Ezekiel 18:24

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.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God addresses the house of Israel, rebutting their charge that His ways are unjust (v.25) by stating the principle of individual accountability.

The words — שׁוּב (shuv, "turns away") is the hinge: the same verb that in v.23 describes the wicked man's desired turning back now describes the righteous man's fatal departure.

The thread — Ezekiel 33:18 restates the identical principle in the parallel oracle; 2 John 1:8 echoes the warning not to "lose what we have worked for."

Why it lands — It strips the reader of any claim that past righteousness is a deposit guaranteeing future life; the only question is the direction of the present step.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וּבְשׁ֨וּבu./ve./Shuvand/ when/ turns away צַדִּ֤יקtza.Dik[the] righteous מִצִּדְקָתוֹ֙mi./tzid.ka.T/ofrom/ righteousness/ his וְעָ֣שָׂהve./'A.sahand/ he will do עָ֔וֶל'A.velinjustice כְּכֹ֨לke./Kholaccording to/ all הַתּוֹעֵב֜וֹתha./to.'e.Votthe/ abominations אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-which עָשָׂ֧ה'a.Sahhe did הָרָשָׁ֛עha./ra.Sha'the/ wicked [person]יַעֲשֶׂ֖הya.'a.Sehhe will do וָחָ֑יva./Chaiand/ will he live?כָּל־kol-all צִדְקֹתָ֤יוtzid.ka.to/vrighteousness<es>/ his אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-which עָשָׂה֙'a.Sahhe did לֹ֣אlo'not תִזָּכַ֔רְנָהti.za.Khar.nahthey will be remembered בְּמַעֲל֧וֹbe./ma.'a.L/ofor/ unfaithfulness/ his אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-which מָעַ֛לma.'Alhe has acted unfaithfully וּבְחַטָּאת֥וֹu./ve./cha.ta.T/oand/ for/ sin/ his אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-which חָטָ֖אcha.Ta'he has sinnedבָּ֥םba/mfor/ themיָמֽוּת׃ya.Muthe will die

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Ezekiel 33:18 If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he will die for it.
Proverbs 21:16 The man who strays from the path of understanding will rest in the assembly of the dead.
2 John 1:8 Watch yourselves, so that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be fully rewarded.
Ezekiel 33:12 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 Chronicles 24:17 After the death of Jehoiada, however, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them.
Galatians 3:4 Have you suffered so much for nothing, if it really was for nothing?
Revelation 3:11 I am coming soon. Hold fast to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.
Ezekiel 18:26 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.
1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they did not belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But their departure made it clear that none of them belonged to us.
Revelation 2:10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.