New King James Version
Ezekiel 18:21
21“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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)But if wicked people turn away from all their sins and begin to obey my decrees and do what is just and right, they will surely live and not die.
Context of Ezekiel 18:21
19“Yet you say, ‘Why should the son not bear the guilt of the father?’ Because the son has done what is lawful and right, and has kept all My statutes and observed them, he shall surely live. 20The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. “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. 22None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall live. 23Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord God, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live?
Read all of Ezekiel 18Ezekiel 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 18:27Again, when a wicked man turns away from the wickedness which he committed, and does what is lawful and right, he preserves himself alive.
- Ezekiel 33:11Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’
- 2 Chronicles 33:12Now when he was in affliction, he implored the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,
- Proverbs 28:13He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
- Isaiah 1:16“Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil,
- Isaiah 55:6Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.
- Isaiah 55:7Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.
- Luke 24:47and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
- Acts 3:19Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
- Acts 26:18to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’
- 1 Timothy 1:13although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
- James 4:8Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
- Ezekiel 18:9If he has walked in My statutes And kept My judgments faithfully— He is just; He shall surely live!” Says the Lord God.
- Ezekiel 36:27I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.
- Genesis 26:5because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”
- Psalms 119:80Let my heart be blameless regarding Your statutes, That I may 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
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries