Previous Chapter Full Page Full Page Next Chapter

Ezekiel 18 :: English Standard Version (ESV)

The Soul Who Sins Shall Die

Eze 18:1

Eze 18:1The word of the LORD came to me:

Eze 18:2

Eze 18:2“What do you[fn] mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?

Eze 18:3

Eze 18:3As I live, declares the Lord GOD, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel.

Eze 18:4

Eze 18:4Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die.

Eze 18:5

Eze 18:5“If a man is righteous and does what is just and right—

Eze 18:6

Eze 18:6if 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 in her time of menstrual impurity,

Eze 18:7

Eze 18:7does 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,

Eze 18:8

Eze 18:8does not lend at interest or take any profit,[fn] withholds his hand from injustice, executes true justice between man and man,

Eze 18:9

Eze 18:9walks in my statutes, and keeps my rules by acting faithfully—he is righteous; he shall surely live, declares the Lord GOD.

Eze 18:10

Eze 18:10“If he fathers a son who is violent, a shedder of blood, who does any of these things

Eze 18:11

Eze 18:11(though he himself did none of these things), who even eats upon the mountains, defiles his neighbor’s wife,

Eze 18:12

Eze 18:12oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore the pledge, lifts up his eyes to the idols, commits abomination,

Eze 18:13

Eze 18:13lends at interest, and takes profit; shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon himself.

Eze 18:14

Eze 18:14“Now suppose this man fathers a son who sees all the sins that his father has done; he sees, and does not do likewise:

Eze 18:15

Eze 18:15he 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,

Eze 18:16

Eze 18:16does not oppress anyone, exacts no pledge, commits no robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment,

Eze 18:17

Eze 18:17withholds his hand from iniquity,[fn] takes no interest or profit, obeys my rules, and walks in my statutes; he shall not die for his father’s iniquity; he shall surely live.

Eze 18:18

Eze 18:18As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what is not good among his people, behold, he shall die for his iniquity.

Eze 18:19

Eze 18:19“Yet you say, ‘Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done what is just and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live.

Eze 18:20

Eze 18:20The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.

Eze 18:21

Eze 18:21“But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die.

Eze 18:22

Eze 18:22None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live.

Eze 18:23

Eze 18:23Have 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?

Eze 18:24

Eze 18:24But 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? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die.

Eze 18:25

Eze 18:25“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?

Eze 18:26

Eze 18:26When 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.

Eze 18:27

Eze 18:27Again, when a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his life.

Eze 18:28

Eze 18:28Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions that he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die.

Eze 18:29

Eze 18:29Yet 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?

Eze 18:30

Eze 18:30“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin.[fn]

Eze 18:31

Eze 18:31Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel?

Eze 18:32

Eze 18:32For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live.”
See the ESV Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).
ESV Footnotes
The Hebrew for you is plural
That is, profit that comes from charging interest to the poor; also verses 13, 17 (compare Leviticus 25:36)
Septuagint; Hebrew from the poor
Or lest iniquity be your stumbling block
Translation Copyright Logo

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Books and Bibles, a Publishing Ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

See detailed copyright information.

For more information on this translation, see the ESV Preface.

Ezekiel Chapter 18 — Additional Translations:

King James Version New King James Version New Living Translation New International Version Christian Standard Bible New American Standard Bible 2020 New American Standard Bible 1995 Legacy Standard Bible Amplified Bible New English Translation Revised Standard Version American Standard Version Young's Literal Translation Darby Translation Webster's Bible Hebrew Names Version Latin Vulgate Westminster Leningrad Codex Septuagint Smith Van Dyck Arabic Bible Open New Arabic Version Brenton's English Septuagint Reina Valera 1909 Reina-Valera 1960 Bible in Basic English Chinese Traditional Union Espanol Moderno Korean Holy Bible Louis Segond German Luther Russian Synodal Translation Sagradas Escrituras

Did You Know BLB Is User Supported?

Your partnership makes all we do possible. Would you prayerfully consider a gift of support today?

Remind Me
Dismiss