All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.

EZEKIEL 18:22KJV
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Ezekiel 18:22 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 18:22 mean?

Ezekiel 18:22 says that when a person turns away from wrongdoing, none of their past sins will be brought up or held against them; instead, they will live because of the right actions they have done. The verse focuses on personal responsibility and the possibility of a fresh start based on a changed life.

In this chapter, God is speaking through the prophet Ezekiel to the people of Israel, challenging the idea that children automatically bear guilt for their parents’ sins or vice versa. The verse assures listeners that God looks at each person’s choices, and true change wipes the slate clean. This message was meant to give hope to people who thought their past made forgiveness impossible.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 18:22

  • "Transgressions" (פֶּשַׁע, pesha‘) means deliberate acts of rebellion or breaking trust, not just minor mistakes. The verse promises these serious wrongs will not be brought up again.
  • "Mentioned" (זָכַר, zakar) means to remember or call to mind. Here, it stresses that God will not even recall the person’s past sins.
  • "Righteousness" (צְדָקָה, tsedaqah) refers to just or right actions, not just inner attitudes. The verse links life to what the person has actually done, not just what they believe.

Why Ezekiel 18:22 matters

  • Ezekiel 18:22 corrects the common misunderstanding that a person’s past always defines them in God’s eyes; it highlights the real possibility of forgiveness and a new beginning.
  • The verse emphasizes individual accountability, which was a major shift from the belief that guilt or blessing automatically passed down through families.
  • Ezekiel 18:22 fits into a larger argument in the chapter that each person stands or falls by their own choices, making clear that God’s justice is both fair and compassionate.

Where else these words appear

“transgressions” Hebrew H6588 · used in 90 verses

  • Genesis 31:36 And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?
  • Psalms 51:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
  • Lamentations 1:5 Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the LORD hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy.

“righteousness” Hebrew H6666 · used in 150 verses

  • Genesis 15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
  • Psalms 103:6 The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
  • Isaiah 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.