Ezekiel 18:31
Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Study Note
Study Note
God's command 'cast away from you all your transgressions and make you a new heart and a new spirit, for why will you die, O house of Israel?' is the ethical corollary to Ezekiel 36:26's divine promise of a new heart — the same new heart is both commanded here and promised there. The juxtaposition of divine command and divine gift regarding the new heart generates a productive theological tension: human response is required (cast away, make yourselves) and divine action is promised (I will give you a new heart). This both/and structure anticipates Paul's similar tension in Philippians 2:12–13: 'work out your salvation... for God is at work in you both to will and to do.' The passionate question 'why will you die?' echoes 18:23, 32 and gives the chapter its pastoral tone: judgment is not desired but is the tragic consequence of persistent refusal of the available alternative.
Other Translations
Cast away from you all your transgressions, wherein ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Cast from off you all your transgressions, By which ye have transgressed, And make to you a new heart, and a new spirit, And why do ye die, O house of Israel?
Put away all your evil-doing in which you have done sin; and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit: why are you desiring death, O children of Israel?
Cross References
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, …
See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;
But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and …
Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven images of silver, and the ornament of thy molten images of …
Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good …
For I have not sent them, saith the Lord, yet they prophesy a lie in my name; that I might …
And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I set before you the way of life, …