Ezekiel 25 17 pulp fiction

Ezekiel 25:17″ is the iconic monologue delivered by Samuel L. Jackson’s character, Jules Winnfield, in the 1994 film Pulp Fiction.

While the speech sounds profoundly biblical, it is actually a stylized reimagining. Most of the text was written by director Quentin Tarantino and Samuel L. Jackson, drawing inspiration from the opening crawl of the 1976 martial arts film The Bodyguard (starring Sonny Chiba).

The “Pulp Fiction” Version

“The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother’s keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee.”

The Actual Biblical Verse

The real Ezekiel 25:17 (King James Version) is much shorter and only shares the very last section of Jules’ monologue:

“And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them.”

Key Differences

• The “Shepherd” Narrative: The lines regarding the “righteous man,” the “valley of darkness,” and the “finder of lost children” do not exist in the actual Book of Ezekiel. They are a blend of themes from Psalm 23 and original creative writing.
• The Intent: In the movie, Jules uses the passage as a cold, intimidating ritual before an execution, but later in the film, he re-evaluates the “meaning” of the words, transforming it into a metaphor for his own redemption and his decision to leave the life of a hitman.