Yechezkel 33:13

13 When I shall say to the tzaddik, that he shall surely live, if he trust in his own tzedakah, and commit evil, all his tzidkot (righteousnesses) shall not be remembered; but for his evil that he hath committed, he shall die in it.

Yechezkel 33:13 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 33:13

When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live,
&c.] A happy life, here and hereafter; an eternal life, and not die the second death: this must be understood, should he appear a truly righteous person; one that does not trust to his own righteousness, but to the righteousness of Christ, and lives by faith on that; looking for the hope of righteousness through it, and behaving agreeably to his character: but if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity;
as he will by trusting to it; if he trusts to it for acceptance with God, and justification in his sight, and thinks himself proof against all temptation to sin on account of it; and that he has righteousness enough to make amends for sins committed, or for other sins he may commit; and which he may venture upon through this false notion, and so be led on to an open course of sinning, and series of committing iniquity: all his righteousness shall not be remembered;
God will take no notice of it; it shall be of no avail to justify him from sin, and secure him from wrath; it will be as if it never had been: but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it;
an eternal death, which is the just wages of sin; from which a man's own righteousness can never deliver him, though the righteousness of Christ does deliver from it; see ( Proverbs 10:2 ) ( 11:4 ) .

Yechezkel 33:13 In-Context

11 Say unto them, As I live, saith Adonoi Hashem, I have no pleasure in the mot of the rashah; but that the rashah make teshuvah from his derech and live; shuvu (turn ye), shuvu (turn ye) from your drakhim hara’im; for why will ye die, O Bais Yisroel?

12 Therefore, thou Ben Adam, say unto the Bnei Amecha, The tzidkat hatzaddik (righteousness of a righteous man) shall not save him in his Yom Peysha (Day of Rebellion, Day of his Transgession); as for the rishat harashah, he shall not fall thereby in his Yom Shuv (Day of Turning, Repentance) from his resha; neither shall the tzaddik be able to live his tzedakah in his Yom Chattot (day when he commits sin).

13 When I shall say to the tzaddik, that he shall surely live, if he trust in his own tzedakah, and commit evil, all his tzidkot (righteousnesses) shall not be remembered; but for his evil that he hath committed, he shall die in it.

14 Again, when I say unto the rashah, Thou shalt surely die and he turn from his chattat, and do that which is mishpat and tzedakah;

15 If the rashah give back the chavol (borrower’s pledge), give back what he has stolen, walk in the chukkot hachayyim, without committing evil; he shall surely live, he shall not die.