Font Size
Ezekiel 18:19-20:17
English Standard Version
Ezekiel 18:19-20:17
English Standard Version
19 “Yet you say, (A)‘Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done (B)what is just and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, (C)he shall surely live. 20 (D)The soul who sins shall die. (E)The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. (F)The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, (G)and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.
21 (H)“But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does (I)what is just and right, (J)he shall surely live; he shall not die. 22 (K)None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live. 23 (L)Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? 24 (M)But when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? (N)None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for (O)the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die.
25 (P)“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just? 26 (Q)When a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice, he shall die for it; for the injustice that he has done he shall die. 27 Again, (R)when a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his life. 28 Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions that he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ O house of Israel, are my ways not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?
30 “Therefore (S)I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord God. (T)Repent and turn from all your transgressions, (U)lest iniquity be your ruin.[a] 31 (V)Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and (W)make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! (X)Why will you die, O house of Israel? 32 (Y)For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; (Z)so turn, and live.”
A Lament for the Princes of Israel
19 And you, (AA)take up a lamentation for the princes of Israel, 2 and say:
What was your mother? (AB)A lioness!
Among lions she crouched;
in the midst of young lions
she reared her cubs.
3 And she brought up one of her cubs;
(AC)he became a young lion,
(AD)and he learned to catch prey;
he devoured men.
4 The nations heard about him;
(AE)he was caught in their pit,
(AF)and they brought him with hooks
to the land of Egypt.
5 When she saw that she waited in vain,
that her hope was lost,
(AG)she took another of her cubs
and made him a young lion.
6 He prowled among the lions;
he became a young lion,
and he learned to catch prey;
he devoured men,
7 and seized[b] their widows.
He laid waste their cities,
and the land was appalled and all who were in it
at the sound of his roaring.
8 (AH)Then the nations set against him
from provinces on every side;
(AI)they spread their net over him;
(AJ)he was taken in their pit.
9 With hooks (AK)they put him in a cage[c]
and (AL)brought him to the king of Babylon;
they brought him into custody,
that his voice should no more be heard
on (AM)the mountains of Israel.
10 Your mother was (AN)like a vine in a vineyard[d]
planted by the water,
(AO)fruitful and full of branches
(AP)by reason of abundant water.
11 Its strong stems became
rulers' scepters;
it towered aloft
among the thick boughs;[e]
it was seen in its height
with the mass of its branches.
12 But the vine was plucked up in fury,
cast down to the ground;
(AQ)the east wind dried up its fruit;
they were stripped off and withered.
As for its strong stem,
fire consumed it.
13 (AR)Now it is planted in the wilderness,
in a dry and thirsty land.
14 (AS)And fire has gone out from the stem of its shoots,
has consumed its fruit,
(AT)so that there remains in it no strong stem,
no scepter for ruling.
This is (AU)a lamentation and has become a lamentation.
Israel's Continuing Rebellion
20 (AV)In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, certain of (AW)the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord, (AX)and sat before me. 2 And the word of the Lord came to me: 3 (AY)“Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God, Is it to inquire of me that you come? (AZ)As I live, declares the Lord God, (BA)I will not be inquired of by you. 4 (BB)Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? (BC)Let them know the abominations of their fathers, 5 and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: (BD)On the day when I chose Israel, (BE)I swore[f] to the offspring of the house of Jacob, (BF)making myself known to them in the land of Egypt; (BG)I swore to them, saying, I am the Lord your God. 6 On that day I swore to them that (BH)I would bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, a land (BI)flowing with milk and honey, (BJ)the most glorious of all lands. 7 And I said to them, (BK)‘Cast away the detestable things (BL)your eyes feast on, every one of you, and do not defile yourselves with (BM)the idols of Egypt; (BN)I am the Lord your God.’ 8 (BO)But they rebelled against me and were not willing to listen to me. (BP)None of them cast away the detestable things their eyes feasted on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt.
“Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them (BQ)and spend my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. 9 (BR)But I acted (BS)for the sake of my name, (BT)that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, (BU)in whose sight I made myself known to them in bringing them out of the land of Egypt. 10 (BV)So I led them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. 11 (BW)I gave them my statutes and made known to them my rules, (BX)by which, if a person does them, he shall live. 12 Moreover, I gave them (BY)my Sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, (BZ)that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them. 13 (CA)But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. (CB)They did not walk in my statutes but rejected my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live; (CC)and my Sabbaths they greatly profaned.
(CD)“Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them in the wilderness, to make a full end of them. 14 But I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, (CE)in whose sight I had brought them out. 15 Moreover, (CF)I swore to them in the wilderness (CG)that I would not bring them into the land that I had given them, a land (CH)flowing with milk and honey, (CI)the most glorious of all lands, 16 because they rejected my rules and did not walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths; (CJ)for their heart went after their idols. 17 Nevertheless, (CK)my eye spared them, and I did not destroy them or (CL)make a full end of them in the wilderness.
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 18:30 Or lest iniquity be your stumbling block
- Ezekiel 19:7 Hebrew knew
- Ezekiel 19:9 Or in a wooden collar
- Ezekiel 19:10 Some Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts in your blood
- Ezekiel 19:11 Or the clouds
- Ezekiel 20:5 Hebrew I lifted my hand; twice in this verse; also verses 6, 15, 23, 28, 42
Ezekiel 18:19-20:17
New International Version
Ezekiel 18:19-20:17
New International Version
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.(A) 20 The one who sins is the one who will die.(B) 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.(C)
21 “But if(D) a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees(E) and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die.(F) 22 None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live.(G) 23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased(H) when they turn from their ways and live?(I)
24 “But if a righteous person turns(J) from their righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked person does, will they live? None of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness(K) they are guilty of and because of the sins they have committed, they will die.(L)
25 “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’(M) Hear, you Israelites: Is my way unjust?(N) Is it not your ways that are unjust? 26 If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin, they will die for it; because of the sin they have committed they will die. 27 But if a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just and right, they will save their life.(O) 28 Because they consider all the offenses they have committed and turn away from them, that person will surely live; they will not die.(P) 29 Yet the Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are my ways unjust, people of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?
30 “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent!(Q) Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall.(R) 31 Rid(S) yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart(T) and a new spirit. Why(U) will you die, people of Israel?(V) 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent(W) and live!(X)
A Lament Over Israel’s Princes
19 “Take up a lament(Y) concerning the princes(Z) of Israel 2 and say:
“‘What a lioness(AA) was your mother
among the lions!
She lay down among them
and reared her cubs.(AB)
3 She brought up one of her cubs,
and he became a strong lion.
He learned to tear the prey
and he became a man-eater.
4 The nations heard about him,
and he was trapped in their pit.
They led him with hooks(AC)
to the land of Egypt.(AD)
5 “‘When she saw her hope unfulfilled,
her expectation gone,
she took another of her cubs(AE)
and made him a strong lion.(AF)
6 He prowled among the lions,
for he was now a strong lion.
He learned to tear the prey
and he became a man-eater.(AG)
7 He broke down[a] their strongholds
and devastated(AH) their towns.
The land and all who were in it
were terrified by his roaring.
8 Then the nations(AI) came against him,
those from regions round about.
They spread their net(AJ) for him,
and he was trapped in their pit.(AK)
9 With hooks(AL) they pulled him into a cage
and brought him to the king of Babylon.(AM)
They put him in prison,
so his roar(AN) was heard no longer
on the mountains of Israel.(AO)
10 “‘Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard[b](AP)
planted by the water;(AQ)
it was fruitful and full of branches
because of abundant water.(AR)
11 Its branches were strong,
fit for a ruler’s scepter.
It towered high
above the thick foliage,
conspicuous for its height
and for its many branches.(AS)
12 But it was uprooted(AT) in fury
and thrown to the ground.
The east wind(AU) made it shrivel,
it was stripped of its fruit;
its strong branches withered
and fire consumed them.(AV)
13 Now it is planted in the desert,(AW)
in a dry and thirsty land.(AX)
14 Fire spread from one of its main[c] branches
and consumed(AY) its fruit.
No strong branch is left on it
fit for a ruler’s scepter.’(AZ)
“This is a lament(BA) and is to be used as a lament.”
Rebellious Israel Purged
20 In the seventh year, in the fifth month on the tenth day, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire(BB) of the Lord, and they sat down in front of me.(BC)
2 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 3 “Son of man, speak to the elders(BD) of Israel and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Have you come to inquire(BE) of me? As surely as I live, I will not let you inquire of me, declares the Sovereign Lord.(BF)’
4 “Will you judge them? Will you judge them, son of man? Then confront them with the detestable practices of their ancestors(BG) 5 and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I chose(BH) Israel, I swore with uplifted hand(BI) to the descendants of Jacob and revealed myself to them in Egypt. With uplifted hand I said to them, “I am the Lord your God.(BJ)” 6 On that day I swore(BK) to them that I would bring them out of Egypt into a land I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey,(BL) the most beautiful of all lands.(BM) 7 And I said to them, “Each of you, get rid of the vile images(BN) you have set your eyes on, and do not defile yourselves with the idols(BO) of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.(BP)”
8 “‘But they rebelled against me and would not listen to me;(BQ) they did not get rid of the vile images they had set their eyes on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt.(BR) So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them in Egypt.(BS) 9 But for the sake of my name, I brought them out of Egypt.(BT) I did it to keep my name from being profaned(BU) in the eyes of the nations among whom they lived and in whose sight I had revealed myself to the Israelites. 10 Therefore I led them out of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.(BV) 11 I gave them my decrees and made known to them my laws, by which the person who obeys them will live.(BW) 12 Also I gave them my Sabbaths(BX) as a sign(BY) between us,(BZ) so they would know that I the Lord made them holy.(CA)
13 “‘Yet the people of Israel rebelled(CB) against me in the wilderness. They did not follow my decrees but rejected my laws(CC)—by which the person who obeys them will live—and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths.(CD) So I said I would pour out my wrath(CE) on them and destroy(CF) them in the wilderness.(CG) 14 But for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned(CH) in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.(CI) 15 Also with uplifted hand I swore(CJ) to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land I had given them—a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands(CK)— 16 because they rejected my laws(CL) and did not follow my decrees and desecrated my Sabbaths. For their hearts(CM) were devoted to their idols.(CN) 17 Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy(CO) them or put an end to them in the wilderness.
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 19:7 Targum (see Septuagint); Hebrew He knew
- Ezekiel 19:10 Two Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts your blood
- Ezekiel 19:14 Or from under its
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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.