Key Highlights:
- Samuel L. Jackson celebrated the 32nd anniversary of Pulp Fiction by reciting his character Jules Winnfield’s famous monologue entirely from memory on social media.
- The iconic monologue is director Quentin Tarantino’s heavily modified, dramatic adaptation of the biblical verse Ezekiel 25:17.
- Jackson’s performance in the 1994 box-office hit earned him a BAFTA Award and his sole Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
Samuel L. Jackson Recites Iconic Pulp Fiction Monologue from Memory
Samuel L. Jackson has celebrated the 32nd anniversary of the seminal crime drama Pulp Fiction by proving that decades later, he still remembers every line of Jules Winnfield’s legendary speech. Released in theaters on October 14, 1994, Pulp Fiction served as director Quentin Tarantino’s sophomore feature, weaving together four interconnected criminal storylines across Los Angeles through an innovative, non-linear narrative structure.
In a video shared directly to his Instagram account, the 77-year-old actor looked straight into the camera to deliver the intimidating monologue his character famously used to terrorize Brett, an associate who crossed crime boss Marsellus Wallace. Jackson recited the speech without hesitation: The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men.
He continued: Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and goodwill, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother’s keeper and the finder of lost children.
Bringing the verse to its intense climax, Jackson delivered the closing lines: And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers.
and And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee.
Accompanying the flawless delivery, Jackson captioned his post: 32 Years later, I still got this one on Lock!!! #pulpfiction
. The speech, presented in the film as the scripture from Ezekiel 25:17, is largely an original creation by Tarantino that heavily reworked the original biblical text. The actual scriptural passage from the Bible reads: 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.
Box Office Success and Critical Acclaim for Tarantino’s Cult Classic
Boasting an ensemble cast that featured John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Bruce Willis, Tim Roth, and Harvey Keitel alongside Jackson, Pulp Fiction became an enormous cultural and commercial triumph. The production grossed over $213 million worldwide at the box office and garnered seven Academy Award nominations, eventually securing the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
The role of hitman Jules Winnfield remains one of the defining performances of Jackson’s career. The performance earned him his only Oscar nomination to date, competing in the Best Supporting Actor category. While Martin Landau ultimately won the Academy Award that year for his performance in Ed Wood, Jackson’s critically acclaimed portrayal won him the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
Why This Matters
More than three decades after hitting theaters, Pulp Fiction continues to maintain an enduring footprint on modern pop culture, cinematic storytelling, and political discourse. Jackson’s ability to recall the dialogue verbatim underscores the personal and cultural legacy of the character, whose lines remain frequently referenced across multiple generations of film enthusiasts.
The cultural ubiquity of the cinematic passage was highlighted earlier this year when US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared to channel Jules Winnfield during a Pentagon worship service in April. While inviting attendees to join in prayer, Hegseth delivered Tarantino’s fictionalized version of Ezekiel 25:17 nearly word-for-word rather than the authentic biblical text, demonstrating how deeply embedded the film’s version remains in popular consciousness.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Bible verse does Samuel L. Jackson’s character recite in Pulp Fiction?
The character Jules Winnfield introduces the passage as Ezekiel 25:17. However, the text delivered in the film is not a literal quotation of the Bible, but rather a heavily rewritten, dramatized version crafted by writer-director Quentin Tarantino.
Did Samuel L. Jackson win an Academy Award for Pulp Fiction?
No. Jackson earned his sole Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for playing Jules Winnfield, but the award went to Martin Landau for Ed Wood. Jackson did, however, win the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for the part.
When was Pulp Fiction originally released?
Pulp Fiction premiered in theaters on October 14, 1994, achieving worldwide box-office receipts of more than $213 million alongside seven Oscar nominations.
