Ezekiel 18:24
in Ezekiel 18But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, committing the same abominations as the wicked, will he live? None of the righteous acts he did will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness and sin he has committed, he will die.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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? None of his righteous deeds that he hath done shall be remembered: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
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.
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This verse in Ezekiel 18
Commentary
11 notes on this verseWhen 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.
This site's exposition
But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness
A righteous man who turns to iniquity forfeits the record of his righteousness, and dies in the sin he commits. Wesley reads the symmetry as the chapter's point, standing before God is never a stored balance but a present condition. The verse has occasioned disagreement among theologians over final perseverance.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
(Verse 24) But if the righteous turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity according to all the abominations that the wicked person usually does, will he live? None of the righteous deeds that he had done will be remembered. In the transgression that he has committed, and in the sin that he has sinned, he shall die. Just as the previous sins do not burden a righteous person who has sinned, so the previous righteousness does not benefit a sinner who was previously righteous. For each person will be judged according to what is found in them.
A commentator
John ChrysostomHOMILIES ON REPENTANCE AND ALMSGIVING 7:2.5 · Written before 407.
proposed
O such strictness toward the righteous! O such abundant forgiveness toward the sinner! He finds so many different means, without himself changing, to keep the righteous in check and forgive the sinner, by usefully dividing his rich goodness. And listen how. If he frightens the sinner who persists in sins, he brings him to desperation and to the exhaustion of hope. If he blesses the righteous, he weakens the intensity of his virtue and makes him neglect his zeal, since he considers himself already blessed. For this reason he is merciful to the sinner and frightens the righteous.
A commentator
Pacian of BarcelonaLetter 3: Against the Treatise of the Novatians · Written before 391.
proposed
Remark all the sins which God threatens, thou wilt at once see that they are present sins. But if his past righteousness shall not profit the righteous in the time of his iniquity, neither shall his wickedness which he hath forsaken hurt the wicked man …
The Medieval Church1 voice
But behold, while we search out the secrets of the heavenly citizens, we have digressed far from the order of our exposition. Let us therefore sigh toward those of whom we speak, but let us return to ourselves. For we ought to remember that we are flesh. Let us be silent meanwhile about the secrets of heaven, but before the eyes of our Creator let us wipe away the stains of our dust with the hand of repentance. Behold, divine mercy itself promises, saying: There shall be joy in heaven over one sinner doing penance; and yet through the prophet the Lord says: In whatever day the just man shall sin, all his righteousnesses shall be in oblivion before me. Let us consider, if we can, the dispensation of heavenly loving-kindness. To those who stand, if they should fall, he threatens punishment; but to the fallen, that they might desire to rise, he promises mercy. He terrifies those, lest they presume upon their good works; he comforts these, lest they despair in their evils. You are just—fear wrath, lest you fall; you are a sinner—trust in mercy, that you may rise.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Here is, (1.) The character of an apostate, that turns away from his righteousness. He never was in sincerity a righteous man (as appears by that of the apostle, 1 John ii. 19 , If they had been of us, they would, no doubt, have continued with us ), but he passed for a righteous man.
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Observe, (1.) What is required to denominate a man a true convert, how he must be qualified that he may be entitled to this act of indemnity. [1.] The first step towards conversion is consideration (
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But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
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;
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
righteous--one apparently such; as in Mt 9:13, "I came not to call the righteous," &c., that is, those who fancy themselves righteous. Those alone are true saints who by the grace of God persevere (Mt 24:13;
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The words behind it
26 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּבְשׁ֨וּב | uveshuv | and when turns away | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| צַדִּ֤יק | tzadik | [the] righteous | H6662 → | 206 times |
| מִצִּדְקָתוֹ֙ | mitzidkato | from righteousness his | H6666 → | 157 times |
| וְעָ֣שָׂה | veasah | and he will do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| עָ֔וֶל | ʾavel | injustice | H5766 → | 54 times |
| כְּכֹ֨ל | kekhol | according to all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַתּוֹעֵב֜וֹת | hatoevot | the abominations | H8441 → | 117 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עָשָׂ֧ה | ʾasah | he did | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| הָרָשָׁ֛ע | harasha' | the wicked [person] | H7563 → | 263 times |
| יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה | yaaseh | he will do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| וָחָ֑י | vachai | and will he live? | H2421 → | 282 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| צִדְקֹתָ֤יו | tzidkatov | righteousness<es> his | H6666 → | 157 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עָשָׂה֙ | ʾasah | he did | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תִזָּכַ֔רְנָה | tizakharnah | they will be remembered | H2142 → | 230 times |
| בְּמַעֲל֧וֹ | bemaalo | for unfaithfulness his | H4604 → | 28 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| מָעַ֛ל | maal | he has acted unfaithfully | H4603 → | 36 times |
| וּבְחַטָּאת֥וֹ | uvechatato | and for sin his | H2403 → | 295 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| חָטָ֖א | chata' | he has sinned | H2398 → | 238 times |
| בָּ֥ם | bam | for them | ||
| יָמֽוּת׃ | yamut | he will die | H4191 → | 839 times |
וּבְשׁ֨וּבand when turns away
uveshuvH7725 →1056 times
צַדִּ֤יק[the] righteous
tzadikH6662 →206 times
מִצִּדְקָתוֹ֙from righteousness his
mitzidkatoH6666 →157 times
וְעָ֣שָׂהand he will do
veasahH6213 →2628 times
עָ֔וֶלinjustice
ʾavelH5766 →54 times
כְּכֹ֨לaccording to all
kekholH3605 →5413 times
הַתּוֹעֵב֜וֹתthe abominations
hatoevotH8441 →117 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
עָשָׂ֧הhe did
ʾasahH6213 →2628 times
הָרָשָׁ֛עthe wicked [person]
harasha'H7563 →263 times
יַעֲשֶׂ֖הhe will do
yaasehH6213 →2628 times
וָחָ֑יand will he live?
vachaiH2421 →282 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
צִדְקֹתָ֤יוrighteousness<es> his
tzidkatovH6666 →157 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
עָשָׂה֙he did
ʾasahH6213 →2628 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
תִזָּכַ֔רְנָהthey will be remembered
tizakharnahH2142 →230 times
בְּמַעֲל֧וֹfor unfaithfulness his
bemaaloH4604 →28 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
מָעַ֛לhe has acted unfaithfully
maalH4603 →36 times
וּבְחַטָּאת֥וֹand for sin his
uvechatatoH2403 →295 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
חָטָ֖אhe has sinned
chata'H2398 →238 times
בָּ֥םfor them
bam
יָמֽוּת׃he will die
yamutH4191 →839 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 John 1:8Watch yourselves, so that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be fully rewarded.
it leads to
- Hebrews 10:35
So do not throw away your confidence; it holds a great reward.
- Revelation 3:11
I am coming soon. Hold fast to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.
- 1 Corinthians 3:14
If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward.
- 1 Corinthians 3:8
He who plants and he who waters are one in purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.
- Hebrews 12:15
See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God, and that no root of bitterness springs up to cause trouble and defile many.
- Hebrews 10:35
Through
Proverbs 21:16The man who strays from the path of understanding will rest in the assembly of the dead.
it leads to
- Hebrews 10:38
But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he shrinks back, I will take no pleasure in him.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 125:5
But those who turn to crooked ways the LORD will banish with the evildoers. Peace be upon Israel.
- Hebrews 10:38
Through
Ezekiel 33:18If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he will die for it.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 33:12–13
Therefore, son of man, say to your people: ‘The righteousness of the righteous man will not deliver him in the day of his transgression; neither will the wickedness of the wicked man cause him…
- Ezekiel 33:12–13
Where this verse is studied
About Ezekiel
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Carl Friedrich Keil, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Ezekiel; Gregory the Dialogist, Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 34; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON REPENTANCE AND ALMSGIVING 7:2.5; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Pacian of Barcelona, Letter 3: Against the Treatise of the Novatians.