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
See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, …
Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven images of silver, and the ornament of thy molten images of …
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and …
And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I set before you the way of life, …