1 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 “What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the teeth of the children are set on edge’? 3 As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. 4 Behold, every soul belongs to Me; both father and son are Mine. The soul who sins is the one who will die. 5 Now suppose a man is righteous and does what is just and right: 6 He does not eat at the mountain or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her period. 7 He does not oppress another, but restores the pledge to the debtor. He does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing. 8 He does not engage in usury or take excess interest, but he withholds his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between men. 9 He follows My statutes and faithfully keeps My ordinances. That man is righteous; surely he will live, declares the Lord GOD. 10 Now suppose that man has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these things, 11 though the father has done none of them: Indeed, the son eats at the mountain and defiles his neighbor’s wife. 12 He oppresses the poor and needy; he commits robbery and does not restore a pledge. He lifts his eyes to idols; he commits abominations. 13 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. 14 Now suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father has committed, considers them, and does not do likewise: 15 He does not eat at the mountain or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife. 16 He does not oppress another, or retain a pledge, or commit robbery. He gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing. 17 He withholds his hand from harming the poor and takes no interest or usury. He keeps My ordinances and follows My statutes. Such a man will not die for his father’s iniquity. He will surely live. 18 As for his father, he will die for his own iniquity, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what was wrong among his people. 19 Yet 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. 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 righteousnes…
Ezekiel 18:1–32
Semantically similar passages
Ezekiel 33:13–15
13 If I tell the righteous man that he will surely live, but he then trusts in his righteousness and commits iniquity, then none of his righteous works will be remembered; he will die because of the iniquity he has committed. 14 But if I tell the wicked man, ‘You wi…
Ezekiel 33:18–20
18 If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he will die for it. 19 But if a wicked man turns from his wickedness and does what is just and right, he will live because of this. 20 Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But I will jud…
Ezekiel 3:19–21
19 But if you warn a wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness and his wicked way, he will die in his iniquity, but you will have saved yourself. 20 Now if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I put a stumbling block befor…
Ezekiel 33:8–10
8 If I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ but you do not speak out to dissuade him from his way, then that wicked man will die in his iniquity, yet I will hold you accountable for his blood. 9 But if you warn the wicked man to turn from his wa…
Jeremiah 2:34–36
34 Moreover, your skirts are stained with the blood of the innocent poor, though you did not find them breaking in. But in spite of all these things 35 you say, ‘I am innocent. Surely His anger will turn from me.’ Behold, I will judge you, because you say, ‘I have n…
Deuteronomy 24:15–17
15 You are to pay his wages each day before sunset, because he is poor and depends on them. Otherwise he may cry out to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin. 16 Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children for their fathers; each…
Sirach 15:19–20
19 His eyes are upon those who fear him. He knows every act of man. (WEB) 20 He has not commanded any man to be ungodly. He has not given any man license to sin. (WEB)
Jeremiah 31:29–31
29 “In those days, it will no longer be said: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the teeth of the children are set on edge.’ 30 Instead, each will die for his own iniquity. If anyone eats the sour grapes, his own teeth will be set on edge. 31 Behold, the days are…
Search the collection All books and codes Translations and sources