Ezekiel 33:13

Translation
King James Version
When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.
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KJV (with Strong's)
When I shall say H559 to the righteous H6662, that he shall surely H2421 live H2421; if he trust H982 to his own righteousness H6666, and commit H6213 iniquity H5766, all his righteousnesses H6666 shall not be remembered H2142; but for his iniquity H5766 that he hath committed H6213, he shall die H4191 for it.
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Complete Jewish Bible
So if, after I tell the righteous person that he will surely live, he begins trusting in his own [former] righteousness and starts committing crimes; then none of his [former] righteous actions will be remembered; on the contrary, he will die for the evil deeds he has committed.
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Berean Standard Bible
If I tell the righteous man that he will surely live, but he then trusts in his righteousness and commits iniquity, then none of his righteous works will be remembered; he will die because of the iniquity he has committed.
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American Standard Version
When I say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his righteousness, and commit iniquity, none of his righteous deeds shall be remembered; but in his iniquity that he hath committed, therein shall he die.
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World English Bible Messianic
When I tell the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his righteousness, and commit iniquity, none of his righteous deeds shall be remembered; but in his iniquity that he has committed, therein shall he die.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
When I shall say vnto the righteous, that he shall surely liue, if he trust to his owne righteousnes, and commit iniquitie, all his righteousnes shall be no more remembred, but for his iniquitie that he hath committed, he shall die for the same.
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Young's Literal Translation
In My saying of the righteous: He surely liveth, And--he hath trusted on his righteousness, And he hath done perversity, All his righteous acts are not remembered, And for his perversity that he hath done, For it he doth die.
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See also
Ezekiel 18:24Hebrews 10:38Ezekiel 18:4Ezekiel 3:20Romans 10:32 Peter 2:202 Peter 2:22
In the KJVVerse 21,294 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Ezekiel 33:13 presents a profound and sobering divine declaration concerning the conditional nature of righteousness and the imperative for continuous faithfulness. It asserts that if an individual, previously affirmed as righteous and promised life, subsequently presumes upon their past good deeds, commits iniquity, and persists in it, their former acts of righteousness will no longer be acknowledged by God. Consequently, they will face the ultimate consequence of death due to their present, unrepentant sin. This verse powerfully underscores God's unwavering justice, the critical importance of ongoing obedience, and the necessity of genuine repentance, highlighting that past spiritual standing does not exempt one from accountability for current transgression.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: This verse is strategically positioned within a pivotal section of Ezekiel's prophetic ministry, specifically in Ezekiel 33, where God re-commissions Ezekiel as a "watchman" for the house of Israel. This re-commissioning, occurring after the devastating fall of Jerusalem, marks a significant shift in emphasis from corporate judgment to individual responsibility, a theme profoundly introduced in Ezekiel 18. Verses Ezekiel 33:10-12 immediately precede this verse, presenting the converse scenario: a wicked person who turns from their sin will live. Thus, Ezekiel 33:13 completes a balanced theological statement, emphasizing that both the wicked and the righteous are judged by their current spiritual trajectory, not merely by their past status. The passage stresses God's profound desire for life, not death, for all who genuinely turn to Him (Ezekiel 33:11).
  • Historical & Cultural Context: Ezekiel prophesied during the Babylonian exile (6th century BCE), a period of immense national trauma and profound theological re-evaluation for the exiled Israelites. Many exiles clung to a false sense of security, believing that their status as God's chosen people or their past adherence to the Mosaic covenant would guarantee their survival or restoration, regardless of their current moral state. There was also a prevalent notion of corporate guilt, where individuals felt they were being punished for the sins of their ancestors, as captured in the proverb, "The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge" (Ezekiel 18:2). Ezekiel's message, particularly in Ezekiel 18 and Ezekiel 33, forcefully refutes this, shifting the focus to individual accountability and the present choices of each person. The concept of "righteousness" in this context refers to adherence to the Mosaic Law and covenant stipulations, while "iniquity" signifies a deliberate and persistent departure from those divine standards.
  • Key Themes: Ezekiel 33:13 contributes significantly to several major themes within the book of Ezekiel and broader biblical theology. Individual Accountability is paramount, asserting that each person's destiny is determined by their own actions and choices, not by ancestral merit or past achievements. This challenges any form of spiritual presumption. The Conditional Nature of God's Covenant is also highlighted; while God's promises are sure, their benefits are often contingent upon human faithfulness and obedience. The verse serves as a stark warning against Spiritual Complacency and the Danger of Presumption, particularly for those who might rely on a past declaration of faith or a period of righteous living as a permanent shield against the consequences of sin. Finally, it underscores God's Impartial Justice, demonstrating that His standards are consistent and apply to all, regardless of their prior spiritual standing, demanding ongoing perseverance in righteousness.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • say (Hebrew, ʼâmar', H559): This primitive root means "to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, desire, determine, expressly, indeed, intend, name, plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), still, suppose, talk, tell, term, that is, think, use (speech), utter, verily, yet." In this context, it signifies a divine declaration, a formal pronouncement by God establishing a truth or a condition for life.
  • live (Hebrew, châyâh', H2421): This primitive root means "to live, whether literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive; keep (leave, make) alive, certainly, give (promise) life, (let, suffer to) live, nourish up, preserve (alive), quicken, recover, repair, restore (to life), revive, (God) save (alive, life, lives), surely, be whole." When God declares that the righteous "shall surely live," it signifies a promise of sustained spiritual vitality, well-being, and continued existence in His favor, a direct consequence of their adherence to His ways.
  • remembered (Hebrew, zâkar', H2142): This primitive root means "properly, to mark (so as to be recognized), i.e. to remember; by implication, to mention; to be male; idiom burn (incense), idiom earnestly, be male, (make) mention (of), be mindful, recount, record(-er), remember, make to be remembered, bring (call, come, keep, put) to (in) remembrance, idiom still, think on, idiom well." When God states that "all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered," it does not imply divine amnesia. Rather, it means that God will no longer acknowledge, credit, or take into account those past good deeds as a basis for life or favor when the individual has turned to and persisted in iniquity. It signifies a withdrawal of divine recognition and the nullification of their former standing.

Verse Breakdown

  • "When I shall say to the righteous, [that] he shall surely live;": This opening clause establishes a divine promise of life and well-being to those who are currently living in accordance with God's standards. It sets the stage for a conditional statement, indicating God's initial disposition and declaration towards the righteous individual, affirming their state of spiritual vitality.
  • "if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, ": This is the critical conditional clause, outlining the forfeiture of the promise. "If he trust to his own righteousness" describes a dangerous spiritual presumption, a reliance on self-merit or past performance rather than ongoing dependence on God's grace. Coupled with this is the active choice to "commit iniquity," which signifies a deliberate and persistent turning away from God's commands and engaging in sin.
  • "all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered;": This clause describes the immediate consequence of the preceding condition. God will not "remember" or acknowledge the individual's past acts of righteousness. This is not a literal forgetting by God, but rather a divine refusal to credit or count those past deeds as a basis for life or favor, given the current state of rebellion and sin. Their former good works are nullified in the face of present unrepentance.
  • "but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.": This final clause states the ultimate outcome. The individual will face the consequence of death (spiritual separation and judgment, potentially physical death as well) specifically because of the iniquity they have committed and persisted in. This underscores the principle of immediate accountability for present sin, regardless of past spiritual achievements or declarations of righteousness.

Literary Devices

Ezekiel 33:13 employs several potent literary devices to convey its urgent message. The primary device is a Conditional Statement (an "if...then" structure), which clearly delineates the cause-and-effect relationship between human action and divine consequence. This structure emphasizes human agency and responsibility in their spiritual trajectory. There is a strong Contrast established between the initial state of righteousness and the subsequent turn to iniquity, and likewise between the promise of life and the outcome of death. This stark juxtaposition highlights the severity of spiritual backsliding and the decisive nature of God's judgment. The phrase "shall not be remembered" functions as a form of Anthropomorphism, attributing a human characteristic (remembering/forgetting) to God. However, as analyzed above, it is not literal forgetfulness but a theological statement about God's just judgment and the nullification of past merits in the face of present unrepentant sin. Finally, there is an element of Irony in the "righteous" person dying, precisely because they "trust to his own righteousness," which becomes their downfall, rather than a continuous, humble walk with God.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Ezekiel 33:13 is a powerful testament to God's unwavering justice and holiness, revealing that His standards are not arbitrary and His covenant is not a license for sin. It dismantles any notion of "once righteous, always righteous" without the accompanying commitment to ongoing obedience and a life of repentance. The verse emphasizes that true righteousness is not a static declaration but a dynamic, continuous walk of faithfulness. It warns against the spiritual danger of presumption, where past spiritual achievements or a declaration of faith are seen as an immunization against the consequences of present, deliberate sin. God's judgment is based on the current state of the heart and actions, underscoring the critical need for perseverance in faith and a vigilant guard against backsliding. This principle is echoed throughout Scripture, emphasizing the necessity of enduring to the end.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Ezekiel 33:13 serves as a profound and sobering mirror for every believer, challenging any complacency or presumption in our spiritual walk. It reminds us that our standing before God is not merely a historical event but a continuous, dynamic relationship requiring ongoing vigilance, humility, and obedience. We are called to maintain a heart of repentance, acknowledging that even after experiencing God's grace, we remain susceptible to sin. This verse urges us to cultivate a consistent and authentic faith that manifests in daily choices, rather than resting on past laurels or a superficial declaration. Our hope is not in our own fleeting righteousness, but in the enduring righteousness of Christ, which we are called to embody through a Spirit-led life. This passage compels us to examine our hearts for any subtle reliance on past performance or self-merit, prompting us instead to cling ever more tightly to Christ, the source of all true and lasting righteousness.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what areas of my life might I be subtly "trusting in my own righteousness" rather than continually relying on God's grace and ongoing transformation?
  • How does this verse challenge my understanding of perseverance and the ongoing, dynamic nature of my walk with God?
  • What practical steps can I take to cultivate a more vigilant and consistent obedience to God's commands, guarding against spiritual complacency and deliberate sin?

FAQ

Does this verse mean that a person can lose their salvation?

Answer: This verse highlights the serious consequences for someone who, having been declared righteous, turns to deliberate and persistent sin. While theological interpretations vary on the concept of "losing salvation," the verse unequivocally teaches that a past declaration of righteousness does not grant immunity from the consequences of present, unrepentant sin. It emphasizes that God's justice is applied based on one's current spiritual trajectory and actions. It serves as a strong warning against spiritual presumption and backsliding, underscoring the necessity of ongoing faithfulness and genuine repentance, as seen in passages like Hebrews 6:4-6 and 2 Peter 2:20-22.

What does it mean that "all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered"? Does God forget?

Answer: When the text states that God will "not remember" past righteousness, it does not imply divine amnesia. God is omniscient and does not literally forget anything. Instead, "not remembered" means that God will no longer acknowledge, credit, or take into account those past good deeds as a basis for life or favor. In the context of the individual's current and persistent iniquity, their former righteous acts lose their efficacy as a plea for divine blessing or escape from judgment. It signifies a divine withdrawal of recognition for past merit when present sin is embraced, demonstrating God's impartial justice that judges based on current conduct, as also implied in Romans 2:6-8.

Is God's grace not sufficient if past righteousness can be disregarded?

Answer: God's grace is indeed sufficient and abundant, but it is not a license for sin (Romans 6:1-2). This verse does not negate grace but clarifies its proper understanding. Grace calls us to repentance and empowers us to live righteously. When a person, having received grace and lived righteously, then deliberately turns to iniquity and trusts in their own past deeds, they are in essence rejecting the ongoing work of grace in their lives. The verse underscores that grace leads to transformation and sustained obedience, not spiritual apathy or a presumption that past grace covers future, unrepentant sin. True grace leads to a desire for holiness and perseverance in faith, teaching us "to say 'no' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age" (Titus 2:11-12).

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Ezekiel 33:13, with its stark warning about the conditional and ultimately insufficient nature of human righteousness, powerfully points to the absolute necessity and eternal sufficiency of Christ. In the Old Covenant, human righteousness, even when genuine, was always imperfect and susceptible to failure, as this verse vividly illustrates. No amount of past good deeds could ultimately secure eternal life if one turned away from God, highlighting humanity's desperate need for a righteousness that is not our own—a righteousness that is perfect, enduring, and unassailable. Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of this need; He is the only one who lived a life of perfect, unwavering righteousness, never trusting in His own merit but always in complete obedience to the Father (Hebrews 4:15). Through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, Christ provides a righteousness that is imputed to believers by faith (Romans 3:21-22). Unlike the "righteousnesses" of Ezekiel 33:13, which could be "not remembered" due to subsequent sin, the righteousness of Christ is eternally credited to those who are "in Christ" (Philippians 3:9). This does not, however, negate the call to perseverance. Rather, it transforms it. Believers are called to "walk in a manner worthy of the Lord" (Colossians 1:10), not to earn salvation, but as a fruit of the Spirit's work within them, empowered by the very righteousness they have received. The warning in Ezekiel 33:13 serves as a profound reminder that true faith in Christ is not a one-time intellectual assent but an ongoing, living relationship that produces a desire for holiness and a turning away from sin, sustained by the grace of God (1 John 1:9). Our security is not in our own ability to maintain righteousness, but in the steadfastness of Christ's perfect righteousness and His ongoing intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25).

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Commentary on Ezekiel 33 verses 10–20

I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points(1.) (2.) Details

These verses are the substance of what we had before (Eze 18:20, etc.) and they are so full and express a declaration of the terms on which people stand with God (as the former were of the terms on which ministers stand) that it is no wonder that they are here repeated, as those were, though we had the substance of them before. Observe here,

I. The cavils of the people against God's proceedings with them. God was now in his providence contending with them, but their uncircumcised hearts were not as yet humbled, for they were industrious to justify themselves, though thereby they reflected on God. Two things they insisted upon, in their reproaches of God, and in both they added iniquity to their sin and misery to their punishment: - 1. They quarrelled with his promises and favours, as having no kindness nor sincerity in them, Eze 33:10. God had set life before them, but they plead that he had set it out of their reach, and therefore did but mock them with the mention of it. The prophet had said, some time ago (Eze 24:23), You shall pine away for your iniquities; with that word he had concluded his threatenings against Judah and Jerusalem; and this they now upbraided him with, as if it had been spoken absolutely, to drive them to despair; whereas it was spoken conditionally, to bring them to repentance. Thus are the sayings of God's ministers perverted by men of corrupt minds, who are inclined to pick quarrels. He puts them in hopes of life and happiness; and herein they would make him contradict himself; "for" (say they) "if our transgressions and our sins be upon us, as thou hast often told us they are, and if we must, as thou sayest, pine away in them, and wear out a miserable captivity in a fruitless repentance, how shall we then live? If this be our doom, there is no remedy. We die, we perish, we all perish." Note, It is very common for those that have been hardened with presumption when they were warned against sin to sink into despair when they are called to repent, and to conclude there is no hope of life for them. 2. They quarrelled with his threatenings and judgments, as having no justice or equity in them. They said, The way of the Lord is not equal (Eze 17:20), suggesting that God was partial in his proceedings, that with him there was respect of persons and that he was more severe against sin and sinners than there was cause.

II. Here is a satisfactory answer given to both these cavils.

1.Those that despaired of finding mercy with God are here answered with a solemn declaration of God's readiness to show mercy, Eze 33:11. When they spoke of pining away in their iniquity God sent the prophet to them, with all speed, to tell them that though their case was sad it was not desperate, but there was yet hope in Israel. (1.) It is certain that God has no delight in the ruin of sinners, nor does he desire it. If they will destroy themselves, he will glorify himself in it, but he has no pleasure in it, but would rather they should turn and live, for his goodness is that attribute of his which is most his glory, which is most his delight. He would rather sinners should turn and live than go on and die. He has said it, he has sworn it, that by these two immutable things, in both which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation. We have his word and his oath; and, since he could swear by no greater, he swears by himself: As I live. They questioned whether they should live, though they did repent and reform; yea, says God, as sure as I live, true penitents shall live also; for their life is hid with Christ in God. (2.) It is certain that God is sincere and in earnest in the calls he gives sinners to repent: Turn you, turn you, from your evil way. To repent is to turn from our evil way; this God requires sinners to do; this he urges them to do by repeated pressing instances: Turn you, turn you. O that they would be prevailed with to turn, to turn quickly, without delay! This he will enable them to do if they will but frame their doings to turn to the Lord, Hos 5:4. For he has said, I will pour out my Spirit unto you, Pro 1:23. And in this he will accept of them; for it is not only what he commands, but what he courts them to. (3.) It is certain that, if sinners perish in their impenitency, it is owing to themselves; they die because they will die; and herein they act most absurdly and unreasonably: Why will you die, O house of Israel? God would have heard them, and they would not be heard.

2.Those that despaired of finding justice with God are here answered with a solemn declaration of the rule of judgment which God would go by in dealing with the children of men, which carries along with it the evidence of its own equity; he that runs may read the justice of it. The Jewish nation, as a nation, was now dead; it was ruined to all intents and purposes. The prophet must therefore deal with particular persons, and the rule of judgment concerning them is much like that concerning a nation, Jer 18:8-10. If God speak concerning it to build and to plant, and it do wickedly, he will recall his favours and leave it to ruin. But if he speak concerning it to pluck up and destroy, and it repent, he will revoke the sentence and deliver it. So it is here. In short, The most plausible professors, if they apostatize, shall certainly perish for ever in their apostasy from God; and the most notorious sinners, if they repent, shall certainly be happy for ever in their return to God. This is here repeated again and again, because it ought to be again and again considered, and preached over to our own hearts. This was necessary to be inculcated upon this stupid senseless people, that said, The way of the Lord is not equal; for these rules of judgment are so plainly just that they need no other confirmation of them than the repetition of them.

(1.)If those that have made a great profession of religion throw off their profession, quit the good ways of God and grow loose and carnal, sensual and worldly, the profession they made and all the religious performances with which they had for a great while kept up the credit of their profession shall stand them in no stead, but they shall certainly perish in their iniquity, Eze 33:12, Eze 33:13, Eze 33:18. [1.] God says to the righteous man that he shall surely live, Eze 33:13. He says it by his word, by his ministers. He that lives regularly, his own heart tells him, his neighbours tell him, He shall live. Surely such a man as this cannot but be happy. And it is certain, if he proceed and persevere in his righteousness, and if, in order to that, he be upright and sincere in it, if he be really as good as he seems to be, he shall live; he shall continue in the love of God and be for ever happy in that love. [2.] Righteous men, who have very good hopes of themselves and whom others have a very good opinion of, are yet in danger of turning to iniquity by trusting to their righteousness. So the case is put here: If he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, and come to make a trade of sin - if he not only take a false step, but turn aside into a false way and persist in it. This may possibly be the case of a righteous man, and it is the effect of his trusting to his own righteousness. Note, Many eminent professors have been ruined by a proud conceitedness of themselves and confidence in themselves. He trust to the merit of his own righteousness, and thinks he has already made God so much his debtor that now he may venture to commit iniquity, for he has righteousness enough in stock to make amends for it; he fancies that whatever evil deeds he may do hereafter he can be in no danger from them, having so many good deeds beforehand to counterbalance them. Or, He trust to the strength of his own righteousness, thinks himself now so well established in a course of virtue that he may thrust himself into any temptation and it cannot overcome him, and so by presuming on his own sufficiency he is brought to commit iniquity. By making bold on the confines of sin he is drawn at length into the depths of hell. This ruined the Pharisees; they trusted to themselves that they were righteous, and that their long prayers, and fasting twice in the week, would atone for their devouring widows' houses. [3.] If righteous men turn to iniquity, and return not to their righteousness, they shall certainly perish in their iniquity, and all the righteousness they have formerly done, all their prayers, and all their alms, shall be forgotten. No mention shall be made, no remembrance had, of their good deeds; they shall be overlooked, as if they had never been. The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him from the wrath of God, and the curse of the law, in the day of his transgression. When he becomes a traitor and a rebel, and takes up arms against his rightful Sovereign, it will not serve for him to plead in his own defence that formerly he was a loyal subject, and did many good services to the government. No; he shall not be able to live. The remembrance of his former righteousness shall be no satisfaction either to God's justice or his own conscience in the day that he sins, but rather shall, in the estimate of both, highly aggravate the sin and folly of his apostasy. And therefore for his iniquity that he committed he shall die, Eze 33:13. And again (Eze 33:18), He shall even die thereby; and it is owing to himself.

(2.)If those that have lived a wicked life repent and reform, forsake their wicked ways and become religious, their sins shall be pardoned, and they shall be justified and saved, if they persevere in their reformation. [1.] God says to the wicked, "Thou shalt surely die. The way that thou art in leads to destruction. The wages of thy sin is death, and thy iniquity will shortly be thy ruin." It was said to the righteous man, Thou shalt surely live, for his encouragement to proceed and persevere in the way of righteousness; but he made an ill use of it, and was emboldened by it to commit iniquity. It was said to the wicked man, Thou shalt surely die, for warning to him not to persist in his wicked ways; and he makes a good use of it, and is quickened thereby to return to God and duty. Thus even the threatenings of the word are to some, by the grace of God, a savour of life unto life, while even the promises of the word become to others, by their own corruption, a savour of death unto death. When God says to the wicked man, Thou shalt surely die, die eternally, it is to frighten him, not out of his wits, but out of his sins. [2.] There is many a wicked man who was hastening apace to his own destruction who yet is wrought upon by the grace of God to return and repent, and live a holy life. He turns from his sin (Eze 33:14), and is resolved that he will have no more to do with it; and, as an evidence of his repentance for wrong done, he restores the pledge (Eze 33:15) which he had taken uncharitably from the poor, he gives again that which he had robbed and taken unjustly from the rich. Nor does he only cease to do evil, but he learns to do well; he does that which is lawful and right, and makes conscience of his duty both to God and man - a great change, since, awhile ago, he neither feared God nor regarded man. But many such amazing changes, and blessed ones, have been wrought by the power of divine grace. He that was going on in the paths of death and the destroyer now walks in the statues of life, in the way of God's commandments, which has both life in it (Pro 12:28) and life at the end of it, Mat 19:17. And in this good way he perseveres without committing iniquity, though not free from remaining infirmity, yet under the dominion of no iniquity. He repents not of his repentance, nor returns to the commission of those gross sins which he before allowed himself in. [3.] He that does thus repent and return shall escape the ruin he was running into, and his former sins shall be no prejudice to his acceptance with God. Let him not pine away in his iniquity, for, if he confess and forsake it, he shall find mercy. He shall surely live; he shall not die, Eze 33:15. Again (Eze 33:16), He shall surely live. Again (Eze 33:19), He has done that which is lawful and right, and he shall live thereby. But will not his wickednesses be remembered against him? No; he shall not be punished for them (Eze 33:12): As for the wickedness of the wicked, though it was very heinous, yet he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turns from his wickedness. Now that it has become his grief it shall not be his ruin. Now that there is a settled separation between him and sin there shall be no longer a separation between him and God. Nay, he shall not be so much as upbraided with them (Eze 33:16): None of his sins that he has committed shall be mentioned unto him, either as a clog to his pardon or an allay to the comfort of it, or as any blemish and diminution to the glory that is prepared for him.

Now lay all this together, and then judge whether the way of the Lord be not equal, whether this will not justify God in the destruction of sinners and glorify him in the salvation of penitents. The conclusion of the whole matter is (Eze 33:20): "O you house of Israel, though you are all involved now in the common calamity, yet there shall be a distinction of persons made in the spiritual and eternal state, and I will judge you every one after his ways." Though they were sent into captivity by the lump, good fish and bad enclosed in the same net, yet there he will separate between the precious and the vile and will render to every man according to his works. Therefore God's way is equal and unexceptionable; but, as for the children of thy people, God turns them over to the prophet, as he did to Moses (Exo 32:7): "They are thy people; I can scarcely own them for mine." As for them, their way is unequal; this way which they have got of quarrelling with God and his prophets is absurd and unreasonable. In all disputes between God and his creatures it will certainly be found that he is in the right and they are in the wrong.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 10–20. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ezekiel
(Verse 35, 36, and following) And I will bring you into a desert of peoples, and there I will judge you face to face. Just as I contended with your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, says the Lord. And I will subject you to my scepter, and I will bring you into the bonds of the covenant, and I will choose from among you the transgressors and the wicked: from their place of residence I will bring them out, and they will not enter the land of Israel, and you will know that I am the Lord. Thus says the Lord: I will do for you who are in Babylon, and now serve idols, what I did for your ancestors in Egypt. I will lead you into the desert of the peoples, and there I will judge you face to face, just as I contended with them in judgment when they came out of Egypt. And after I have judged you, I will subject you to my scepter and rule, and I will make a covenant with you and bring you into your land with the bonds of love, so that bound by my love, you will never be able to depart from me. But I will choose from among you the transgressors and the wicked, who persist in the hardness of their hearts in evil deeds, not for possession, but for rejection. And I will indeed bring them out of the land of their dwelling, so that when they are brought out, they will not enter the land of Israel; but they will perish in various regions. And by the distinction between good and evil, you shall know that I am the Lord, who judges all things. The rest of the discourse hastens, and we briefly go through each point, in order to provide only the meaning to the readers.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ezekiel
(Versed 10ff.) Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel and say to them: 'Our transgressions and sins are upon us, and we waste away because of them. How then can we live?' Say to them: 'As surely as I live, declares the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?' And you, son of man, say to your people: 'The righteousness of the righteous man will not save him when he disobeys, and the wickedness of the wicked man will not cause him to stumble when he turns from it. The righteous man cannot live by his righteousness when he sins.' Even if I say to the just, that he shall surely live; and relying on his justice he commits iniquity, all his justices shall be forgotten, and in his iniquity which he has wrought, he shall die. But if I shall say to the wicked: Thou shalt surely die; and he does penance for his sin, and does judgment and justice, and if he restore the pledge, and render what he had robbed, and walk in the commandments of life, and do no unjust thing, he shall surely live, and shall not die. All sins ((Vulg. adds of him)), which he has committed, shall not be imputed to him: for judgment and justice he has done, he shall live: And the children of your people have said: The way of the Lord is not equal, whereas their way is unjust. When the just turns himself away from his justice, and commits iniquity, he shall die therein: in the same manner, when the wicked turns himself away from his wickedness, and does judgment and justice, he shall live therein. And you say: The way of the Lord is not right. Each one I will judge according to his ways, o house of Israel. If we read negligentl, the same prophecy seems to us which is said above, in which it is said: Do I desire the death of the wicked, saith the Lord God, and not that he should be converted from his ways, and live? (Ezek. XVIII, 23). And in the end of the same prophecy: Return ye, and turn yourselves from all your impieties, and there shall not be iniquity that may be your ruin (Ibid., 8). For there, indeed, a conversation is had with those who desire to do penance and to expiate their sins with justice, so that they may convert with confidence and perform penance with a full heart. But here, He speaks to those who, due to the magnitude of their sins, or rather their impieties, despair of salvation and say: Our iniquities and sins are upon us, and we waste away in them. How then can we live? And the meaning is: Since death has once been proposed to us and no medicine can restore health to our wounds, why must we labor and be consumed in vain, and not transact this present life in despair, so that at least we may enjoy it, since we have lost the future life? To whom God responds, that he does not want the death of the wicked, but that they should turn back and live. And he addresses a apostrophe to the despairing wicked: Turn away from your wicked ways. And so that we may know who the wicked are to whom he speaks, the following discourse demonstrates: Why should you die, O house of Israel? However, life and death in this context do not signify the common life or death shared with animals according to the natural law, but rather that which is written, I will please the Lord in the land of the living (Psalm 114:9); and, The soul that sins shall die. And with a special warning, because he was speaking to the house of Israel, he proceeds to a general discussion: that even if the just do not save their past righteousness, if they are engaged in new sins, and even if sinners or wicked people do not lose their old sins, if they correct their previous mistakes with righteous actions, God does not judge in both cases based on the past, but on the present. If I say, he says, to the righteous, you shall live, and I promise him the rewards of righteousness, and he, relying on that, sins, all his previous righteousness will be forgotten, and he will die in his present unrighteousness. My opinion has not changed, for I cannot give to the same sinner what I promised to the righteous. And if I, being a sinner and wicked, pronounce and say: Yet three days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown; and he shall repent of his sins, and amend his old error with good works, so that he may do justice and righteousness, restore the pledge, and give back the plunder, and walk in the commandments of life, and not do anything unjust: should not the life, which is Christ, live and never die, since the punishment of the sinner should not punish the righteous? This is what the divine word speaks to Jeremiah when he goes down to the potter's house and hears either the promises or the threats of God, in order to either provoke people to salvation or deter them from sin (Jer. XVIII). Hence those who say that the way of the Lord is not just are argued against because their opinion is unjust, possessed of a very evil eye, and not at all new, but of those who have passed judgment in the past. To all of whom it is shown that the sinner should not despair of salvation if he repents; nor should the righteous person place confidence in his righteousness if he negligently loses what he had earnestly sought after. We pass over those things which are clearly stated, so that we may dwell on those which are more obscure, in which the present prophecy differs from the past, and in which it speaks similar things, the comparison of both can indicate. Moreover, what it means to pass judgment and to be just, to restore a pledge, to repay robbery, to walk in the commandments of life, and other things, we have spoken of in this same prophet above.
Gregory the DialogistAD 604
FORTY GOSPEL HOMILIES 34
If you are righteous, fear his wrath lest you slip; if you are a sinner, believe in his mercy so that you can arise. But see, we have already fallen, we are not strong enough to stand, we lie prostrate in our evil desires. He who created us to be upright still waits, and he appeals to us to rise. He opens up his heart of love and seeks to get us back to himself again through repentance.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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