12 “Now, son of man, say to your people, ‘The righteousness of the righteous person will not save him on the day of his transgression; neither will the wickedness of the wicked person cause him to stumble on the day he turns from his wickedness. The righteous person won’t be able to survive by his righteousness on the day he sins. 13 When I tell the righteous person that he will surely live, but he trusts in his righteousness and acts unjustly, then none of his righteousness will be remembered, and he will die because of the injustice he has committed.(A)

14 “‘So when I tell the wicked person, “You will surely die,” but he repents of his sin and does what is just and right— 15 he returns collateral, makes restitution for what he has stolen, and walks in the statutes of life(B) without committing injustice—he will certainly live; he will not die. 16 None of the sins he committed will be held[a] against him. He has done what is just and right; he will certainly live.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. 33:16 Lit remembered

12 “And you, son of man, say to your people,[a] ‘The righteousness of the righteous will not deliver him if he rebels.[b] As for the wicked, his wickedness will not make him stumble if he turns from it.[c] The righteous will not be able to live by his righteousness[d] if he sins.’[e] 13 Suppose I tell the righteous that he will certainly live, but he becomes confident in his righteousness and commits iniquity. None of his righteous deeds will be remembered; because of the iniquity he has committed he will die. 14 Suppose I say to the wicked, ‘You must certainly die,’ but he turns from his sin and does what is just and right. 15 He[f] returns what was taken in pledge, pays back what he has stolen, and follows the statutes that give life,[g] committing no iniquity. He will certainly live—he will not die. 16 None of the sins he has committed will be counted[h] against him. He has done what is just and right; he will certainly live.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 33:12 tn Heb “the sons of your people.”
  2. Ezekiel 33:12 tn Heb “in the day of his rebellion.” The statement envisions a godly person rejecting what is good and becoming sinful. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:247-48.
  3. Ezekiel 33:12 tn Heb “and the wickedness of the wicked, he will not stumble in it in the day of his turning from his wickedness.”
  4. Ezekiel 33:12 tn Heb “by it.”
  5. Ezekiel 33:12 tn Heb “in the day of his sin.”
  6. Ezekiel 33:15 tn Heb “the wicked one.”
  7. Ezekiel 33:15 tn Heb “and in the statutes of life he walks.”
  8. Ezekiel 33:16 tn Heb “remembered.”