was to manifest itself, he at least gauged that philanthropy itself, and found it fathomless.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Do I take any pleasure
הֶחָפֹ֤ץ (he·ḥā·p̄ōṣ)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 2654: To incline to, to bend, to be pleased with, desire

in the death
מ֣וֹת (mō·wṯ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4194: Death, the dead, their place, state, pestilence, ruin

of the wicked?
רָשָׁ֔ע (rā·šā‘)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7563: Wrong, an, bad person

declares
נְאֻ֖ם (nə·’um)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5002: An oracle

the Lord
אֲדֹנָ֣י (’ă·ḏō·nāy)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 136: The Lord

GOD.
יְהוִ֑ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3069: YHWH

Would I not prefer
הֲל֛וֹא (hă·lō·w)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

he turn
בְּשׁוּב֥וֹ (bə·šū·ḇōw)
Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

from his ways
מִדְּרָכָ֖יו (mid·də·rā·ḵāw)
Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

and live?
וְחָיָֽה׃ (wə·ḥā·yāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2421: To live, to revive


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 18:23 Have I any pleasure in the death (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 18:22
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