Ezekiel 18:27 (DRB)

Passage

And when the wicked turneth himself away from his wickedness, which he hath wrought, and doeth judgment, and justice: he shall save his soul alive.

Nearby Context

Ezekiel 18:25 And you have said: The way of the Lord is not right. Hear ye, therefore, O house of Israel: Is it my way that is not right, and are not rather your ways perverse?

Ezekiel 18:26 For when the just turneth himself away from his justice, and comitteth iniquity, he shall die therein: in the injustice that he hath wrought he shall die.

Ezekiel 18:27 And when the wicked turneth himself away from his wickedness, which he hath wrought, and doeth judgment, and justice: he shall save his soul alive.

Ezekiel 18:28 Because he considereth and turneth away himself from all his iniquities which he hath wrought, he shall surely live, and not die.

Ezekiel 18:29 And the children of Israel say: The way of the Lord is not right. Are not my ways right, O house of Israel, and are not rather your ways perverse?

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "wicked", "turneth", "himself", "away", "wickedness", "hath", "wrought", and "doeth". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "wicked" and "turneth", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 26's "For when the just turneth himself away..." into verse 28's "Because he considereth and turneth away himself...", so "wicked" and "turneth" belong inside that flow. In Ezekiel context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "wicked" and "turneth" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.