24
"Suppose a godly person stops doing what is right. And he commits sin. He does the same evil things a sinful person does. He does things I hate. Then he will not live. I will not remember any of the right things he has done. He has not been faithful to me. He has also committed many other sins. So he is guilty. He will die.
Reference
Greek: οἴομαι (oíomai)
to make like (oneself), i.e. imagine (be of the opinion)
Hebrew: ʼechâd
properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first
Greek: εὐσεβῶς (eusebōs)
piously
Hebrew: maʻălâl
an act (good or bad)
Hebrew: mân
who or what (properly, interrogatively, hence, also indefinitely and relatively)
Greek: καίγε (kaíge)
and at least (or even, indeed)
Hebrew: kîy
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
Greek: ὅδε (hóde)
the same, i.e. this or that one (plural these or those); often used as a personal pronoun
Hebrew: hûwʼ
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are
Greek: ἁμάρτημα (hamártēma)
a sin (properly concrete)
Hebrew: chăṭîy
an offence
Greek: ὅδε (hóde)
the same, i.e. this or that one (plural these or those); often used as a personal pronoun
Hebrew: hûwʼ
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are
Hebrew: dêk
this
Greek: φαῦλος (phaûlos)
"foul" or "flawy", i.e. (figuratively) wicked
Hebrew: ʼechâd
properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first
Greek: ἁμαρτωλός (hamartōlós)
sinful, i.e. a sinner
Greek: ὅδε (hóde)
the same, i.e. this or that one (plural these or those); often used as a personal pronoun
Hebrew: hûwʼ
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are
Greek: μέ (mé)
me
Hebrew: ʼănâʼ
I
Hebrew: sâṭam
properly, to lurk for, i.e. persecute
Greek: τοίνυν (toínyn)
truly now, i.e. accordingly
Hebrew: ʼăzay
at that time
Greek: ὅδε (hóde)
the same, i.e. this or that one (plural these or those); often used as a personal pronoun
Hebrew: hûwʼ
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are
Greek: θέλησις (thélēsis)
determination (properly, the act), i.e. option
Hebrew: tsᵉbâʼ
to please
Greek: οὐδαμῶς (oudamōs)
by no means
Hebrew: ʼîyn
is it not?
Greek: βιόω (bióō)
to spend existence
Hebrew: chăyâʼ
to live
Greek: μέ (mé)
me
Hebrew: ʼănâʼ
I
Greek: θέλησις (thélēsis)
determination (properly, the act), i.e. option
Hebrew: tsᵉbâʼ
to please
Greek: οὐδαμῶς (oudamōs)
by no means
Hebrew: ʼîyn
is it not?
Greek: ἕκαστος (hékastos)
each or every
Hebrew: nephesh
properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)
Greek: ὁ (ho)
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
Hebrew: ʼillêyn
these
Greek: ὅδε (hóde)
the same, i.e. this or that one (plural these or those); often used as a personal pronoun
Hebrew: hûwʼ
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are
Greek: ὅδε (hóde)
the same, i.e. this or that one (plural these or those); often used as a personal pronoun
Hebrew: hûwʼ
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are
Greek: οὐδαμῶς (oudamōs)
by no means
Hebrew: ʼîyn
is it not?
Hebrew: hârâh
to be (or become) pregnant, conceive (literally or figuratively)
Greek: ἐμαυτοῦ (emautoû)
of myself so likewise the dative case , and accusative case
Greek: ὅδε (hóde)
the same, i.e. this or that one (plural these or those); often used as a personal pronoun
Hebrew: hûwʼ
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are
Greek: δή (dḗ)
a particle of emphasis or explicitness; now, then, etc.
Hebrew: ʼôw
desire (and so probably in Proverbs 31:4); hence (by way of alternative) or, also if
Hebrew: rᵉbâbâh
abundance (in number), i.e. (specifically) a myriad (whether definite or indefinite)
Greek: λοιποί (loipoí)
remaining ones
Hebrew: chabrâh
an associate
Hebrew: kᵉnêmâʼ
so or thus
Greek: ὅδε (hóde)
the same, i.e. this or that one (plural these or those); often used as a personal pronoun
Hebrew: hûwʼ
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are
Greek: ὑπόδικος (hypódikos)
under sentence, i.e. (by implication) condemned
Greek: ὅδε (hóde)
the same, i.e. this or that one (plural these or those); often used as a personal pronoun
Hebrew: hûwʼ
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are
Greek: θέλησις (thélēsis)
determination (properly, the act), i.e. option
Hebrew: tsᵉbâʼ
to please
Hebrew: gâvaʻ
to breathe out, i.e. (by implication) expire
Evil
Revelation 2:10
Parallel theme
Proverbs 21:16
2 John 1:8
Galatians 3:4
1 John 2:19
1 Samuel 15:11
Revelation 3:11
Righteousness
Ezekiel 33:18
Ezekiel 18:26
Sin
Psalm 125:5
Verse Explanation
If a righteous person turns away from righteousness and begins doing evil, the person's previous righteousness will not protect him from judgment, emphasizing that present choices matter rather than past achievements alone.
History
c. 592 BC: Faithfulness must continue rather than being treated as a permanent status independent of conduct.