Ezekiel 18:21

Ezekiel 18:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
• New International Version (NIV)“But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die.

Context of Ezekiel 18:21

19You should not say, “Surely the son should receive punishment because of his father's sins.” If the son does what is good and right, and he obeys my laws and my rules, he will continue to live. 20It is the person who does wrong things who will die. A son will not receive punishment because of his father's sins. And a father will not receive punishment because of his son's sins. Righteous people will receive the good things that they deserve for the good things that they have done. But wicked people will receive the punishment that they deserve for the wicked things that they have done. But a wicked person might turn away from the sins that he has been doing. He might decide to obey my laws and do things that are right and good. If he does that, he will certainly continue to live. He will not die as his punishment. 22I would no longer say that he is guilty because of the sins that he has done. Instead, he will continue to live, because he has done things that are right. 23It does not make me happy when a wicked person dies. I want wicked people to stop doing wicked things. Then I am happy because they will continue to live. That is what the Almighty Lord says.

Ezekiel 18:21 word by word

וְהָרָשָׁ֗ע כִּ֤י יָשׁוּב֙ מִכָּל־חַטֹּאתָיו֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה וְשָׁמַר֙ אֶת־כָּל־חֻקּוֹתַ֔י וְעָשָׂ֥ה מִשְׁפָּ֖ט וּצְדָקָ֑ה חָיֹ֥ה יִחְיֶ֖ה לֹ֥א יָמֽוּת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But if the wickedרָשָׁעrâshâ‛ · wickedH7563
• will turnשׁוּבshûb · to return: repentH7725
• from all his sinsחַטָּאתchaţţâ'âh chaţţâ'th · sinH2403
• that he hath committedעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• and keepשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: obeyH8104
• all my statutesחֻקָּהchûqqâh · statuteH2708
• and doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• that which is lawfulמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941
• and rightצְדָקָהtsedâqâh · righteousnessH6666
• he shall surelyחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421
• he shall not dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191

Cross-references for Ezekiel 18:21

• Ezekiel 18:27And if a wicked person stops doing wicked things and he does things that are right, he will continue to live.
• Ezekiel 33:11Tell them, “It does not make me happy to punish wicked people with death. I, the Almighty Lord, promise you this, as surely as I live. I want wicked people to stop doing wrong things so that they may continue to live. So stop doing evil things! Israel's people, you do not have to die. Turn back to me!”
• 2 Chronicles 33:12This gave Manasseh a lot of pain. He asked the Lord his God to be kind to him. He made himself humble and he prayed for help to the Lord, the God of his ancestors.
• Proverbs 28:13Anyone who hides his sins will never do well. But God will forgive somebody, if he agrees that he has done wrong things, and if he turns away from his sins.
• Isaiah 1:16Wash yourselves and make yourselves clean! Remove your sins, so that I no longer see them. Stop doing evil things!
• Isaiah 55:6Come to serve the Lord now, while he lets you find him. Call out to him for help, while he is near you.
• Isaiah 55:7Wicked people need to change the way that they live. Evil people must stop thinking their evil thoughts. They must turn back to the Lord our God, because he will be kind to them. Yes, God will completely forgive them, if they turn back to him.
• Luke 24:47People in every country of the world must hear God's message. They must stop doing wrong things and change how they live. When they do this, God will forgive them. He will forgive all the bad things that they have done. People need to tell this message about the Messiah in Jerusalem first, then tell people in other countries.
• Acts 3:19So you must stop doing wrong things. Change how you live and turn to God. Then God will forgive you for all the wrong things that you have done.
• Acts 26:18You will help them to understand what is really true. They are like people who live in the dark. Teach them what is true about me. Then they will be like people who live in the light. Now Satan has power over them. Lead them from there into God's kingdom. Then God will forgive them for the wrong things that they have done. Because they believe in me, God will accept them as his own people.” ’
• 1 Timothy 1:13Before he chose me, I said bad things about him. I caused great trouble for his people. I was a cruel man, but God was very kind to me. He forgave me because I did not know what I was doing. That was because I did not believe in Jesus.
• James 4:8Come near to God and he will come near to you. Be clean in the way that you live. Stop doing wrong things. Make your minds clean. You cannot love sin and love God at the same time.
• Ezekiel 18:9He faithfully obeys my laws and my rules. A man like that is righteous. He will continue to live. That is what the Almighty Lord says.
• Ezekiel 36:27I will put my Spirit in you, so that you obey my commands. You will be careful to obey my laws.
• Genesis 26:5This will happen because Abraham obeyed me. He obeyed all my laws and rules, and he did what I told him to do.’
• Psalms 119:80Let me obey your commands completely. Then I will not be ashamed.

Commentaries on Ezekiel 18:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21But if the wicked will turn from all his sins - And afterwards walk according to the character of the righteous already specified shall he find mercy, and be for ever saved? Yes.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-29Verses 21-29 The wicked man would be saved, if he turned from his evil ways. The true penitent is a true believer. None of his former transgressions shall be mentioned unto him, but in the righteousness which he has done, as the fruit of faith and the effect of conversion, he shall surely live. The question is not whether the truly righteous ever become apostates. It is certain that many who for a time were thought to be righteous, do so, while Ezek…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21-24Ezekiel gives two more examples. First, wicked people (those who do evil) who turn away from their sins can receive God’s forgiveness. Second, righteous people (those who live in a right way before God) who begin to sin will face judgment.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 21-2421-24. Two last cases, showing the equity of God: (1) The penitent sinner is dealt with according to his new obedience, not according to his former sins. (2) The righteous man who turns from righteousness to sin shall be punished for the latter, and his former righteousness will be of no avail to him. he shall surely live--Despair drives men into hardened recklessness; God therefore allures men to repentance by holding out hope [Calvin]. To threats the…Read the comment

Topics related to Ezekiel 18:21

• Children
• Death
• Judgment
• Penitent
• Repentance
• Responsibility
• Seekers
• Sin
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Cruelly
• Live
• Accountability
• Conversion
• Ezekiel
• God
• Lawful
• Prophecy; Prophets
• Resurrection
• Salvation

Commentaries on Ezekiel 18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings