Ezekiel 3:27
New International Version
But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says.’ Whoever will listen let them listen, and whoever will refuse let them refuse; for they are a rebellious people.

New Living Translation
But when I give you a message, I will loosen your tongue and let you speak. Then you will say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says!’ Those who choose to listen will listen, but those who refuse will refuse, for they are rebels.

English Standard Version
But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’ He who will hear, let him hear; and he who will refuse to hear, let him refuse, for they are a rebellious house.

Berean Standard Bible
But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you are to tell them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says.’ Whoever listens, let him listen; and whoever refuses, let him refuse, for they are a rebellious house.

King James Bible
But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house.

New King James Version
But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’ He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house.

New American Standard Bible
But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you will say to them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says:’ The one who hears, let him hear; and the one who refuses, let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house.

NASB 1995
“But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you will say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’ He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house.

NASB 1977
“But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth, and you will say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’ He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house.

Legacy Standard Bible
But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth, and you will say to them, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh.’ He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house.

Amplified Bible
But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth and you will say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’ He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses [to hear], let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house.

Christian Standard Bible
But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you will say to them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says.’ Let the one who listens, listen, and let the one who refuses, refuse—for they are a rebellious house.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you will say to them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says.’ Let the one who listens, listen, and let the one who refuses, refuse—for they are a rebellious house.”

American Standard Version
But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house.

Contemporary English Version
But the time will come, when I will tell you what to say, and you will again be able to speak my message. Some of them will listen; others will be stubborn and refuse to listen.

English Revised Version
But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD: He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth. You will tell them, 'This is what the Almighty LORD says.' Some will listen, and some will refuse to listen. They are rebellious people."

Good News Translation
Then, when I speak to you again and give you back the power of speech, you will tell them what I, the Sovereign LORD, am saying. Some of them will listen, but some will ignore you, for they are a nation of rebels."

International Standard Version
But when I speak with you, I'll open your mouth so you can say to them, 'This is what the Lord GOD says: "As for those who will listen, 'Let them listen,' but as for those who refuse, 'Let them refuse,' since they're a rebellious group."'"

Majority Standard Bible
But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you are to tell them, ?This is what the Lord GOD says.? Whoever listens, let him listen; and whoever refuses, let him refuse, for they are a rebellious house.

NET Bible
But when I speak with you, I will loosen your tongue and you must say to them, 'This is what the sovereign LORD says.' Those who listen will listen, but the indifferent will refuse, for they are a rebellious house.

New Heart English Bible
But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall tell them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD': He who hears, let him hear; and he who forbears, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house.

Webster's Bible Translation
But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say to them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house.

World English Bible
But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall tell them, ‘This is what the Lord Yahweh says.’ He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And in My speaking with you, I open your mouth, and you have said to them: Thus said Lord YHWH; the hearer hears, and the refrainer refrains; for they [are] a house of rebellion.”

Young's Literal Translation
And in My speaking with thee, I do open thy mouth, and thou hast said unto them: Thus said the Lord Jehovah; the hearer doth hear, and the forbearer doth forbear; for a rebellious house are they.

Smith's Literal Translation
And in my speaking with thee I will open thy mouth, and say thou to them, Thus said the Lord Jehovah: He hearing, shall hear; and he desisting, shall desist: for they are a house of contradiction.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But when I shall speak to thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say to them: Thus saith the Lord God: He that heareth, let him hear: and he that forbeareth, let him forbear: for they are a provoking house.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But when I will speak to you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them: ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ Whoever is listening, let him hear. And whoever is quieted, let him be quieted. For they are a provoking house.”

New American Bible
Only when I speak to you and open your mouth, shall you say to them: Thus says the LORD God: Let those who hear, hear! Let those who resist, resist! They are truly a rebellious house.

New Revised Standard Version
But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, “Thus says the Lord GOD”; let those who will hear, hear; and let those who refuse to hear, refuse; for they are a rebellious house.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, Thus says the LORD God: He that hears, let him hear; and he that trembles, let him tremble; for they are a rebellious house.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And whenever I speak with you, I open your mouth that you shall say to them, “Thus says THE LORD OF LORDS.” He who hears shall hear, and he who trembles shall tremble, because they are a rebellious house”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them: Thus saith the Lord GOD; he that heareth, let him hear, and he that forbeareth, let him forbear; for they are a rebellious house.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
But when I speak to thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say to them, Thus saith the Lord, He that hears, let him hear; and he that is disobedient, let him be disobedient: because it is a provoking house.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Watchman for Israel
26I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth, and you will be silent and unable to rebuke them, though they are a rebellious house. 27But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you are to tell them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says.’ Whoever listens, let him listen; and whoever refuses, let him refuse, for they are a rebellious house.

Cross References
Isaiah 6:9-10
And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ / Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

Matthew 13:13-15
This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’ / In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. / For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’

Acts 28:26-27
‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” / For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’

Isaiah 55:11
so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.

John 12:39-41
For this reason they were unable to believe. For again, Isaiah says: / “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they cannot see with their eyes, and understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.” / Isaiah said these things because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about Him.

Jeremiah 1:7-9
But the LORD told me: “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ For to everyone I send you, you must go, and all that I command you, you must speak. / Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD. / Then the LORD reached out His hand, touched my mouth, and said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.

Matthew 10:14-15
And if anyone will not welcome you or heed your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. / Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

Mark 4:11-12
He replied, “The mystery of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those on the outside everything is expressed in parables, / so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven.’”

Luke 10:10-11
But if you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go into the streets and declare, / ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off as a testimony against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.’

John 9:39-41
Then Jesus declared, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind may see and those who see may become blind.” / Some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard this, and they asked Him, “Are we blind too?” / “If you were blind,” Jesus replied, “you would not be guilty of sin. But since you claim you can see, your guilt remains.”

Jeremiah 6:10
To whom can I give this warning? Who will listen to me? Look, their ears are closed, so they cannot hear. See, the word of the LORD has become offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it.

Romans 11:8
as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see, and ears that could not hear, to this very day.”

2 Corinthians 2:15-16
For we are to God the sweet aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. / To the one we are an odor that brings death, to the other a fragrance that brings life. And who is qualified for such a task?

Isaiah 29:10-12
For the LORD has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep. He has shut your eyes, O prophets; He has covered your heads, O seers. / And the entire vision will be to you like the words sealed in a scroll. If it is handed to someone to read, he will say, “I cannot, because it is sealed.” / Or if the scroll is handed to one unable to read, he will say, “I cannot read.”

Revelation 2:7
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to eat from the tree of life in the Paradise of God.


Treasury of Scripture

But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, Thus said the Lord GOD; He that hears, let him hear; and he that declines, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house.

I will

Ezekiel 11:25
Then I spake unto them of the captivity all the things that the LORD had shewed me.

Ezekiel 24:27
In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him which is escaped, and thou shalt speak, and be no more dumb: and thou shalt be a sign unto them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

Ezekiel 29:21
In that day will I cause the horn of the house of Israel to bud forth, and I will give thee the opening of the mouth in the midst of them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

Thus

Ezekiel 3:11
And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.

Ezekiel 2:5
And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.

Matthew 11:15
He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

for they

Ezekiel 3:9,26
As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house…

Ezekiel 12:2,3
Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house…

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Ezekiel 3
1. Ezekiel eats the scroll
4. God encourages him
15. God shows him the rule of prophecy
22. God shuts and opens the prophet's mouth














But when I speak to you
This phrase emphasizes the divine initiative in communication. The Hebrew root for "speak" is דָּבַר (dabar), which implies not just casual conversation but authoritative declaration. In the context of Ezekiel's prophetic ministry, it underscores that the prophet's words are not his own but are directly from God. This divine communication is a hallmark of prophetic authenticity, reminding us that true prophecy originates from God’s will and timing.

I will open your mouth
The imagery of God opening Ezekiel's mouth signifies empowerment and divine enablement. In the ancient Near Eastern context, a prophet's ability to speak was often seen as a direct result of divine intervention. This phrase assures Ezekiel that his prophetic mission is undergirded by God's power, reinforcing the idea that God equips those He calls. It also serves as a reminder that human limitations are overcome by divine provision.

and you are to tell them
This directive highlights the responsibility of the prophet to convey God's message. The Hebrew verb for "tell" is אָמַר (amar), which means to say or declare. It implies a duty to communicate clearly and faithfully. Ezekiel's role is not to alter or withhold the message but to deliver it as received. This reflects the broader biblical principle that God's messengers are stewards of His word, accountable for its accurate transmission.

‘This is what the Lord GOD says.’
This phrase is a formal introduction to a divine oracle, often used by prophets to assert the authority of their message. The title "Lord GOD" combines the Hebrew names Adonai (Lord) and Yahweh (GOD), emphasizing both God's sovereignty and His covenantal relationship with Israel. It serves as a reminder that the message is not from Ezekiel but from the ultimate authority, the Creator and Sustainer of all.

Whoever will listen, let him listen
This call to listen is an invitation to obedience and receptivity. The Hebrew verb שָׁמַע (shama) means to hear with attention and intention to act. It reflects the biblical theme that hearing God's word requires a response. In the context of Ezekiel's audience, it challenges them to move beyond mere auditory reception to active compliance, highlighting the importance of heeding divine instruction.

and whoever will refuse, let him refuse
This phrase acknowledges human agency and the reality of rejection. The Hebrew verb חָדַל (chadal) means to cease or desist, indicating a conscious decision to reject. It underscores the biblical truth that while God offers His word to all, He respects human freedom to accept or reject it. This dual possibility of acceptance or refusal highlights the seriousness of the prophetic message and the consequences of each choice.

for they are a rebellious house
This concluding phrase identifies the audience's spiritual condition. The Hebrew word for "rebellious" is מְרִי (meri), which conveys defiance and resistance against authority. The term "house" refers to the collective identity of Israel as God's covenant people. This characterization serves as both a diagnosis and a warning, reminding the audience of their history of disobedience and the need for repentance. It also underscores the persistent grace of God, who continues to speak to a wayward people.

(27) When I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth.--To this Ezekiel evidently refers in Ezekiel 24:27; Ezekiel 33:22, when, after the destruction of Jerusalem, his mouth should no longer be shut. But until then, although he should be greatly restrained in his ordinary utterances by the opposition of the people, yet there would be times when God would give him a message with such power that he would be constrained to declare it, whether the people would hear or whether they would forbear. Such messages are those contained in this book, which at this point begin to be recorded. By all this the difficulties and trials under which the prophet must exercise his office are clearly and strongly set before him. (See Excursus I., "On the Figurative and Symbolical Language of Ezekiel.")

Verse 27. - When I speak with thee, etc. This then, as ever, was the condition of the prophet's work. He was to speak out of his own heart. When the "time to speak" came words would be given him (Matthew 10:19). And those he would then speak would be as the echo of those in ver. 11. In our Lord's words (Matthew 11:15; Matthew 13:9) we have, it may be, a deliberate reproduction of Ezekiel's formula. The LXX., in this instance, it may be noted, translates the second clause by " He who is disobedient (ἀπειθῶν),

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
But when I speak
וּֽבְדַבְּרִ֤י (ū·ḇə·ḏab·bə·rî)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

with you,
אֽוֹתְךָ֙ (’ō·wṯ·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's 854: Nearness, near, with, by, at, among

I will open
אֶפְתַּ֣ח (’ep̄·taḥ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 6605: To open wide, to loosen, begin, plough, carve

your mouth,
פִּ֔יךָ (pî·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to

and you are to tell
וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ (wə·’ā·mar·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

them,
אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם (’ă·lê·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

‘This is what
כֹּ֥ה (kōh)
Adverb
Strong's 3541: Like this, thus, here, now

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

GOD
יְהֹוִ֑ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

says.’
אָמַ֖ר (’ā·mar)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

Whoever listens,
יִשְׁמָע֙ (yiš·mā‘)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

let him listen;
הַשֹּׁמֵ֤עַ ׀ (haš·šō·mê·a‘)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

and whoever refuses,
יֶחְדָּ֔ל (yeḥ·dāl)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2308: To be flabby, desist, be lacking, idle

let him refuse;
וְהֶחָדֵ֣ל ׀ (wə·he·ḥā·ḏêl)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2310: Vacant, ceasing, destitute

for
כִּ֛י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

they
הֵֽמָּה׃ (hêm·māh)
Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1992: They

are a rebellious
מְרִ֖י (mə·rî)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4805: Bitterness, rebellion, bitter, rebellious

house.
בֵּ֥ית (bêṯ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 3:27 But when I speak with you (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 3:26
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