New Living Translation
Ezekiel 18:24
24However, if righteous people turn from their righteous behavior and start doing sinful things and act like other sinners, should they be allowed to live? No, of course not! All their righteous acts will be forgotten, and they will die for their sins.
Ezekiel 18:24 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
- New International Version (NIV)“But if a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked person does, will they live? None of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness they are guilty of and because of the sins they have committed, they will die.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die.
Context of Ezekiel 18:24
22All their past sins will be forgotten, and they will live because of the righteous things they have done. 23“Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign Lord. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live. However, if righteous people turn from their righteous behavior and start doing sinful things and act like other sinners, should they be allowed to live? No, of course not! All their righteous acts will be forgotten, and they will die for their sins. 25“Yet you say, ‘The Lord isn’t doing what’s right!’ Listen to me, O people of Israel. Am I the one not doing what’s right, or is it you? 26When righteous people turn from their righteous behavior and start doing sinful things, they will die for it. Yes, they will die because of their sinful deeds.
Read all of Ezekiel 18Ezekiel 18:24 word by word
וּבְשׁ֨וּב צַדִּ֤יק מִצִּדְקָתוֹ֙ וְעָ֣שָׂה עָ֔וֶל כְּכֹ֨ל הַתּוֹעֵב֜וֹת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֧ה הָרָשָׁ֛ע יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה וָחָ֑י כָּל־צִדְקֹתָ֤יו אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה֙ לֹ֣א תִזָּכַ֔רְנָה בְּמַעֲל֧וֹ אֲשֶׁר־מָעַ֛ל וּבְחַטָּאת֥וֹ אֲשֶׁר־חָטָ֖א בָּ֥ם יָמֽוּת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But when the righteousצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662
- turneth awayשׁוּבshûb · to return: repentH7725
- from his righteousnessצְדָקָהtsedâqâh · righteousnessH6666
- and committethעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- iniquityעָ֫וֶל‛evel ‛âvel ‛avlâh ‛ôlâh ‛ôlâh · injusticeH5766
- according to all the abominationsתּוֹעֵבַהtô‛êbah tô‛êbah · abominationH8441
- that the wickedרָשָׁעrâshâ‛ · wickedH7563
- shall he liveחָיַיchâyay · to liveH2425
- shall not be mentionedזָכַרzâkar · to rememberH2142
- in his trespassמָעַלmâ‛al · be unfaithfulH4603
- that he hath trespassedמַ֫עַלma‛al · unfaithfulnessH4604
- and in his sinחַטָּאתchaţţâ'âh chaţţâ'th · sinH2403
- that he hath sinnedחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
- in them shall he dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
Cross-references for Ezekiel 18:24
- Ezekiel 18:26When righteous people turn from their righteous behavior and start doing sinful things, they will die for it. Yes, they will die because of their sinful deeds.
- Ezekiel 3:20“If righteous people turn away from their righteous behavior and ignore the obstacles I put in their way, they will die. And if you do not warn them, they will die in their sins. None of their righteous acts will be remembered, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths.
- Ezekiel 33:12“Son of man, give your people this message: The righteous behavior of righteous people will not save them if they turn to sin, nor will the wicked behavior of wicked people destroy them if they repent and turn from their sins.
- 1 Samuel 15:11“I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and has refused to obey my command.” Samuel was so deeply moved when he heard this that he cried out to the Lord all night.
- 2 Chronicles 24:2Joash did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight throughout the lifetime of Jehoiada the priest.
- Psalms 36:3Everything they say is crooked and deceitful. They refuse to act wisely or do good.
- Psalms 125:5But banish those who turn to crooked ways, O Lord. Take them away with those who do evil. May Israel have peace!
- Zephaniah 1:6And I will destroy those who used to worship me but now no longer do. They no longer ask for the Lord’s guidance or seek my blessings.”
- Matthew 13:20The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.
- John 6:66At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him.
- Galatians 5:7You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth?
- Hebrews 10:38And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.”
- 2 Peter 2:18They brag about themselves with empty, foolish boasting. With an appeal to twisted sexual desires, they lure back into sin those who have barely escaped from a lifestyle of deception.
- 1 John 2:19These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us.
- 1 John 5:16If you see a fellow believer sinning in a way that does not lead to death, you should pray, and God will give that person life. But there is a sin that leads to death, and I am not saying you should pray for those who commit it.
- Jude 1:12When these people eat with you in your fellowship meals commemorating the Lord’s love, they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you. They are like shameless shepherds who care only for themselves. They are like clouds blowing over the land without giving any rain. They are like trees in autumn that are doubly dead, for they bear no fruit and have been pulled up by the roots.
Commentaries on Ezekiel 18:24
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 24When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness - Here is the second case. Can a man who was once holy and pure fall away so as to perish everlastingly? Yes. For God says, "If he turn away from his righteousness;" not his self-righteousness, the gloss of theologians: for God never speaks of turning away from that, for, in his eyes, that is a nonentity. There is no righteousness or holiness but what himself infuses into the soul of man, and as to…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. 23-24God does not want wicked people to die. He made Ezekiel a watchman to guide the wicked toward a godly life and to warn the righteous not to stray (Ezekiel 3:16–19; 33:1–9).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 18:24
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
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