Ezekiel 33:12

Ezekiel 33:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth.
• New International Version (NIV)“Therefore, son of man, say to your people, ‘If someone who is righteous disobeys, that person’s former righteousness will count for nothing. And if someone who is wicked repents, that person’s former wickedness will not bring condemnation. The righteous person who sins will not be allowed to live even though they were formerly righteous.’
• English Standard Version (ESV)"And you, son of man, say to your people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him when he transgresses, and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall by it when he turns from his wickedness, and the righteous shall not be able to live by his righteousness when he sins.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Therefore you, O son of man, say to the children of your people: ‘The righteousness of the righteous man shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression; as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall because of it in the day that he turns from his wickedness; nor shall the righteous be able to live because of his righteousness in the day that he sins.’

Context of Ezekiel 33:12

10Son of man, give Israel's people this message: “You are saying, ‘The punishment for our sins is too much for us. We are dying because of all the bad things that we have done. What should we do so that we can continue to live?’ ” 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!” Son of man, you must say to your people, “If a righteous person refuses to obey me, I will punish him. The good things that he has done will not save him. And if a wicked person stops doing bad things, he will no longer be guilty. Righteous people will not continue to live if they start to do bad things.” 13I may say to righteous people that they will certainly continue to live. But then they may trust in the good things that they have done. They may think that I will not punish them if they start to do evil things. But if they do that, I will destroy them because of their sins. I will not even think about the good things that they did at an earlier time. 14Also, I may say to wicked people, “You will certainly die because of your sins.” But then they may stop doing bad things. They may start to do things that are good and right.

Ezekiel 33:12 word by word

וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֗ם אֱמֹ֤ר אֶל־בְּנֵֽי־עַמְּךָ֙ צִדְקַ֣ת הַצַּדִּ֗יק לֹ֤א תַצִּילֶ֙נּוּ֙ בְּי֣וֹם פִּשְׁע֔וֹ וְרִשְׁעַ֤ת הָֽרָשָׁע֙ לֹֽא־יִכָּ֣שֶׁל בָּ֔הּ בְּי֖וֹם שׁוּב֣וֹ מֵֽרִשְׁע֑וֹ וְצַדִּ֗יק לֹ֥א יוּכַ֛ל לִֽחְי֥וֹת בָּ֖הּ בְּי֥וֹם חֲטֹאתֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Therefore, thou sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of thy peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• The righteousnessצְדָקָהtsedâqâh · righteousnessH6666
• of the righteousצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662
• shall not deliverנָצַלnâtsal · to rescueH5337
• him in the dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• of his transgressionפֶּ֫שַׁעpesha‛ · transgressionH6588
• as for the wickednessרִשְׁעָהrish‛âh · wickednessH7564
• of the wickedרָשָׁעrâshâ‛ · wickedH7563
• he shall not fallכָּשַׁלkâshal · to stumbleH3782
• that he turnethשׁוּבshûb · to return: repentH7725
• from his wickednessרֶ֫שַׁעresha‛ · wickednessH7562
• be ableיָכֹלyâkôl yâkôl · be ableH3201
• to liveחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421
• that he sinnethחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398

Cross-references for Ezekiel 33:12

• Ezekiel 33:2‘Son of man, speak to your people. Say to them, “Think about what might happen if I send an army to attack a country. The people of that country might choose one of their own men to be a guard to warn them about danger.
• Ezekiel 33:18If a righteous person stops doing good things and he starts to do evil things, he will die. He deserves to die because of his sins.
• Ezekiel 3:20A righteous person may stop doing things that are right. He may start to do bad things. Then I will put him in danger. He will die as punishment for his sins. I will not remember the good things that he did. But if you have not warned him of the danger, I will say that you are guilty. It is as if you killed him yourself.
• Ezekiel 18:24A righteous person may stop doing things that are good and right. He may start to do the same disgusting things that wicked people do. Then he will not continue to live. I will not remember any of the good things that he did. Instead, I will punish him because of the sins that he has done. He has not been faithful to me, so he will die.
• Ezekiel 33:19Also, if a wicked person stops doing bad things and he starts to do things that are good and right, he will continue to live. He deserves to live because he has changed.
• Ezekiel 18:21But 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.
• 1 Kings 8:48In the country where they are prisoners, they may turn back to you and worship you truly. They may turn towards this land that you gave to their ancestors. They may pray to you as they look towards this city that you have chosen. They may look towards the temple that I have built to give you honour.
• 2 Chronicles 7:14If that happens, my people who belong to me should be humble and they should pray to me. They should turn away from their sins and try to please me. Then I will hear them from heaven. I will forgive their sins and I will make their land successful again.
• Matthew 21:28Jesus said to the Jewish leaders, ‘Tell me what you think about this story. A man had two sons. He went to the older son and said, “Son, go and work in my field today.”
• Romans 3:25God showed everyone that Jesus Christ died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. God forgives us if we trust in Jesus and the blood of his sacrifice. God did this to show clearly that he is always right and fair. In past times, God was patient. He did not punish people who did wrong things.
• 1 John 2:1I am writing this letter to you, my friends who are like my little children. I am writing to you because I do not want you to do wrong things. But if anyone among you does something wrong, there is someone who will speak to God on our behalf. That person is Jesus Christ, who always does only what is right. He will ask our Father God to forgive you.

Commentaries on Ezekiel 33:12

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-20Verses 10-20 Those who despaired of finding mercy with God, are answered with a solemn declaration of God's readiness to show mercy. The ruin of the city and state was determined, but that did not relate to the final state of persons. God says to the righteous, that he shall surely live. But many who have made profession, have been ruined by proud confidence in themselves. Man trusts to his own righteousness, and presuming on his own sufficiency, he is…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-16The principle in Ezekiel 33:10–11 is explained through two examples. The first example concerns righteous people. Some trust in their past good behavior to save them. But later they turn to sin. God says he will judge them for their present sin, even if they once lived righteously. Their past obedience will not protect them if they now reject what is right. The second example concerns wicked people who repent. If they turn away from their evil actions and…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. not fall ... in the day that he turneth--(2Ch 7:14; see Eze 3:20; 18:24).Read the comment

Topics related to Ezekiel 33:12

• Apostasy
• Backsliders
• Condescension of God
• God Continued...
• Opportunity
• Penitent
• Repentance
• Responsibility
• Supererogation
• Wicked (People)
• Works

In the dictionaries

• Son of man
• Ezekiel, Book of
• Turn
• Evil
• Ezekiel
• Imputation
• Prophecy; Prophets
• Resurrection
• Salvation
• Teach; Teacher; Teaching

Commentaries on Ezekiel 33

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• 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
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings