Ezekiel 33:12 kjv
Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth.
Ezekiel 33:12 nkjv
"Therefore you, O son of man, say to the children of your people: 'The righteousness of the righteous man shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression; as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall because of it in the day that he turns from his wickedness; nor shall the righteous be able to live because of his righteousness in the day that he sins.'
Ezekiel 33:12 niv
"Therefore, son of man, say to your people, 'If someone who is righteous disobeys, that person's former righteousness will count for nothing. And if someone who is wicked repents, that person's former wickedness will not bring condemnation. The righteous person who sins will not be allowed to live even though they were formerly righteous.'
Ezekiel 33:12 esv
"And you, son of man, say to your people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him when he transgresses, and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall by it when he turns from his wickedness, and the righteous shall not be able to live by his righteousness when he sins.
Ezekiel 33:12 nlt
"Son of man, give your people this message: The righteous behavior of righteous people will not save them if they turn to sin, nor will the wicked behavior of wicked people destroy them if they repent and turn from their sins.
Ezekiel 33 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 33 | Your righteousness will not save you. | Ezekiel 18:24 |
| Ezekiel 33 | When a righteous person turns from righteousness and does evil. | Ezekiel 18:24 |
| Ezekiel 33 | and dies in them; because of the evil he has done, he will die. | Ezekiel 18:24 |
| Ezekiel 33 | but if a wicked person turns from the wickedness he has done and does what is right and just. | Ezekiel 18:27 |
| Ezekiel 33 | he will save his life. | Ezekiel 18:27 |
| Matthew 24 | many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. | Matthew 24:11 |
| Matthew 24 | Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. | Romans 10:13 |
| John 3:16 | For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son. | John 3:16 |
| John 10:28 | I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. | John 10:28 |
| Acts 4:12 | Salvation is found in no one else. | Acts 4:12 |
| Romans 2:13 | For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight. | Romans 2:13 |
| Romans 2:13 | but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. | Romans 2:13 |
| Romans 6:23 | For the wages of sin is death. | Romans 6:23 |
| Hebrews 4:12 | For the word of God is alive and active. | Hebrews 4:12 |
| 1 John 3:10 | Those who do right are righteous. | 1 John 3:10 |
| 1 John 1:9 | If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just. | 1 John 1:9 |
| Revelation 22 | But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral. | Revelation 22:15 |
| Revelation 22 | their destiny will be in the fiery lake. | Revelation 22:8 |
| Revelation 20 | whoever was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. | Revelation 20:15 |
| Jeremiah 7 | Do not trust in deceptive words and say, ‘This is the temple of the Lord.’ | Jeremiah 7:4 |
| Isaiah 58 | No, this is the kind of fasting I have chosen. | Isaiah 58:6 |
| Psalm 37 | the wicked will not go unpunished. | Proverbs 19:5 |
Ezekiel 33 verses
Ezekiel 33 12 Meaning
The verse speaks of the surety and inevitability of divine judgment upon the unrighteous, contrasting it with the deliverance and survival of the righteous who heed the warnings. It emphasizes that the wicked, despite their actions, will not escape punishment, while the righteous, by their adherence to God's word and law, will find salvation and life.
Ezekiel 33 12 Context
Ezekiel 33:12 is part of a broader message delivered by Ezekiel to the people of Israel, who were in exile in Babylon. This chapter is particularly focused on the theme of individual responsibility for sin and the assurance of salvation for those who repent and turn to God. Ezekiel had been given the role of a watchman, and he was to warn both the righteous and the wicked. This specific verse addresses the temptation for the righteous to rely on their past good deeds, assuring them that a subsequent turn to wickedness would nullify their former righteousness and lead to their downfall. Conversely, it implicitly reiterates the promise of life for the wicked who truly repent. The backdrop is one of impending judgment upon Jerusalem, a theme prevalent throughout Ezekiel's prophecy.
Ezekiel 33 12 Word Analysis
See (רָאָה - ra'ah): To perceive with the eyes, to understand, to consider. Here it implies a spiritual perception or recognition of truth.
the righteousness (הַצְּדָקָה - hats-tsedâqâh): Righteousness, justice, uprightness. It refers to conduct in accordance with divine or moral law.
shall not (לֹא - lo'): A strong negation, emphasizing absolute certainty.
deliver (הַצִּיל - hats-tsîl): To rescue, to save, to snatch away. Implies active intervention to save from peril.
in (בְּ - be): In, by, with. A preposition indicating inclusion or association.
the day (יוֹם - yom): Day. Refers to a specific time or occasion.
that (כִּי - kî): For, because, when. Conjunctions introducing a reason or time.
the iniquity (הָעָוֺן - hā-'āvôn): Iniquity, guilt, punishment for sin. Denotes wickedness or sin itself, and its resultant consequences.
the wickedness (הָרֶשַׁע - hā-rêsha`): Wickedness, evil, injustice. The opposite of righteousness.
commit (עָשָׂה - `asah): To do, to make, to act. Refers to the performance of an action.
shall not (לֹא - lo'): Another strong negation.
the wicked (הָרָשָׁע - hārāshâ`): The wicked person, the evil doer.
word-group analysis:
- "righteousness shall not deliver" emphasizes that a static state of righteousness is insufficient; consistent living in accordance with God's commands is necessary. Past deeds are not a perpetual shield.
- "commit iniquity" and "commit wickedness" highlight the active participation in sin. The verbs "asah" (to do/commit) underscore personal agency in sin.
- The repetition of "shall not" for both the righteous failing to be delivered and the wicked not escaping signifies the absolute nature of divine justice and the consequences of actions.
Ezekiel 33 12 Bonus Section
The concept here is of "profaning" one's righteousness. The righteous person who turns to sin is likened to someone who takes something holy and makes it common or defiles it through unholy actions. This is why Ezekiel must pronounce a warning of doom upon them, even though they were previously considered righteous. It speaks to the dynamic nature of one's relationship with God, requiring ongoing faithfulness rather than a one-time declaration of righteousness. This mirrors the New Testament warnings against falling away from the faith.
Ezekiel 33 12 Commentary
This verse powerfully states that mere past righteousness does not guarantee future salvation if one abandons God's ways. Similarly, present wickedness, even after a period of apparent righteousness, incurs divine judgment. God's standard is not based on occasional good deeds but on a consistent walk with Him. The righteousness that delivers is an active, enduring one, and the wickedness that is judged is the one that is chosen and persisted in. This is a principle of continued faithfulness; turning to evil forfeits the protection of former good works, just as turning to God offers salvation from past sins.