Ezekiel 18:24

The Soul Who Sins Will Die · Ezekiel 18:1–32
Read Ezekiel 18

Translations

Modern
But 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.
Traditional
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.
Literal
And in the turning away of a righteous man from his righteousness, and he has done iniquity according to all the abominations that the wicked one does, he does, then will he live? All the righteousness that he has done will not be remembered because of the unfaithfulness with which he was unfaithful and the sin that he has sinned; in them he will die.
Latin
Si autem averterit se justus a justitia sua, et fecerit iniquitatem secundum omnes abominationes quas operari solet impius, numquid vivet? Omnes justitiæ ejus quas fecerat, non recordabuntur: in prævaricatione qua prævaricatus est, et in peccato suo quod peccavit, in ipsis morietur.

Original

Hebrew
English
But 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.

Notes

God 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).

Ezekiel 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.

This section includes eight metaphors, each showing from a different angle the certainty of Jerusalem's upcoming judgment. The images are of:

  1. a worthless vine (Ezekiel 15);

  2. a faithless wife (Ezekiel 16);

  3. a vine and two eagles (Ezekiel 17);

  4. Sour grapes (Ezekiel 18);

  5. a lion and her cubs (Ezekiel 19);

  6. a sword (Ezekiel 21);

  7. two corrupt sisters (Ezekiel 23); and

  8. a cooking pot (Ezekiel 24).

Theme notes and profiles

The Choice of Life or Death

Events

Glossary

Conversion Death Ezekiel, Book of Proverbs, Book of Sin

Topics

Apostasy: Unclassified Scriptures Relating To Backsliders: General Scriptures Concerning Children: Not Punished for Parents' Sake Death: Second Judgment: According to Opportunity and Works Judgment: The General Losing your Salvation Responsibility: According to Privilege