Ezekiel 33:31
And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.
Study Note
Study Note
Ezekiel's complaint about auditors who come to hear him as entertainment — 'they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear your words, but they will not do them' — provides one of the most penetrating biblical analyses of superficial religiosity. The phrase 'with their lips they express devotion, but their hearts are devoted to their own gain' anticipates Jesus's citation of Isaiah 29:13 in Matthew 15:8 about those who honor God with lips while hearts are far away. The image of the prophet as 'a singer of love songs, one who has a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument' (verse 32) captures the danger of aesthetic engagement replacing moral transformation. James 1:22-25 develops the same theme with the mirror metaphor: hearing without doing is self-deception.
Other Translations
And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but do them not; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their gain.
And they come in unto thee as the coming in of a people, And they sit before thee--My people, And have heard thy words, and they do them not, For doting loves with their mouth they are making, After their dishonest gain their heart is going.
And they come to you as my people come, and are seated before you as my people, hearing your words but doing them not: for deceit is in their mouth and their heart goes after profit for themselves.
Cross References
And the Lord heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the Lord said unto me, …
O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, …
Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.
For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.
But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon …
Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour …
Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the …
Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not …
And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying, What is the burden of the …
But since ye say, The burden of the Lord; therefore thus saith the Lord; Because ye say this word, The …