Ezekiel 18:21

21 But if the wicked turn away from all the sins that they have committed, keep all my regulations, and act justly and responsibly, they will surely live and not die.

Ezekiel 18:21 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 18:21

But if the wicked
So far is the Lord from punishing the sins of one man upon another, that he will not punish a man for his own sins: if he will turn from all his sins that he hath committed:
if he truly repents of them, and thoroughly forsakes them; for it must not be one sin only, but all; every sin is to be loathed and mourned over, and sorrow expressed for it, and to be forsaken; not one sin is to cherished and retained, but all to be relinquished: or the repentance and conversion may be justly questioned whether they be sincere: and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right;
as the repentance and turning from sin must be general, so also obedience to the commands of God, both moral and positive; respect is to be had to all his ordinances, which are all of them to be esteemed as right and lawful, and to be observed: this is bringing forth fruits meet for repentance: he shall surely live, he shall not die;
he shall live in his own land, and not go into captivity. Kimchi's note is, he shall live in this world, and not die in the world to come; so Ben Melech.

Ezekiel 18:21 In-Context

19 You will say, "Why doesn't the child bear his parent's guilt?" The child has acted justly and responsibly. The child kept all my regulations and observed them. The child will surely live.
20 Only the one who sins will die. A child won't bear a parent's guilt, and a parent won't bear a child's guilt. Those who do right will be declared innocent, and the wicked will be declared guilty.
21 But if the wicked turn away from all the sins that they have committed, keep all my regulations, and act justly and responsibly, they will surely live and not die.
22 None of the sins that they committed will be held against them, but they will live because they do the right things.
23 Do I take pleasure in the death of the wicked? says the LORD God. Certainly not! If they change their ways, they will live.
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