Ezekiel 33 — The watchman, the fallen city and the unheeding hearers — Hebrew and Greek compared
Each card keeps the independently rendered source readings above their shared comparison and reception notes. The badge records the source’s governing classification; disparate readings are marked in red. Each reading retains its original reference.
Ezekiel 33 — The watchman, the fallen city and the unheeding hearers
33:1–33:9 — The watchman’s responsibility
Verse 33:1 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:1] YHWH’s word came to me, saying,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:1] The Lord’s word came to me, saying,
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The word formula agrees.
Verse 33:2 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:2] “Son of man, speak to your people’s sons and say to them, ‘If I bring a sword upon a land, and the land’s people take one man from among them and appoint him as their watchman,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:2] “Son of man, speak to your people’s sons and say to them, ‘If I bring a sword upon a land, and the land’s people take one man from among themselves and appoint him as their watchman,
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The appointed watchman’s setting agrees.
Verse 33:3 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:3] and he sees the sword coming upon the land, blows the horn and warns the people,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:3] and he sees the sword coming upon the land, sounds the trumpet and signals to the people,
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Hebrew shofar is a horn; Greek salpinx a trumpet, with warning versus signaling.
Verse 33:4 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:4] and someone hears the horn’s sound but does not heed the warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood will be upon his own head.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:4] and a hearer hears the trumpet’s sound but does not take care, and the sword comes upon him and overtakes him, his blood will be upon his own head.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both place responsibility on the warned hearer.
Verse 33:5 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:5] He heard the horn’s sound but did not heed the warning; his blood will be upon himself. But if he heeds the warning, he saves his life.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:5] Because he heard the trumpet’s sound and did not take care, his blood will be upon himself. But this one, because he took care, rescued his life.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Hebrew’s contrasting warned person is expressed conditionally in English; Greek explicitly uses because and completed rescue.
Verse 33:6 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:6] If the watchman sees the sword coming but does not blow the horn, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes a person from them, he is taken in his iniquity, but I will require his blood from the watchman’s hand.’
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:6] If the watchman sees the sword coming but does not signal with the trumpet, and the people do not take care, and the sword comes and takes a life from them, that life was taken because of its own lawlessness, but I will require the blood from the watchman’s hand.’
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both retain the victim’s wrongdoing and the watchman’s accountability; Greek explicitly repeats its own lawlessness.
Verse 33:7 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:7] And you, son of man, I have appointed you a watchman for Israel’s house. Hear a word from My mouth and warn them from Me.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:7] And you, son of man, I have appointed you a watchman for Israel’s house, and you will hear a word from My mouth.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek lacks the final warn them from Me clause.
Verse 33:8 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:8] When I say to the wicked, ‘Wicked one, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man will die in his iniquity, but I will seek his blood from your hand.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:8] When I say to the sinner, ‘You will surely be put to death,’ and you do not speak so that the impious man may guard himself from his way, that lawless man will die in his lawlessness, but I will require his blood from your hand.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek varies sinner, impious and lawless where Hebrew repeats wicked, and makes the quoted death passive.
Verse 33:9 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:9] But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way and he does not turn from his way, he will die in his iniquity, but you have delivered your life.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:9] But if you forewarn the impious man of his way so that he may turn from it and he does not turn from his way, this man will die in his impiety, and you have rescued your own life.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both preserve the warning, refusal and watchman’s deliverance.
33:10–33:20 — Turn and live
Verse 33:10 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:10] And you, son of man, say to Israel’s house, ‘You have said this: Our transgressions and sins are upon us, and we waste away in them. How can we live?’
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:10] And you, son of man, say to Israel’s house, ‘You spoke this way: Our wanderings and lawless deeds are upon us, and we waste away in them. How shall we live?’
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Hebrew transgressions/sins becomes Greek wanderings/lawless deeds.
Verse 33:11 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:11] Say to them, ‘As I live, declares Lord YHWH, I take no pleasure in the wicked man’s death, but in the wicked man’s turning from his way and living. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why should you die, house of Israel?’
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:11] Say to them, ‘I live, thus says the Lord: I do not will the impious man’s death so much as his turning from his way and living. Turn back completely from your way! Why are you dying, house of Israel?’
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Hebrew divine pleasure and repeated turn becomes Greek divine will and an emphatic turn. Greek has singular way without evil.
Reception — Exhortational reception: The letter invokes God's desire for the sinner's repentance in its appeal for conversion. 1 Clement (traditionally attributed to St. Clement of Rome) · 1 Clement 8.
Verse 33:12 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:12] And you, son of man, say to your people’s sons, ‘The righteous man’s righteousness will not deliver him on the day of his transgression. The wicked man will not stumble through his wickedness on the day he turns from it. The righteous man will not be able to live by his righteousness on the day he sins.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:12] Say to your people’s sons, ‘A righteous man’s righteousness certainly will not rescue him on the day he wanders, and an impious man’s lawlessness certainly will not harm him on the day he turns from it. A righteous man certainly will not be able to be saved.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek lacks the introductory son-of-man clause and the final by it/on the day of sinning qualification. That qualification is not inserted into the Greek sentence; its following context remains available.
Verse 33:13 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:13] When I tell the righteous man that he will surely live, but he trusts in his righteousness and commits injustice, none of his righteous deeds will be remembered. In the injustice he committed, in it he will die.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:13] When I speak to the righteous man—this one has trusted in his righteousness, yet commits lawlessness—none of his righteous deeds will ever be remembered. In the injustice he committed, in it he will die.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek lacks Hebrew’s explicit he will surely live promise and has a compressed this-one-has-trusted construction, retained without supplying the missing promise.
Verse 33:14 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:14] When I say to the wicked man, ‘You will surely die,’ and he turns from his sin and practices justice and righteousness,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:14] When I say to the impious man, ‘You will surely be put to death,’ and he turns from his sin and practices judgment and righteousness,
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both begin the condition of turning and doing right.
Verse 33:15 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:15] if the wicked man restores a pledge, repays what he robbed and walks in the statutes of life without doing injustice, he will surely live; he will not die.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:15] and returns a pledge, repays what he seized and walks in the ordinances of life without doing wrong, he will surely live and certainly will not die.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The restitution, life ordinances and emphatic assurance correspond.
Verse 33:16 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:16] None of the sins he committed will be remembered against him. He has practiced justice and righteousness; he will surely live.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:16] None of the sins he committed will ever be remembered, because he practiced judgment and righteousness; in these he will live.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Hebrew’s emphatic surely live becomes Greek in these he will live.
Verse 33:17 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:17] Your people’s sons say, “The Lord’s way is not fair.” But their own way is not fair.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:17] Your people’s sons will say, “The Lord’s way is not straight.” Yet this way of theirs is not straight.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Hebrew fair or rightly measured becomes Greek straight. Hebrew has Adonai alone here.
Verse 33:18 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:18] When a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits injustice, he will die in these things.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:18] When a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits lawless deeds, he will die in them.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both retain turning from righteousness and the resulting death.
Verse 33:19 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:19] When a wicked man turns from his wickedness and practices justice and righteousness, because of these he will live.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:19] When the sinner turns from his lawlessness and practices judgment and righteousness, in these he will live.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both retain turning from wrongdoing and the resulting life.
Verse 33:20 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:20] You say, “The Lord’s way is not fair.” I will judge each of you according to his ways, house of Israel.’”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:20] This is what you said: “The Lord’s way is not straight.” I will judge you, each in his ways, house of Israel.’”
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Fair/straight recurs; both judge each person by his ways.
33:21–33:22 — The survivor’s report
Verse 33:21 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:21] In the twelfth year of our exile, in the tenth month, on the fifth of the month, the survivor from Jerusalem came to me, saying, “The city has been struck!”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:21] In the twelfth year of our captivity, in the twelfth month, on the fifth of the month, the survivor from Jerusalem came to me, saying, “The city has been captured!”
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew gives the tenth month; Greek the twelfth. The city is struck versus captured.
Verse 33:22 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:22] YHWH’s hand had been upon me in the evening before the survivor came. He opened my mouth before the man came to me in the morning; my mouth was opened, and I was no longer mute.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:22] The Lord’s hand came upon me in the evening before he arrived, and He opened my mouth until he came to me in the morning. Once my mouth was opened, it was no longer restrained.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Hebrew ends with the prophet no longer mute; Greek with his opened mouth no longer restrained.
33:23–33:29 — The claim to the land
Verse 33:23 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:23] YHWH’s word came to me, saying,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:23] The Lord’s word came to me, saying,
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The renewed word formula corresponds.
Verse 33:24 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:24] “Son of man, those dwelling in these ruins upon Israel’s soil say, ‘Abraham was one, yet he possessed the land. We are many; the land has been given to us as a possession.’
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:24] “Son of man, those dwelling in the devastated places upon Israel’s land say, ‘Abraham was one, yet he possessed the land. We are more; the land has been given to us as a possession.’
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Hebrew many becomes Greek more; the appeal to Abraham agrees.
Verse 33:25 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:25] Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says Lord YHWH: You eat with the blood, lift your eyes toward your idols and shed blood—and will you possess the land?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:25] Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord, the Lord:
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek 33:25 contains only the introduction. Its declared text lacks Hebrew’s blood, idols and land-possession question here.
Verse 33:26 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:26] You rely on your sword, commit abomination, and each defiles his neighbor’s wife—and will you possess the land?’
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[—] — No counterpart at this label in the declared Greek text.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The declared Greek source has no 33:26 label or corresponding accusation here. Its column remains blank.
Verse 33:27 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:27] Say this to them, ‘Thus says Lord YHWH: As I live, surely those in the ruins will fall by the sword. Those in the open field I have given to the animals for food, and those in strongholds and caves will die by pestilence.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:27] I live: surely those in the devastated places will fall by the sword. Those in the open plain will be given as food to the field’s beasts, and those in fortified places and caves I will kill with death.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek continues the formula from 33:25 without Hebrew’s second introduction. Hebrew pestilence becomes Greek death, explicitly inflicted by God.
Verse 33:28 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:28] I will make the land desolate and a devastation; the pride of her strength will cease, and Israel’s mountains will be desolate, with no one passing through.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:28] I will make the land a wilderness; the arrogance of her strength will perish, and Israel’s mountains will be desolate because no one passes through.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Hebrew’s paired desolation language becomes one Greek wilderness; pride ceasing becomes arrogance perishing.
Verse 33:29 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:29] They will know that I am YHWH when I make the land desolate and a devastation because of all the abominations they committed.’
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:29] They will know that I am the Lord. I will make their land a wilderness, and it will be desolate because of all the abominations they committed.’
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek gives a separate divine action after recognition, with their land and a further desolate clause.
33:30–33:33 — Hearing without doing
Verse 33:30 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:30] And you, son of man, your people’s sons talk about you beside the walls and at the house doors. They speak to one another, each to his brother, saying, ‘Come, please, and hear what word comes from YHWH!’
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:30] And you, son of man, your people’s sons talk about you beside the walls and in the houses’ gateways. A man says to his brother, ‘Let us gather and hear what comes from the Lord!’
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek gives the invitation as let us gather, against Hebrew come, please.
Verse 33:31 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:31] They come to you as people come, and My people sit before you. They hear your words but do not do them, for they perform love with their mouths while their heart follows their unjust gain.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:31] They come to you as people assemble and sit before you. They hear your words but certainly will not do them, because falsehood is in their mouth, and their heart follows defilements.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek lacks My people, gives falsehood instead of Hebrew mouth-love, and defilements instead of unjust gain.
Verse 33:32 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:32] Behold, to them you are like a love song, one with a beautiful voice who plays skillfully. They hear your words but do not do them.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:32] You become to them like the sound of a sweet-voiced, well-tuned psaltery. They will hear your words but certainly will not do them.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew love song and skilled singer/player becomes Greek the sound of a tuned stringed instrument.
Verse 33:33 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[33:33] When it comes—behold, it is coming!—they will know that a prophet has been among them.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[33:33] When it comes, they will say, ‘Behold, it has arrived,’ and know that a prophet was among them.”
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek explicitly attributes behold, it has arrived to their future speech.