Ezekiel 33:15

15 if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has stolen, and walks in the statutes of life without committing iniquity, he shall surely live; he shall not die.

Ezekiel 33:15 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 33:15

If the wicked restore the pledge
His neighbour's raiment, which he has taken as a pledge for money lent him; and which, according to the law, was to be restored before sunset, ( Exodus 22:26 Exodus 22:27 ) which wicked men did not attend unto; but when such a man is brought to a sense of his wickedness, and repentance for it, as an evidence of it he would restore the pledge: and give again that he had robbed;
to him whom he had robbed; as a thief was obliged to do, four or five fold, according to the law, ( Exodus 22:1 ) , and which, when a man did voluntarily, from the convictions of his own mind, and not by force of the civil magistrate, it was a sign of true repentance; see ( Luke 19:8 ) : and walk in the statutes of life;
the rule of life and conversation, and to the keeping of which the promise of long life is annexed; and which preserve persons from dying a shameful death by the hand of the civil magistrate; statutes, which, if a man do, he shall live in them; see ( Ezekiel 20:11 ) : without committing iniquity;
not living entirely without sin, which the best of men do not; but without committing grosser sins, as before; and without making a trade of sinning, and living in it: he shall surely live, he shall not die;
he shall live comfortably now, and happily hereafter; he shall live a spiritual life, and not die the second death.

Ezekiel 33:15 In-Context

13 When I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, but he trusts in his own righteousness and commits iniquity, none of his righteous works shall be remembered; but because of the iniquity that he has committed, he shall die.
14 Again, when I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' if he turns from his sin and does what is lawful and right,
15 if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has stolen, and walks in the statutes of life without committing iniquity, he shall surely live; he shall not die.
16 None of his sins which he has committed shall be remembered against him; he has done what is lawful and right; he shall surely live.
17 "Yet the children of your people say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair.' But it is their way which is not fair!
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.