Ezequiel 18
Dios Habla Hoy
Responsabilidad personal
18 El Señor se dirigió a mí, y me dijo: 2 «¿Por qué en Israel no deja de repetirse aquel refrán que dice: “Los padres comen uvas agrias y a los hijos se les destemplan los dientes”? 3 Yo, el Señor, juro por mi vida que nunca volverán ustedes a repetir este refrán en Israel. 4 A mí me pertenece todo ser humano, lo mismo el padre que el hijo. Aquel que peque, morirá.
5 »El hombre recto es el que hace lo que es justo y recto: 6 no participa en los banquetes que se celebran en las colinas para honrar a los ídolos, ni pone su confianza en los falsos dioses de Israel; no le quita la mujer a su prójimo, ni se une con su propia mujer cuando ella está en su período de menstruación; 7 no oprime a nadie, sino que devuelve a su deudor lo que había recibido de él en prenda; no roba a nadie; comparte su pan con el hambriento y da ropa al desnudo; 8 no presta dinero con usura ni exige intereses; no causa daño a nadie; es justo cuando juzga un pleito entre dos personas; 9 actúa de acuerdo con mis leyes y cumple fielmente mis mandamientos. Ese hombre es verdaderamente recto, y por lo tanto vivirá. Yo, el Señor, lo afirmo.
10 »Pero si este hombre tiene un hijo violento y asesino, que hace cualquiera de esas cosas 11 que su padre no hacía, es decir, que participa en los banquetes que se celebran en las colinas para honrar a los ídolos, que le quita la mujer a su prójimo, 12 que oprime al pobre y al necesitado, que roba a los demás, que no devuelve a sus deudores lo que había recibido de ellos en prenda, que pone su confianza en los falsos dioses y hace cosas que yo detesto, 13 que presta dinero con usura y exige intereses: ese hombre no podrá vivir. Después de haber hecho todas esas cosas que yo detesto, morirá sin remedio, y él mismo será responsable de su muerte.
14 »Puede ser que este hombre, a su vez, tenga un hijo que vea todos los pecados cometidos por su padre, pero que no siga su ejemplo; 15 es decir, que no participe en los banquetes que se celebran en las colinas para honrar a los ídolos, ni ponga su confianza en los falsos dioses de Israel; que no le quite la mujer a su prójimo 16 ni oprima a nadie; que no exija nada en prenda cuando le pidan prestado; que no robe a nadie, sino que comparta su pan con el hambriento y dé ropa al desnudo; 17 que no haga daño a nadie ni preste dinero con usura o intereses; y que cumpla mis leyes y actúe según mis mandatos: ese hombre no morirá por los pecados de su padre. Ciertamente vivirá.
18 »Su padre, que fue opresor, y cometió robos, e hizo lo malo en medio de su pueblo, morirá en castigo de sus propios pecados. 19 Ustedes preguntarán: “¿Por qué no paga el hijo también por los pecados del padre?” Pues porque el hijo hizo lo que es recto y justo, y cumplió y puso en práctica todas mis leyes: por eso ciertamente vivirá. 20 Sólo aquel que peque morirá. Ni el hijo ha de pagar por los pecados del padre, ni el padre por los pecados del hijo. El justo recibirá el premio a su justicia; y el malvado, el castigo a su maldad.
El Señor actúa con justicia(A)
21 »Y si el malvado se aparta de todos los pecados que cometía, y cumple todas mis leyes y hace lo que es recto y justo, ciertamente vivirá y no morirá. 22 Yo no volveré a acordarme de todo lo malo que hizo, y él vivirá por hacer lo que es recto. 23 Yo no quiero que el malvado muera, sino que cambie de conducta y viva. Yo, el Señor, lo afirmo.
24 »Pero si el justo deja de actuar rectamente, y hace todo lo malo y detestable que hace el malvado, ¿piensan ustedes que habrá de seguir viviendo? Yo no volveré a acordarme de todo lo bueno que haya hecho: morirá por culpa de su infidelidad y de sus pecados. 25 Ustedes dirán que yo no estoy actuando con justicia; pero escucha, pueblo de Israel, ¿piensan ustedes que yo no estoy actuando bien? ¿No será más bien lo contrario, que son ustedes los que están actuando mal? 26 Si el justo deja de hacer lo bueno y hace lo malo, morirá por culpa de sus malas acciones. 27 Por el contrario, si el malvado se aparta de su maldad y hace lo que es recto y justo, salvará su vida. 28 Si abre los ojos y se aparta de todas las maldades que había hecho, ciertamente vivirá y no morirá.
29 »Pero el pueblo de Israel dirá que yo no actúo con justicia. ¿Que yo no actúo con justicia? ¿No será más bien el pueblo de Israel el que no actúa con justicia? 30 Yo los juzgo a cada uno de ustedes, israelitas, de acuerdo con sus acciones. Yo, el Señor, lo afirmo. Abandonen de una vez por todas sus maldades, para que no se hagan culpables de su propia ruina. 31 Apártense de todas las maldades que han cometido contra mí, y háganse de un corazón y un espíritu nuevos. ¿Por qué habrás de morir, pueblo de Israel, 32 si yo no quiero que nadie muera? Apártense del mal y vivirán. Yo, el Señor, lo afirmo.
Ezekiel 18
New King James Version
A False Proverb Refuted
18 The word of the Lord came to me again, saying, 2 “What do you mean when you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying:
‘The (A)fathers have eaten sour grapes,
And the children’s teeth are set on edge’?
3 “As I live,” says the Lord God, “you shall no longer use this proverb in Israel.
4 “Behold, all souls are (B)Mine;
The soul of the father
As well as the soul of the son is Mine;
(C)The soul who sins shall die.
5 But if a man is just
And does what is lawful and right;
6 (D)If he has not eaten [a]on the mountains,
Nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel,
Nor (E)defiled his neighbor’s wife,
Nor approached (F)a woman during her impurity;
7 If he has not (G)oppressed anyone,
But has restored to the debtor his (H)pledge;
Has robbed no one by violence,
But has (I)given his bread to the hungry
And covered the naked with (J)clothing;
8 If he has not [b]exacted (K)usury
Nor taken any increase,
But has withdrawn his hand from iniquity
And (L)executed true [c]judgment between man and man;
9 If he has walked in My statutes
And kept My judgments faithfully—
He is just;
He shall surely (M)live!”
Says the Lord God.
10 “If he begets a son who is a robber
Or (N)a shedder of blood,
Who does any of these things
11 And does none of those duties,
But has eaten [d]on the mountains
Or defiled his neighbor’s wife;
12 If he has oppressed the poor and needy,
Robbed by violence,
Not restored the pledge,
Lifted his eyes to the idols,
Or (O)committed abomination;
13 If he has exacted usury
Or taken increase—
Shall he then live?
He shall not live!
If he has done any of these abominations,
He shall surely die;
(P)His blood shall be upon him.
14 “If, however, he begets a son
Who sees all the sins which his father has done,
And considers but does not do likewise;
15 (Q)Who has not eaten [e]on the mountains,
Nor lifted his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel,
Nor defiled his neighbor’s wife;
16 Has not oppressed anyone,
Nor withheld a pledge,
Nor robbed by violence,
But has given his bread to the hungry
And covered the naked with clothing;
17 Who has withdrawn his hand from [f]the poor
And not received usury or increase,
But has executed My judgments
And 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 by violence,
And did what is not good among his people,
Behold, (R)he shall die for his iniquity.
Turn and Live
19 “Yet you say, ‘Why (S)should the son not bear the guilt of the father?’ Because the son has done what is lawful and right, and has kept all My statutes and observed them, he shall surely live. 20 (T)The soul who sins shall die. (U)The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. (V)The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, (W)and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.
21 “But (X)if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 22 (Y)None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall (Z)live. 23 (AA)Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord God, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live?
24 “But (AB)when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? (AC)All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die.
25 “Yet you say, (AD)‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ Hear now, O house of Israel, is it not My way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair? 26 (AE)When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and dies in it, it is because of the iniquity which he has done that he dies. 27 Again, (AF)when a wicked man turns away from the wickedness which he committed, and does what is lawful and right, he preserves himself alive. 28 Because he (AG)considers and turns away from all the transgressions which he committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 29 (AH)Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ O house of Israel, is it not My ways which are fair, and your ways which are not fair?
30 (AI)“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,” says the Lord God. (AJ)“Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. 31 (AK)Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a (AL)new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? 32 For (AM)I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and (AN)live!”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 18:6 At the mountain shrines
- Ezekiel 18:8 Lent money at interest
- Ezekiel 18:8 justice
- Ezekiel 18:11 At the mountain shrines
- Ezekiel 18:15 At the mountain shrines
- Ezekiel 18:17 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX iniquity (cf. v. 8)
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
Dios habla hoy ®, © Sociedades Bíblicas Unidas, 1966, 1970, 1979, 1983, 1996.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
