Ezekiel 18:24 · Bible study
Ezekiel 18:24 Commentary: Warning Against Turning from Righteousness
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Does Ezekiel 18:24 teach that a genuinely righteous person can lose salvation? Explore the meaning and interpretations of this key passage.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A person who turns from righteousness to a life of sin will not be saved by their former good deeds; they will die in their sin.
- Key words: Righteous (likely includes both outward and genuine, depending on interpretation); turneth away; remembered; trespass; die.
- Main debate: Whether the ‘righteous’ person is truly regenerate (and thus can fall) or merely outwardly righteous (hypocrisy).
- Theological theme: Individual responsibility; God’s justice balances mercy and judgment; perseverance as necessary.
- Best use: A sober warning against presumption and a call to ongoing faithfulness, not an anxiety-inducing threat.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, committing the same abominations as the wicked, will he live? None of the righteous acts he did will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness and sin he has committed, he will die.
WEB World English Bible 2000
“But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, should he live? None of his righteous deeds that he has done will be remembered. In his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them he shall die.
KJV King James Version 1769
But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? None of his righteous deeds that he hath done shall be remembered: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And in the turning back of the righteous from his righteousness, And he hath done perversity, According to all the abominations That the wicked hath done, he doth--thus he liveth, All his righteousnesses that he hath done are not remembered, For his trespass that he hath trespassed, And for his sin that he hath sinned, For them he doth die.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And when the righteous turneth from his righteousness and practiseth what is wrong, [and] doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked doeth, shall he live? None of his righteous acts which he hath done shall be remembered: in his unfaithfulness which he hath wrought, and in his sin which he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
But if the just man turn himself away from his justice, and do iniquity according to all the abominations which the wicked man useth to work, shall he live? all his justices which he hath done, shall not be remembered: in the prevarication, by which he hath prevaricated, and in his sin, which he hath committed, in them he shall die.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Mas si el justo se apartare de su justicia, y cometiere maldad, é hiciere conforme á todas las abominaciones que el impío hizo, ¿ vivirá él? Todas las justicias que hizo no vendrán en memoria; por su rebelión con que prevaricó, y por su pecado que cometió, por ello morirá.
Mas se o justo se desviar de sua justiça, e passar a praticar maldade, e fizer conforme a todas as abominações que o perverso faz, por acaso ele viveria? Todas as suas justiças que praticou não serão lembradas; por sua transgressão com que transgrediu, e por seu pecado com que pecou, por causa deles morrerá.
Si le juste se détourne de sa justice et commet l’ iniquité, s’ il imite toutes les abominations du méchant, vivra-t-il? Toute sa justice sera oubliée, parce qu’ il s’ est livré à l’ iniquité et au péché; à cause de cela, il mourra.
Und wo sich der Gerechte kehrt von seiner Gerechtigkeit und tut Böses und lebt nach all den Greueln, die ein Gottloser tut, sollte der leben? Ja, aller seiner Gerechtigkeit, die er getan hat, soll nicht gedacht werden; sondern in seiner Übertretung und Sünde, die er getan hat, soll er sterben.
Maar als de rechtvaardige zich afkeert van zijn gerechtigheid, en onrecht doet, doende naar al de gruwelen, die de goddeloze doet, zou die leven? Al zijn gerechtigheden, die hij gedaan heeft, zullen niet gedacht worden; in zijn overtreding, waardoor hij overtreden heeft, en in zijn zonde, die hij gezondigd heeft, in die zal hij sterven.
E se il giusto si ritrae dalla sua giustizia e commette l’iniquità e imita tutte le abominazioni che l’empio fa, vivrà egli? Nessuno de’ suoi atti di giustizia sarà ricordato; per la prevaricazione di cui s’è reso colpevole e per il peccato che ha commesso, per tutto questo, morrà.
Ale jeźliby się odwrócił sprawiedliwy od sprawiedliwości swojej, a czyniłby nieprawość, czyniąc według wszystkich obrzydliwości, które czyni niezbożny, izali taki żyć będzie? Wszystkie sprawiedliwości jego, które czynił, nie będą wspominane; dla przestępstwa swego, które popełniał, i dla grzechu swego, którego się dopuścił, dla tych rzeczy umrze.
И праведник, если отступит от правды своей и будет поступать неправедно, будет делать все те мерзости, какие делает беззаконник, будет ли он жив? все добрые дела его, какие он делал, не припомнятся; за беззаконие свое, какое делает, и за грехи свои, в каких грешен, он умрет.
義人 若轉 離義行 而作 罪孽，照著惡人 所 行 一切 可憎的事 而行，他豈能存活嗎？他所 行 的一切 義 都不 被記念；他必因所 犯 的罪、所 行 的惡 死亡。
But when the upright man, turning away from his righteousness, does evil, like all the disgusting things which the evil man does, will he have life? Not one of his upright acts will be kept in memory: in the wrong which he has done and in his sin death will overtake him.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Ezekiel 18:24 presents a stark counterbalance to the promise of forgiveness for the repentant wicked in verses 21, 23. The verse teaches that if a person regarded as righteous turns away from that righteousness and adopts the full pattern of wickedness, their former goodness will not save them. God judges a person by their final state. As Keil and Delitzsch note, citing Jerome, ‘Every one will be judged in that state in which he is found.’ The Cambridge Bible observes that the prophet develops the principle on both sides, not only pardon for the penitent but accountability for the apostate. Matthew Henry summarizes: God will reward or punish according to the change made in the person himself, not merely his past record. All commentators acknowledge this verse as a clear warning against presumption and a call to persevering faithfulness.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Outwardly righteous view: The person had only an external, self-made righteousness, not saving faith; true saints cannot ultimately fall away (Gill, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown).
- Genuine righteousness view: A truly righteous person can fall away and perish; this is a real possibility (Clarke, early Wesleyan tradition).
- Pedagogical warning view: The scenario is a hypothetical case to illustrate individual responsibility; it warns against presumption without necessarily stating that the righteous in view are the elect (Keil & Delitzsch, Cambridge Bible).
What is clear: The verse teaches that past righteousness, however real, cannot save a person who turns to a life of persistent sin; each person is held accountable for their final direction.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Can a truly righteous person fall away and be lost? | The verse describes a serious scenario where a righteous person turns to sin and is judged accordingly. | Some traditions (e.g., Reformed) argue the person was only outwardly righteous; others (e.g., Wesleyan-Arminian) hold that genuine believers can fall away. |
| Nature of the ‘righteousness’ in view | The righteousness is described in terms of behavior (Ezekiel 18:5, 9) and is not automatically salvific. | Gill sees it as ceremonial/moral righteousness apart from Christ; Clarke insists it is real, infused righteousness. |
| Relationship to perseverance of the saints | The verse warns against presumption and calls for continued obedience. | Reformed interpreters see it as a hypothetical warning to keep true saints humble; Arminians see it as a real possibility of apostasy. |
| Meaning of ‘shall not be remembered’ | God will not count the former righteousness to the person’s benefit in the judgment. | Some take this as a forensic declaration that no merit remains; others as a description of how God treats ongoing disobedience. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Ezekiel 18 is addressed to the exiles in Babylon, who were grumbling with a proverb: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge’ (v.2). They felt they were being punished for their ancestors’ sins, not their own. To this, God responds through Ezekiel with a detailed defense of individual responsibility. The chapter presents four cases: a righteous man, his violent son, that son's righteous grandson, then the cases of moral reversal, a wicked man who repents (vv.21, 23) and a righteous man who turns away (vv.24, 26). This case was directly relevant to exiles who might claim their forefathers’ faith while living in rebellion, or who might despair that God would never forgive their own past. By stating that ‘the soul who sins shall die’ (v.4) and that a righteous man who turns to sin will not be saved by his prior record, Ezekiel shuts down the complaint that ‘the way of the Lord is not equal’ (v.25). The historical setting is one of judgment and exile, but also of hope: God desires repentance, not death (v.23). This verse prevents cheap assurance and calls each generation to its own decision.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Ezekiel 18:24 across the major Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions. The differences in English translations (e.g., ‘trespass’ vs. ‘unfaithfulness’) reflect lexical choices rather than textual divergence.
Reception History
Ezekiel 18:24 has been a key text in debates about perseverance and apostasy throughout church history. Early church fathers like Jerome cited it to argue that ‘everyone will be judged in that state in which he is found.’ Augustine wrestled with it in his anti-Pelagian writings, using it to underscore the need for final perseverance. During the Reformation, Calvin and other Reformed theologians interpreted the ‘righteous’ of this verse as those who are righteous only in outward appearance, not the elect, while Wesleyan traditions saw it as a warning to genuine believers. In modern times, the verse continues to function pastorally as both a sober warning against drifting from faith and an invitation to examine whether one's trust rests in Christ or in past religious performance.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- No one is saved by past performance. The righteous deeds of earlier years cannot compensate for a present life of rebellion. God sees the whole trajectory, not just the high points.
- Turning away is a real possibility for those who appear righteous. The text assumes a person can start well and end poorly. This sobering truth should foster humility, not panic, and a healthy fear of complacency.
- God’s justice is equal for both directions. Just as the wicked can repent and live, the righteous can rebel and perish. The same standard applies, final estate matters.
Five-point outline
- The person: one who was counted righteous (whether truly or outwardly).
- The action: turns away from that righteousness and commits the same abominations as the wicked.
- The question: ‘Should he live?’, answered emphatically, no.
- The loss: past righteousness is not remembered; it counts for nothing.
- The end: in his trespass and sin, he dies.
Illustration hooks
- A runner who stops before the finish line. No matter how far they ran, if they quit before the end, they do not win the race. Past laps don't earn the prize without completing the course.
- A marriage where faithfulness ends. A spouse who was devoted for years but then chooses betrayal cannot claim the early years as an excuse. The final direction of the relationship matters.
- A financial account. A large deposit does not guarantee you will never go bankrupt if you later make withdrawals that exceed the balance. Past righteousness is not a stored-up credit that covers future sin.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this mean I can lose my salvation if I sin after becoming a Christian?
- How do I know if my righteousness is genuine or just outward?
- What about Christians who fall away from church? Are they lost forever?
Leading a Discussion
Ezekiel 18:24 challenges the belief that past obedience guarantees future safety. It insists that each person's relationship with God is a living, present reality, not a stored-up record. As you discuss, be honest about the tension this creates between assurance and warning. The goal is not anxiety but a deeper trust in God's justice and mercy, and a renewed commitment to persevere.
Discussion questions
- Read Ezekiel 18:21, 24. What two scenarios are contrasted, and what do they have in common?
- The verse says a righteous person’s past deeds 'will not be remembered.' What does that phrase mean? Does it imply God forgets, or that the deeds no longer count?
- How does this verse fit with other passages that speak of the security of believers (e.g., John 10:28, 29)? Can both be true?
- Why do you think God included this warning for those who 'turn away'? What does it reveal about His character?
- In your own words, how would you explain the difference between a genuine believer who sins (as all do) and a person who 'turns away from his righteousness'?
- How might this verse be misused to cause false guilt or fear? How would you pastorally respond to someone terrified by it?
- What practices can help a person 'persevere to the end' (Matthew 24:13) in light of this warning?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Samuel 15:11 | “It grieves me that I have set up Saul to be king, for he has turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments.” Samuel was angry; and he cried to Yahweh all night. |
| II Chronicles 24:2 | Joash did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes all the days of Jehoiada the priest. |
| II Chronicles 24:17 | Now after the death of Jehoiada, the princes of Judah came and bowed down to the king. Then the king listened to them. |
| II Chronicles 24:22 | Thus Joash the king didn’t remember the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but killed his son. When he died, he said, “May Yahweh look at it, and repay it.” |
| Psalms 36:3 | The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit. He has ceased to be wise and to do good. |
| Psalms 36:4 | He plots iniquity on his bed. He sets himself in a way that is not good. He doesn’t abhor evil. |
| Psalms 125:5 | But as for those who turn away to their crooked ways, Yahweh will lead them away with the workers of iniquity. Peace be on Israel. |
| Proverbs 14:32 | The wicked is brought down in his calamity, but in death, the righteous has a refuge. |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
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What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke insists that the righteousness in this verse is real holiness infused by God, not mere self-righteousness. He argues a truly righteous person can turn away, commit iniquity, and perish eternally. For Clarke, this proves God's ways are equal and impartial, and that the devil preaches the opposite to keep people secure in sin.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin balances two truths: God freely pardons repentant sinners, yet warns that those who turn back from righteousness lose all previous merit. But he then asks whether a truly just person can fall away, answering that the regenerate, who are God’s elect, never finally fall because God’s power preserves them.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator notes that the prophet had a deeper theoretical interest in the principle he was teaching, not just a practical concern to assure the repentant sinner. This led him to develop the principle from both sides, explaining the opposite case as well.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Bible warns that a person who was once righteous but later turns to sin cannot rely on their past good deeds. All their former righteousness is forgotten, and they will die for their transgression. This is a stern caution against presuming on past obedience.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill distinguishes between two kinds of righteousness: the perfect righteousness of Christ, which a true believer can never lose, and a merely external, self-made righteousness that can be abandoned. He insists this passage does not describe a genuine saint falling away, but a self-righteous hypocrite whose own good works cannot save him when he turns to sin.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB distinguishes between the truly righteous and those who merely appear so. The person described here only seemed righteous, and their turning away is an utter apostasy, not a temporary failure that a genuine believer would later repent of. Such a person's former apparent righteousness does not save them.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argues that Ezekiel 18 addresses a crucial gap in the earlier discussion: what happens when a person's life course changes entirely. Their key point is that God judges each person based on their present state, not their past record. The repenting wicked person lives; the apostate righteous person dies. God's ways are not unfair; the complaint recoils on those who make it.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that the proverb about sour grapes is not a complaint about inherited guilt but an arrogant evasion of personal responsibility. The people blame their ancestors to avoid confessing their own sins. God's answer counters this by asserting each soul belongs directly to Him, making every person accountable for their own choices, not their father's.