Font Size
Ezekiel 18:14-20
New American Standard Bible
Ezekiel 18:14-20
New American Standard Bible
14 “Now behold, he has fathered a son who saw all his father’s sins which he committed, but he has (A)seen them and does not do likewise. 15 He does not eat at the mountain shrines or raise his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel; he has not defiled his neighbor’s wife, 16 nor oppressed anyone, nor retained a pledge, nor committed robbery; instead, he (B)gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing, 17 he keeps his hand from [a]the poor, does not take any kind of interest on loans, but executes My ordinances, and walks in My statutes; (C)he will not die for his father’s guilt, he will certainly live. 18 As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what was not good among his people, behold, he will die for his guilt.
19 “Yet you say, ‘(D)Why should the son not suffer the punishment for the father’s guilt?’ When the son has practiced (E)justice and righteousness and has kept all My statutes and done them, he shall certainly live. 20 The person who (F)sins will die. A (G)son will not suffer the punishment for the father’s guilt, nor will a father suffer the punishment for the son’s guilt; the (H)righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ezekiel 18:17 As in MT; LXX injustice
Ezekiel 18:14-20
International Standard Version
Ezekiel 18:14-20
International Standard Version
Personal Accountability for Sin
14 “Now suppose that he produced a son who practiced all of his father’s sins, but then that son[a] began to fear me and stopped doing all of these things. 15 That is, suppose he doesn’t eat at the mountain shrines, doesn’t look to the idols of Israel’s house, doesn’t defile his neighbor’s wife, 16 doesn’t oppress anyone, doesn’t take possession of a debtor’s pledge, or doesn’t steal, but instead shares his food with the hungry, gives clothes to those who are naked, 17 doesn’t refuse to help the afflicted, or refuses to loan with usury or exact interest, but instead follows my ordinances and lives his life consistent with my statutes. He won’t die because of his father’s sin, will he? No! He’ll certainly live. 18 As for his father, watch out! If he wrongfully oppressed or robbed his brother and did what wasn’t good among his people, he’ll die because of[b] his own sin.”
The Person who Sins will Die
19 “Yet you keep asking, ‘Why wouldn’t the son bear the punishment of his father’s sin?’ Because the son has done what was lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes and obeyed them, he’s certainly going to live. 20 The soul who sins dies. The son won’t bear the punishment of his father’s sin and the father won’t bear the punishment of his son’s sin. The righteous deeds of that righteous person will be attributed to him, while the wicked deeds of the wicked person will be charged against him.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ezekiel 18:14 The Heb. lacks that son
- Ezekiel 18:18 Lit. die in
Ezekiel 18:14-20
New International Version
Ezekiel 18:14-20
New International Version
14 “But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things:(A)
15 “He does not eat at the mountain shrines(B)
or look to the idols(C) of Israel.
He does not defile his neighbor’s wife.
16 He does not oppress anyone
or require a pledge for a loan.
He does not commit robbery
but gives his food to the hungry(D)
and provides clothing for the naked.(E)
17 He withholds his hand from mistreating the poor
and takes no interest or profit from them.
He keeps my laws(F) and follows my decrees.
He will not die for his father’s sin; he will surely live. 18 But his father will die for his own sin, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was wrong among his people.
19 “Yet you ask, ‘Why does the son not share the guilt of his father?’ Since the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live.(G) 20 The one who sins is the one who will die.(H) The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them.(I)
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
International Standard Version (ISV) 
Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.