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

10“Son of man, say to the people of Israel, ‘You have said this, “Our wickedness and our sins weigh us down, and we are rotting away because of them. How can we live?” ’ 11“Tell them, ‘As I live, declares the Almighty Lord, I don’t want wicked people to die. Rather, I want them to turn from their ways and live. Change the way you think and act! Turn from your wicked ways! Do you want to die, people of Israel?’ “Son of man, say to your people, ‘The right things that a righteous person has done will not save him when he rebels. The wicked things that a wicked person has done will not make him stumble when he turns from his wickedness. The righteous person will not live when he sins.’ 13I may promise the righteous person that he will certainly live. But if he trusts in the right things that he has done and he does evil, none of the right things that he has done will be remembered. He will die because of the evil things he has done. 14I may warn the wicked person that he will certainly die. But suppose he turns from his sin and does what is fair 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. Tell them, ‘Suppose I bring war on this country, and the people of this country choose one of their men and make him their watchman.
• Ezekiel 33:18If the righteous person turns from the right things that he has done and does evil, he will die because of it.
• Ezekiel 3:20If righteous people turn from living the right way and do wrong, I will make them stumble, and they will die. If you don’t warn them, they will die because of their sin, and the right things they did will not be remembered. I will hold you responsible for their deaths.
• Ezekiel 18:24“But suppose a righteous person turns away from doing right and he does evil things. He does all the disgusting things that the wicked person did. Will he live? All the right things that he has done will not be remembered because of his unfaithfulness and because of his sin. He will die because of them.
• Ezekiel 33:19If the wicked person turns from his wickedness and does what is fair and right, he will live because of it.
• Ezekiel 18:21“But suppose a wicked person turns away from all the sins that he has done. He obeys all my laws and does what is fair and right. He will certainly live. He will not die.
• 1 Kings 8:48if they change their attitude toward you in the land of their enemies where they are captives, if they pray to you toward the land that you gave their ancestors, and the city you have chosen, and the temple I have built for your name,
• 2 Chronicles 7:14However, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, search for me, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear ⌞their prayer⌟ from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their country.
• Matthew 21:28“What do you think about this? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go to work in the vineyard today.’
• Romans 3:25God showed that Christ is the throne of mercy where God’s approval is given through faith in Christ’s blood. In his patience God waited to deal with sins committed in the past.
• 1 John 2:1My dear children, I’m writing this to you so that you will not sin. Yet, if anyone does sin, we have Jesus Christ, who has God’s full approval. He speaks on our behalf when we come into the presence of the Father.

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