(A)If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, (B)and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, (C)that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. (D)But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, (E)that person shall die in his iniquity, (F)but you will have delivered your soul.

Why Will You Die, Israel?

10 “And you, (G)son of man, say to the house of Israel, Thus have you said: ‘Surely our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and (H)we rot away because of them. (I)How then can we live?’ 11 Say to them, (J)As I live, declares the Lord God, (K)I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; (L)turn back, turn back from your evil ways, (M)for why will you die, O house of Israel?

12 (N)“And you, son of man, say to (O)your people, (P)The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him when he transgresses, (Q)and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall by it when he turns from his wickedness, (R)and the righteous shall not be able to live by his righteousness[a] when he sins. 13 Though I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, yet (S)if he trusts in his righteousness and does injustice, none of his righteous deeds shall be remembered, but in his injustice that he has done he shall die. 14 Again, (T)though I say to the wicked, (U)‘You shall surely die,’ yet (V)if he turns from his sin and does what is just and right, 15 if the wicked (W)restores the pledge, (X)gives back what he has taken by robbery, and walks (Y)in the statutes of life, not doing injustice, he shall surely live; he shall not die.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 33:12 Hebrew by it

When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die,(A)’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for[a] their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.(B) But if you do warn the wicked person to turn from their ways and they do not do so,(C) they will die for their sin, though you yourself will be saved.(D)

10 “Son of man, say to the Israelites, ‘This is what you are saying: “Our offenses and sins weigh us down, and we are wasting away(E) because of[b] them. How then can we live?(F)”’ 11 Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.(G) Turn!(H) Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?’(I)

12 “Therefore, son of man, say to your people,(J) ‘If someone who is righteous disobeys, that person’s former righteousness will count for nothing. And if someone who is wicked repents, that person’s former wickedness will not bring condemnation. The righteous person who sins will not be allowed to live even though they were formerly righteous.’(K) 13 If I tell a righteous person that they will surely live, but then they trust in their righteousness and do evil, none of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered; they will die for the evil they have done.(L) 14 And if I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ but they then turn away from their sin and do what is just(M) and right— 15 if they give back what they took in pledge(N) for a loan, return what they have stolen,(O) follow the decrees that give life, and do no evil—that person will surely live; they will not die.(P)

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 33:8 Or in; also in verse 9
  2. Ezekiel 33:10 Or away in