Ezekiel 20:21 nasb — "But the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, nor were they careful to observe My ordinances…

NASB

""But the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, nor were they careful to observe My ordinances, by which, if a man observes them, he will live; they profaned My sabbaths. So I resolved to pour out My wrath on them, to accomplish My anger against them in the wilderness."

— Ezekiel 20:21, NASB

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Ezekiel 20:21 in Other Translations

7 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.”

  • ASV

    “But the children rebelled against me; they walked not in my statutes, neither kept mine ordinances to do them, which if a man do, he shall live in them; they profaned my sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness. ”

  • WEB

    “But the children rebelled against me; they didn't walk in my statutes, neither kept my ordinances to do them, which if a man do, he shall live in them; they profaned my Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.”

  • NET

    ““‘But the children rebelled against me, did not follow my statutes, did not observe my regulations by carrying them out(the one who obeys them will live by them), and desecrated my Sabbaths. I decided to pour out my rage on them and fully vent my anger against them in the wilderness.”

  • DRB

    “But their children provoked me, they walked not in my commandments, nor observed my judgments to do them: which if a man do, he shall live in them: and they violated my sabbaths: and I threatened to pour out my indignation upon them, and to accomplish my wrath in them in the desert.”

  • BBE

    “But the children would not be controlled by me; they were not guided by my rules, and they did not keep and do my orders, which, if a man does them, will be life to him; and they had no respect for my Sabbaths: then I said I would let loose my passion on them to give full effect to my wrath against them in the waste land.”

  • KJVA

    “Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.”

Ezekiel 20 — Context

18

"I said to their children in the wilderness, 'Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers or keep their ordinances or defile yourselves with their idols.

19

'I am the LORD your God; walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and observe them.

20

'Sanctify My sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God.'

21

"But the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, nor were they careful to observe My ordinances, by which, if a man observes them, he will live; they profaned My sabbaths. So I resolved to pour out My wrath on them, to accomplish My anger against them in the wilderness.

22

"But I withdrew My hand and acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.

23

"Also I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them among the lands,

24

because they had not observed My ordinances, but had rejected My statutes and had profaned My sabbaths, and their eyes were on the idols of their fathers.

Ezekiel 20:21 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Ezekiel 20:21 say?
Ezekiel 20:21 in the NASB reads: “"But the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, nor were they careful to observe My ordinances, by which, if a man observes them, he will live; they profaned My sabbaths. So I resolved to pour out My wrath on them, to accomplish My anger against them in the wilderness.”
Where is Ezekiel 20:21 in the Bible?
Ezekiel 20:21 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Ezekiel, chapter 20, verse 21.
Who wrote Ezekiel?
Ezekiel is traditionally attributed to Ezekiel the priest. It was written c. 593–571 BC.
What is the book of Ezekiel about?
Ezekiel ministers among the exiles in Babylon with vivid visions, sign-acts, and oracles. He sees God's glory depart from a defiled temple, then promises dry bones brought to life, a new heart, and a restored temple — pictures of resurrection and the new covenant fulfilled in Christ.
What are the major themes of Ezekiel?
Ezekiel explores themes including Glory of God, Judgment, New Heart, Resurrection, New Temple. These themes shape the meaning and context of Ezekiel 20:21.
What translation should I read Ezekiel 20:21 in?
Ezekiel 20:21 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Ezekiel 20:21?
Ezekiel 20:21 reads (NASB): “"But the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, nor were they careful to observe My ordinances, by which, if a man observes them, he will live; they profaned My sabbaths. So I resolved to pour out My wrath on them, to accomplish My anger against them in the wilderness.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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