Ezekiel 18:24

But if a righteous person stops doing righteous things and starts to commit sins and does the same detestable things that wicked people do, he will certainly not [RHQ] be allowed to remain alive. I will not think about the righteous things that he did previously. Because he did not faithfully do what pleases me, and because of all the sins that he has committed, he will be executed.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

23I, Yahweh the Lord, declare that I certainly am not [RHQ] happy about wicked people dying. Instead, I am happy when they turn away from their wicked behavior, and because of that, they remain alive.

25But you say, ‘Yahweh does not act fairly!’ You Israeli people, listen to what I say: It is certainly not [RHQ] what I do that is unfair, it is what you continually do that is not fair/right!

Read all of Ezekiel 18

Cross References

1 Samuel 15:11“I am sorry that I appointed Saul to be your king, because he has turned away from me and has not obeyed what I commanded him to do.” Samuel was very disturbed/upset when he heard that, and he cried out to Yahweh all that night.

2 Chronicles 24:17After Jehoiada died, the leaders of Judah went to Joash, bowed in front of him, and persuaded him to do what they wanted.

Psalms 125:5But when you punish the wicked people who are not Israelis, also punish those Israelis who turn away from walking on the good roads [MET] that you have shown them! I wish that things will go well for people in Israel!

Proverbs 21:16Those who stop behaving like those who have good sense behave will soon discover that they have gone to the place where dead people are.

Ezekiel 18:10But suppose that man has a son who acts violently, who murders people and does any of these other things, even though his father has not done any of them:

Ezekiel 18:22He will not be punished for the sins he committed previously. Because of the good/righteous things that he has done since that time, he will be allowed to remain alive.

Matthew Henry on Ezekiel 18:22-30

Encouragement to Repentance. ( b. c. 593.) 21 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. 22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. 23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God : and not that he should return from his ways, and live? 24 But when the… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Ezekiel 18:24