Ezekiel 18
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Individual Retribution
18 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, “The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge”?(A) 3 As I live, says the Lord God, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. 4 Know that all lives are mine; the life of the parent as well as the life of the child is mine: it is only the person who sins who shall die.(B)
5 If a man is righteous and does what is lawful and right— 6 if he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period,(C) 7 does not oppress anyone but restores to the debtor his pledge, commits no robbery, gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment,(D) 8 does not take advance or accrued interest, withholds his hand from iniquity, executes true justice between contending parties,(E) 9 follows my statutes, and is careful to observe my ordinances, acting faithfully—such a one is righteous; he shall surely live, says the Lord God.(F)
10 If he has a son who is violent, a shedder of blood,(G) 11 who does any of these things (though his father[a] does none of them), who eats upon the mountains, defiles his neighbor’s wife, 12 oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore the pledge, lifts up his eyes to the idols, commits abomination,(H) 13 takes advance or accrued interest, shall he then live? He shall not. He has done all these abominable things; he shall surely be put to death; his blood shall be upon himself.(I)
14 But if this son has a son who sees all the sins that his father has done, considers, and does not do likewise,(J) 15 who does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife, 16 does not wrong anyone, exacts no pledge, commits no robbery but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment,(K) 17 withholds his hand from iniquity,[b] takes no advance or accrued interest, observes my ordinances, and follows my statutes, he shall not die for his father’s iniquity; he shall surely live. 18 As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what is not good among his people, he died for his iniquity.
19 Yet you say, “Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?” When the son has done what is lawful and right and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live.(L) 20 The person who sins shall die. A child shall not suffer for the iniquity of a parent nor a parent suffer for the iniquity of a child; the righteousness of the righteous shall be their own, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be their own.(M)
21 But if the wicked turn away from all their sins that they have committed and keep all my statutes and do what is lawful and right, they shall surely live; they shall not die.(N) 22 None of the transgressions that they have committed shall be remembered against them, for the righteousness that they have done they shall live.(O) 23 Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord God, and not rather that they should turn from their ways and live?(P) 24 But when the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity and do the same abominable things that the wicked do, shall they live? None of the righteous deeds that they have done shall be remembered, for the treachery of which they are guilty and the sin they have committed, they shall die.(Q)
25 Yet you say, “The way of the Lord is unfair.” Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair?(R) 26 When the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity, they shall die for it; for the iniquity that they have committed, they shall die. 27 Again, when the wicked turn away from the wickedness they have committed and do what is lawful and right, they shall save their life. 28 Because they considered and turned away from all the transgressions that they had committed, they shall surely live; they shall not die. 29 Yet the house of Israel says, “The way of the Lord is unfair.” O house of Israel, are my ways unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair?
30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, all of you according to your ways, says the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions; otherwise iniquity will be your ruin.[c](S) 31 Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel?(T) 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord God. Turn, then, and live.(U)
Ezekiel 18
English Standard Version
The Soul Who Sins Shall Die
18 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “What do you[a] mean (A)by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, (B)‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge’? 3 (C)As I live, declares the Lord God, (D)this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. 4 Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: (E)the soul who sins shall die.
5 “If a man is righteous and does (F)what is just and right— 6 if he (G)does not eat upon the mountains or (H)lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, (I)does not defile his neighbor's wife (J)or approach (K)a woman in her time of menstrual impurity, 7 (L)does not oppress anyone, but (M)restores to the debtor his pledge, (N)commits no robbery, (O)gives his bread to the hungry (P)and covers the naked with a garment, 8 (Q)does not lend at interest (R)or take any profit,[b] withholds his hand from injustice, (S)executes true justice between man and man, 9 (T)walks in my statutes, and keeps my rules by acting faithfully—he is righteous; (U)he shall surely live, declares the Lord God.
10 “If he fathers a son who is violent, (V)a shedder of blood, who does any of these things 11 (though he himself did none of these things), (W)who even eats upon the mountains, (X)defiles his neighbor's wife, 12 oppresses the poor and needy, (Y)commits robbery, (Z)does not restore the pledge, (AA)lifts up his eyes to the idols, (AB)commits abomination, 13 (AC)lends at interest, and takes profit; shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations; he shall surely die; (AD)his blood shall be upon himself.
14 “Now suppose this man fathers a son who sees all the sins that his father has done; he sees, and does not do likewise: 15 he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor's wife, 16 does not oppress anyone, (AE)exacts no pledge, (AF)commits no robbery, (AG)but gives his bread to the hungry (AH)and covers the naked with a garment, 17 withholds his hand from iniquity,[c] takes no interest or profit, obeys my rules, (AI)and walks in my statutes; he shall not die for his father's iniquity; (AJ)he shall surely live. 18 As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what is not good among his people, (AK)behold, he shall die for his iniquity.
19 “Yet you say, (AL)‘Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done (AM)what is just and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, (AN)he shall surely live. 20 (AO)The soul who sins shall die. (AP)The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. (AQ)The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, (AR)and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.
21 (AS)“But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does (AT)what is just and right, (AU)he shall surely live; he shall not die. 22 (AV)None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live. 23 (AW)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 (AX)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? (AY)None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for (AZ)the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die.
25 (BA)“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 (BB)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, (BC)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 (BD)I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord God. (BE)Repent and turn from all your transgressions, (BF)lest iniquity be your ruin.[d] 31 (BG)Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and (BH)make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! (BI)Why will you die, O house of Israel? 32 (BJ)For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; (BK)so turn, and live.”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 18:2 The Hebrew for you is plural
- Ezekiel 18:8 That is, profit that comes from charging interest to the poor; also verses 13, 17 (compare Leviticus 25:36)
- Ezekiel 18:17 Septuagint; Hebrew from the poor
- Ezekiel 18:30 Or lest iniquity be your stumbling block
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
