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.
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- Ezekiel 18:14 The Heb. lacks that son
- Ezekiel 18:18 Lit. die in
Ezekiel 18:14-20
Lexham English Bible
14 “And look! He has a son, and he sees all of the sin of his father that he did, and he sees it, but he does not do it. 15 On the mountains he does not eat, and he does not lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, and the wife of his neighbor he does not defile. 16 And he oppresses no one; he requires no pledge for a loan, and he does not commit robbery;[a] he gives his bread to the hungry, and he covers the naked person with a garment. 17 He brings back[b] his hand from iniquity;[c] he does not take interest and usury; he does my regulations; he goes[d] in my statutes. He will not die because of the guilt of his father; he will surely live! 18 Because his father oppressed severely;[e] he stole from his brother;[f] that which is not good he did in the midst of his people, and look! He will die through[g] his guilt.
19 “Yet[h] you say, ‘Why does the son not bear the guilt of the father?’ And since the son does justice and righteousness and he keeps all of my statutes and does them, he shall surely live! 20 The person,[i] the one sinning, will die. A son shall not bear the guilt of the father, and a father shall not bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be on him; the wickedness of the wicked[j] shall be on him.
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- Ezekiel 18:16 Literally “robbed things not does he seize”
- Ezekiel 18:17 Or “holds back”
- Ezekiel 18:17 Cf. verse 8
- Ezekiel 18:17 Or “walks”
- Ezekiel 18:18 Literally “he oppressed oppression”
- Ezekiel 18:18 Literally “he seized robbed things of a brother”
- Ezekiel 18:18 Or “in”
- Ezekiel 18:19 Or “And”
- Ezekiel 18:20 Or “soul,” or “life”
- Ezekiel 18:20 According to the reading tradition (Qere)
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