The Meaning of Ezekiel 18:27 Explained

Ezekiel 18:27

KJV: Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.

YLT: And in the turning back of the wicked From his wickedness that he hath done, And he doth judgment and righteousness, He his soul doth keep alive.

Darby: And when the wicked turneth from his wickedness which he hath committed, and doeth judgment and justice, he shall keep his soul alive.

ASV: Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Again, when the wicked  [man] turneth away  from his wickedness  that he hath committed,  and doeth  that which is lawful  and right,  he shall save  his soul  alive. 

What does Ezekiel 18:27 Mean?

Context Summary

Ezekiel 18:14-32 - The Reversal Of The Divine Judgment
The Jews of Ezekiel's day asserted that God's dealings with their nation were not just, because they were suffering, not for their own sins, but for their fathers'. God here makes it clear that He deals with individuals according to their deserts. The guilty son of a good father does not escape punishment because of his father's virtues; and the good son of evil parents reaps the reward of his own goodness. What a well of comfort is supplied by Ezekiel 18:21-22! God pledges Himself that forgiven sin shall not even be mentioned. This solemn covenant should be appropriated and its fulfillment claimed, by those who through all their lifetime have been subject to bondage because of their past. We must not be content with an outward amendment; there must be, and there can be, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, an inward and radical change. This impossible command drives us to the Holy Spirit, Psalms 51:10; Psalms 51:12. As Augustine puts it: "Give what thou requirest, and require what thou wilt." [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 18

1  God defends his justice
31  and exhorts to repentance

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 18:27 mean?

And Again when turns away a wicked [man] from the wickedness which he committed and does what is lawful and right he - himself shall preserve alive
וּבְשׁ֣וּב רָשָׁ֗ע מֵֽרִשְׁעָתוֹ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה וַיַּ֥עַשׂ מִשְׁפָּ֖ט וּצְדָקָ֑ה ה֖וּא אֶת־ נַפְשׁ֥וֹ יְחַיֶּֽה

וּבְשׁ֣וּב  And  Again  when  turns  away 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
רָשָׁ֗ע  a  wicked  [man] 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רָשָׁע  
Sense: wicked, criminal.
מֵֽרִשְׁעָתוֹ֙  from  the  wickedness 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רִשְׁעָה  
Sense: wickedness, guilt.
עָשָׂ֔ה  he  committed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
וַיַּ֥עַשׂ  and  does 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
מִשְׁפָּ֖ט  what  is  lawful 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
וּצְדָקָ֑ה  and  right 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: צְדָקָה  
Sense: justice, righteousness.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
נַפְשׁ֥וֹ  himself 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
יְחַיֶּֽה  shall  preserve  alive 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.