Ezekiel 33:18

Modern

If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he will die for it.

Traditional

When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby.

Literal

In the turning of the righteous from his righteousness, and he has done iniquity, he will die because of it.

Latin

Cum enim recesserit justus a justitia sua, feceritque iniquitates, morietur in eis.

Hebrew

English

If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he will die for it.

The way of the Lord is not just: People thought it was wrong for God to use Babylon to destroy Jerusalem. The Lord quickly corrected this idea (Ezekiel 33:18).
their way that is not just: The people's mistake was refusing to repent and accusing God of being unjust.
I will judge each of you according to his ways: The Lord's judgment is never random but matches their sins. If they repent, trust the Lord for salvation, and act justly and rightly, they have hope for the future (compare Ephesians 2:8–10).

Theme notes and profiles

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 to stumble on the day he turns from his wickedness. Nor will the righteous man be able to survive by his righteousness on the day he sins.’
2 Peter 2:20–22
If indeed they have escaped the corruption of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, only to be entangled and overcome by it again, their final condition is worse than it was at first.
Hebrews 10:38
But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he shrinks back, I will take no pleasure in him.”
Ezekiel 18:26–27
If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, he will die for this. He will die because of the iniquity he has committed.
Ezekiel 3:20
Now if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I put a stumbling block before him, he will die. If you did not warn him, he will die in his sin, and the righteous acts he did will not be remembered. And I will hold you responsible for his blood.