Ezekiel 33:20
New International Version
Yet you Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But I will judge each of you according to your own ways.”

New Living Translation
O people of Israel, you are saying, ‘The Lord isn’t doing what’s right.’ But I judge each of you according to your deeds.”

English Standard Version
Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ O house of Israel, I will judge each of you according to his ways.”

Berean Standard Bible
Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But I will judge each of you according to his ways, O house of Israel.”

King James Bible
Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.

New King James Version
Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ O house of Israel, I will judge every one of you according to his own ways.”

New American Standard Bible
Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ I will judge each of you according to his ways, house of Israel.”

NASB 1995
“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ O house of Israel, I will judge each of you according to his ways.”

NASB 1977
“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ O house of Israel, I will judge each of you according to his ways.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ O house of Israel, I will judge each of you according to his ways.”

Amplified Bible
Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ O house of Israel, I will judge you, every one [of you] in accordance with his own ways!”

Christian Standard Bible
Yet you say, “The Lord’s way isn’t fair.” I will judge each of you according to his ways, house of Israel.’ ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Yet you say, ‘The Lord’s way isn’t fair.’ I will judge each of you according to his ways, house of Israel.”

American Standard Version
Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.

Contemporary English Version
But the Israelites still think I am unfair. So warn them that they will be punished for what they have done.

English Revised Version
Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Yet, the people of Israel say, 'The Lord's way is unfair.' I will judge each of you by your own ways, people of Israel."

Good News Translation
But Israel, you say that what I do isn't right. I am going to judge you by what you do."

International Standard Version
"And yet you keep saying, 'Living life the Lord's way isn't right,' But I will judge every one of you according to the way you live, you house of Israel!"

Majority Standard Bible
Yet you say, ?The way of the Lord is not just.? But I will judge each of you according to his ways, O house of Israel.?

NET Bible
Yet you say, 'The behavior of the Lord is not right.' House of Israel, I will judge each of you according to his behavior."

New Heart English Bible
Yet you say, 'The way of the LORD is not just.' House of Israel, I will judge every one of you after his ways."

Webster's Bible Translation
Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.

World English Bible
Yet you say, “The way of the Lord is not fair.” House of Israel, I will judge every one of you after his ways.’”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And you have said, The way of the Lord is not pondered; I judge each of you according to his ways, O house of Israel.”

Young's Literal Translation
And ye have said: The way of the Lord is not pondered, Each according to his ways do I judge you, O house of Israel.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And ye said, The way of Jehovah will not make even. I will judge you each according to his ways, O house of Israel.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And you say: The way of the Lord is not right, I will judge every one of you according to his ways, O house of Israel.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ But I shall judge each one of you according to his own ways, O house of Israel.”

New American Bible
But still you say, “The way of the LORD is not fair!” I will judge each of you according to your ways, house of Israel.

New Revised Standard Version
Yet you say, “The way of the Lord is not just.” O house of Israel, I will judge all of you according to your ways!
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Yet you say, The way of the LORD is not fair; O house of Israel, I will judge every one of you according to his ways.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And you were saying, ‘The way of LORD JEHOVAH is not right.’ I shall judge you, each man, according to his ways, house of Israel
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Yet ye say: The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And this is that which ye said, The way of the Lord is not straight. I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one for his ways.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Message of the Watchman
19But if a wicked man turns from his wickedness and does what is just and right, he will live because of this. 20Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But I will judge each of you according to his ways, O house of Israel.”

Cross References
Romans 2:6-11
God “will repay each one according to his deeds.” / To those who by perseverance in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life. / But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow wickedness, there will be wrath and anger. ...

Matthew 7:21-23
Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. / Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ / Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’

Isaiah 55:8-9
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. / “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.

Romans 9:14-21
What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Certainly not! / For He says to Moses: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” / So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. ...

Psalm 50:21
You have done these things, and I kept silent; you thought I was just like you. But now I rebuke you and accuse you to your face.

Matthew 25:31-46
When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne. / All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. / He will place the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. ...

Job 34:10-12
Therefore listen to me, O men of understanding. Far be it from God to do wrong, and from the Almighty to act unjustly. / For according to a man’s deeds He repays him; according to a man’s ways He brings consequences. / Indeed, it is true that God does not act wickedly, and the Almighty does not pervert justice.

Luke 13:1-5
At that time some of those present told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. / To this He replied, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered this way? / No, I tell you. But unless you repent, you too will all perish. ...

Isaiah 5:20-23
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who turn darkness to light and light to darkness, who replace bitter with sweet and sweet with bitter. / Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight. / Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine and champions in mixing strong drink, ...

Romans 3:5-6
But if our unrighteousness highlights the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unjust to inflict His wrath on us? I am speaking in human terms. / Certainly not! In that case, how could God judge the world?

Deuteronomy 32:4
He is the Rock, His work is perfect; all His ways are just. A God of faithfulness without injustice, righteous and upright is He.

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.

Psalm 145:17
The LORD is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His deeds.

Acts 17:30-31
Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent. / For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”


Treasury of Scripture

Yet you say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O you house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.

Yet

Ezekiel 33:17
Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal.

Ezekiel 18:25,29
Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal? …

Proverbs 19:3
The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the LORD.

I will

Ezekiel 18:30
Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.

Psalm 62:12
Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.

Ecclesiastes 12:14
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

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Children Equal House Israel Judge Pondered Right Way Ways
Ezekiel 33
1. According to the duty of a watchman in warning the people
7. Ezekiel is admonished of his duty
10. God shows the justice of his ways toward the penitent and toward revolters
17. He maintains his justice
21. Upon the news of the taking of Jerusalem
25. he prophecies the desolation of the land
30. God's judgment upon the mockers of the prophets














Yet you say
This phrase indicates a direct address to the people of Israel, highlighting their persistent complaints and misunderstandings about God's justice. The Hebrew root for "say" is "אָמַר" (amar), which often conveys not just speaking but also expressing a deep-seated belief or attitude. This reflects the Israelites' entrenched skepticism and their struggle to reconcile their circumstances with their understanding of God's character.

The way of the Lord
The "way" (דֶּרֶךְ, derek) in Hebrew often signifies a path or manner of life, encompassing God's actions, laws, and decrees. This phrase underscores the divine nature of God's governance and His moral and ethical standards. Historically, the Israelites were familiar with God's "ways" through the Law given to Moses, which was intended to guide them in righteousness and justice.

is not just
The Hebrew word for "just" is "תִּכּוּן" (tikun), which implies fairness, equity, and righteousness. The accusation that God's way is "not just" reveals a profound misunderstanding of divine justice. From a conservative Christian perspective, this reflects humanity's limited perspective and tendency to judge divine actions by human standards. It is a call to trust in God's perfect justice, even when it is not immediately apparent.

But I will judge
The word "judge" (שָׁפַט, shaphat) in Hebrew conveys the idea of rendering a decision or verdict. It is a reminder of God's sovereign authority to evaluate and determine the moral and spiritual state of individuals. This phrase reassures believers that God is actively involved in the moral order of the world and that His judgments are both righteous and inevitable.

each of you
This phrase emphasizes individual responsibility and accountability before God. In the context of ancient Israel, communal identity was significant, yet this statement highlights that each person is accountable for their own actions. It aligns with the broader biblical theme that while God deals with nations, He also sees and judges the heart of each person.

according to his own ways
The repetition of "ways" (דֶּרֶךְ, derek) here reinforces the principle of personal accountability. It suggests that God's judgment is based on one's conduct and choices. This is consistent with the biblical teaching that individuals reap what they sow (Galatians 6:7). From a conservative Christian perspective, it underscores the importance of living a life aligned with God's will, as revealed through Scripture, and the assurance that God's judgment is fair and just.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Yet you say,
וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם (wa·’ă·mar·tem)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

‘The way
דֶּ֣רֶךְ (de·reḵ)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

of the LORD
אֲדֹנָ֑י (’ă·ḏō·nāy)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 136: The Lord

is not
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

just.’
יִתָּכֵ֖ן (yit·tā·ḵên)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8505: To balance, measure out, arrange, equalize, levelling

But I will judge
אֶשְׁפּ֥וֹט (’eš·pō·wṭ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 8199: To judge, pronounce sentence, to vindicate, punish, to govern, to litigate

each
אִ֧ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

of you
אֶתְכֶ֖ם (’eṯ·ḵem)
Direct object marker | second person masculine plural
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

according to his ways,
כִּדְרָכָ֛יו (kiḏ·rā·ḵāw)
Preposition-k | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

O house
בֵּ֥ית (bêṯ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

of Israel.”
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 33:20 Yet you say The way (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 33:19
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