Yet you say, The way of the Lord is not equal. House of Israel, I will judge every one of you after his ways.
Parallel translations
- KJV Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.
- BSB Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But I will judge each of you according to his ways, O house of Israel.”
- NKJV Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ O house of Israel, I will judge every one of you according to his own ways.”
- NASB Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ I will judge each of you according to his ways, house of Israel.”
- NLT O people of Israel, you are saying, ‘The Lord isn’t doing what’s right.’ But I judge each of you according to your deeds.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Despite God's clear answer, the people repeat that His way is unfair; He declares He will judge each by his own conduct. God's justice is impartial and personal.
Overview
The people persist in their complaint, but God concludes by affirming individual accountability: 'I will judge every one of you after his ways.' This closes the watchman section by stressing personal responsibility before a righteous God. Each stands or falls by his own response, undercutting both fatalism and the blaming of God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Matt 16:27For the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will render to everyone according to his deeds.
- Ezek 18:25“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not equal.’ Hear now, house of Israel: Is my way not equal? Aren’t your ways unequal?
- Ezek 18:29–30Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ House of Israel, aren’t my ways fair? Aren’t your ways unfair?
- Prov 19:3The foolishness of man subverts his way; his heart rages against Yahweh.
- Ps 62:12Also to you, Lord, belongs loving kindness, for you reward every man according to his work.
- Ezek 33:17Yet the children of your people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal.
- Rev 22:12“Behold, I come quickly. My reward is with me, to repay to each man according to his work.
- John 5:29and will come out; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment.
- 2 Cor 5:10For we must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
- Rev 20:12–15I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works.
- Eccl 12:14For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.
How Ezekiel 33:20 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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