Ezekiel 18:20 “The soul who sins is the one who will die. A son will not bear the ini…”

Ezekiel 18:20

The soul who sins is the one who will die. A son will not bear the iniquity of his father, and a father will not bear the iniquity of his son. The righteousness of the righteous man will fall upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked man will fall upon him.

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

The soul that sinneth, it 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 upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

World English Bible

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.

American Standard Version

The soul that sinneth, it 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 upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

Geneva Bible 1599

The same soule that sinneth, shall die: the sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the father, neither shall the father beare the iniquitie of the sonne, but the righteousnes of the righteous shall be vpon him, and the wickednesse of the wicked shall be vpon him selfe.

Darby Translation

The soul that sinneth, it 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 upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

Young's Literal Translation

The soul that doth sin — it doth die. A son doth not bear of the iniquity of the father, And a father doth not bear of the iniquity of the son, The righteousness of the righteous is on him, And the wickedness of the wicked is on him.

Bible in Basic English

The soul which does sin will be put to death: the son will not be made responsible for the evil-doing of the father, or the father for the evil-doing of the son; the righteousness of the upright will be on himself, and the evil-doing of the evil-doer on himself.

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Cross references

“soul that”

2 Kings 14:6 Deuteronomy 24:16 Ezekiel 18:4 2 Chronicles 25:4 2 Kings 22:18–20 Ezekiel 18:13

2 Kings 14:6 · BSB

Yet he did not put the sons of the murderers to death, but acted according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, where the LORD commanded: “Fathers must not be put to death for their children, and children…

Deuteronomy 24:16 · BSB

Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin.

Ezekiel 18:4 · BSB

Behold, every soul belongs to Me; both father and son are Mine. The soul who sins is the one who will die.

2 Chronicles 25:4 · BSB

Yet he did not put their sons to death, but acted according to what is written in the Law, in the Book of Moses, where the LORD commanded: “Fathers must not be put to death for their children, and children must not be pu…

2 Kings 22:18–20 · BSB

But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, tell him that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘As for the words that you heard,

Ezekiel 18:13 · BSB

He engages in usury and takes excess interest. Will this son live? He will not! Since he has committed all these abominations, he will surely die; his blood will be on his own head.

“bear”

Numbers 18:1 Leviticus 5:17 Leviticus 5:1 Leviticus 19:8 Isaiah 53:11 Hebrews 9:28

Numbers 18:1 · BSB

So the LORD said to Aaron, “You and your sons and your father’s house must bear the iniquity involving the sanctuary. And you and your sons alone must bear the iniquity involving your priesthood.

Leviticus 5:17 · BSB

If someone sins and violates any of the LORD’s commandments even though he was unaware, he is guilty and shall bear his punishment.

Leviticus 5:1 · BSB

“If someone sins by failing to testify when he hears a public charge about something he has witnessed, whether he has seen it or learned of it, he shall bear the iniquity.

Leviticus 19:8 · BSB

Whoever eats it will bear his iniquity, for he has profaned what is holy to the LORD. That person must be cut off from his people.

Isaiah 53:11 · BSB

After the anguish of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities.

Hebrews 9:28 · BSB

so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him.

“righteousness”

Matthew 16:27 1 Kings 8:32 Romans 2:6–9 2 Chronicles 6:23 Revelation 20:12 Revelation 22:12–15

Matthew 16:27 · BSB

For the Son of Man will come in His Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will repay each one according to what he has done.

1 Kings 8:32 · BSB

then may You hear from heaven and act. May You judge Your servants, condemning the wicked man by bringing down on his own head what he has done, and justifying the righteous man by rewarding him according to his righteou…

Romans 2:6–9 · BSB

God “will repay each one according to his deeds.”

2 Chronicles 6:23 · BSB

Revelation 20:12 · BSB

And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And books were opened, and one of them was the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books.

Revelation 22:12–15 · BSB

“Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done.

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

19Yet you may ask, ‘Why shouldn’t the son bear the iniquity of his father?’ Since the son has done what is just and right, carefully observing all My statutes, he will surely live.

21But if the wicked man turns from all the sins he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die.

Read Ezekiel 18