TRV
Ezekiel 33:18
Bible Versions
When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby.
When the righteous person turns away from his righteousness and commits wickedness, he will die because of it.
If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he will die for it.
When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die therein.
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Ezekiel 33:12
Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his [righteousness] in the day that he sinneth. -
Ezekiel 33:13
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. -
2 Peter 2:20
For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. -
2 Peter 2:22
But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog [is] turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. -
Hebrews 10:38
Now the just shall live by faith: but if [any man] draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. -
Ezekiel 18:26
When a righteous [man] turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. -
Ezekiel 18:27
Again, when the wicked [man] turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.
Ezekiel 33:18 delivers a stark warning regarding the conditional nature of righteousness and the grave consequences of spiritual backsliding. It emphasizes that a person's past good deeds do not guarantee their future standing with God if they abandon their righteous path and embrace sin.
Context
This verse is part of a larger discourse in Ezekiel 33 concerning God's justice and individual accountability, delivered to the exiled Israelites in Babylon. Earlier in the chapter, God appoints Ezekiel as a watchman over the house of Israel, responsible for warning both the wicked and the righteous. The people often clung to the idea of generational guilt or collective destiny, but through Ezekiel, God stresses that each individual is responsible for their own choices. Verses 12-16 of this chapter lay the groundwork, explaining that God judges based on a person's current actions, not solely on their past. While the righteousness of the righteous will not save him if he sins, neither will the wickedness of the wicked condemn him if he repents.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The Hebrew word for "righteousness" is tzedakah (צְדָקָה), which encompasses concepts of justice, uprightness, and right conduct according to God's standards. "Iniquity" comes from avon (עָוֹן), referring to moral perversity, guilt, or the consequences of sin. The phrase "die thereby" signifies a spiritual death, a severing of the life-giving relationship with God, similar to the "wages of sin" described in the New Testament (Romans 6:23).
Practical Application
Ezekiel 33:18 serves as a potent reminder for believers to remain vigilant in their faith and walk. It warns against spiritual complacency, pride in past achievements, or the presumption that once saved, one is always saved regardless of subsequent actions. The verse calls for constant self-examination and perseverance. It highlights the biblical truth that a genuine relationship with God requires ongoing commitment and obedience, emphasizing the importance of working out one's salvation with fear and trembling and enduring to the end (Matthew 10:22).