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14 “Now, behold, if he fathers a son, who sees all his father’s sins, which he has done, and fears, and does not such like;

15 who hasn’t eaten on the mountains,
    hasn’t lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel,
    hasn’t defiled his neighbor’s wife,
16 hasn’t wronged any,
    hasn’t taken anything to pledge,
hasn’t taken by robbery,
    but has given his bread to the hungry,
    and has covered the naked with a garment;
17 who has withdrawn his hand from the poor,
    who hasn’t received interest or increase,
has executed my ordinances,
    has walked in my statutes;

he shall not die for the iniquity of his father. He shall surely live. 18 As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, robbed his brother, and did that which is not good among his people, behold, he will die in his iniquity.

19 “Yet you say, ‘Why doesn’t the son bear the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done that which is lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes, and has done them, he will surely live. 20 The soul who sins, he shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be on him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on him.

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14 But if this son has a son who sees all the sins that his father has done, considers, and does not do likewise,(A) 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,(B) 17 withholds his hand from iniquity,[a] 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.(C) 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.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. 18.17 Gk: Heb the poor