Ezekiel 18:5 "Suppose there is a righteous man who does what is just and right.

◄ Ezekiel 18:5 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
"Suppose there is a righteous man who does what is just and right.

English Standard Version
“If a man is righteous and does what is just and right—

New American Standard Bible
"But if a man is righteous and practices justice and righteousness,

King James Bible
But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Now suppose a man is righteous and does what is just and right:

International Standard Version
"If a person is righteous, and practices what's lawful and right,

American Standard Version
But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,

Douay-Rheims Bible
And if a man be just, and do judgment and justice,

Darby Bible Translation
And if a man be righteous, and do judgment and justice:

Young's Literal Translation
And a man, when he is righteous, And hath done judgment and righteousness,

Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

18:1-20 The soul that sinneth it shall die. As to eternity, every man was, is, and will be dealt with, as his conduct shows him to have been under the old covenant of works, or the new covenant of grace. Whatever outward sufferings come upon men through the sins of others, they deserve for their own sins all they suffer; and the Lord overrules every event for the eternal good of believers. All souls are in the hand of the great Creator: he will deal with them in justice or mercy; nor will any perish for the sins of another, who is not in some sense worthy of death for his own. We all have sinned, and our souls must be lost, if God deal with us according to his holy law; but we are invited to come to Christ. If a man who had shown his faith by his works, had a wicked son, whose character and conduct were the reverse of his parent's, could it be expected he should escape the Divine vengeance on account of his father's piety? Surely not. And should a wicked man have a son who walked before God as righteous, this man would not perish for his father's sins. If the son was not free from evils in this life, still he should be partaker of salvation. The question here is not about the meritorious ground of justification, but about the Lord's dealings with the righteous and the wicked.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

5. Here begins the illustration of God's impartiality in a series of supposed cases. The first case is given in Eze 18:5-9, the just man. The excellencies are selected in reference to the prevailing sins of the age, from which such a one stood aloof; hence arises the omission of some features of righteousness, which, under different circumstances, would have been desirable to be enumerated. Each age has its own besetting temptations, and the just man will be distinguished by his guarding against the peculiar defilements, inward and outward, of his age.

just … lawful … right—the duties of the second table of the law, which flow from the fear of God. Piety is the root of all charity; to render to each his own, as well to our neighbor, as to God.