25 (A)“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just? 26 (B)When a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice, he shall die for it; for the injustice that he has done he shall die. 27 Again, (C)when a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his life. 28 Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions that he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ O house of Israel, are my ways not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?

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Accusing God of Unrighteousness

25 “Yet you keep saying, ‘The Lord isn’t being consistent with his standards.’ Pay attention, you house of Israel: Is my behavior really inconsistent with my standards? Isn’t it your behavior that isn’t just?

26 “When a righteous person turns from his righteous deeds and does evil, he’ll die because of that evil. He’ll die because of his unrighteous acts that he committed. 27 When a wicked person quits[a] his wicked behavior[b] and does what’s just and right, he’ll be enabled to live.[c] 28 Because he reconsidered his transgression and turned away from everything that he had been doing, he’ll certainly live and not die. 29 Yet Israel’s house keeps saying, ‘The Lord isn’t being consistent with his standards.’ Is it my behavior that’s inconsistent with my standards?[d] Is it not your behavior that’s inconsistent with my standards?”[e]

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 18:27 Or abandons
  2. Ezekiel 18:27 Lit. ways that he had committed
  3. Ezekiel 18:27 Lit. he makes his soul come alive
  4. Ezekiel 18:29 The Heb. has adjusted to the standard
  5. Ezekiel 18:29 The Heb. has adjusted to the standard