Ezekiel 18:20 kjv
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.
Ezekiel 18:20 nkjv
The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.
Ezekiel 18:20 niv
The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them.
Ezekiel 18:20 esv
The 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.
Ezekiel 18:20 nlt
The person who sins is the one who will die. The child will not be punished for the parent's sins, and the parent will not be punished for the child's sins. Righteous people will be rewarded for their own righteous behavior, and wicked people will be punished for their own wickedness.
Ezekiel 18 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 31:29-30 | In those days they shall no longer say: 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes... | Directly refutes the "sour grapes" proverb; emphasizes individual responsibility for personal sin. |
| Deut 24:16 | Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children be put... | Legal principle of individual culpability in Israel's justice system. |
| Rom 2:6 | who "will render to each one according to his deeds" | God's justice to judge each individual based on their actions. |
| Rom 14:12 | So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. | Universal truth of personal accountability before God. |
| 2 Cor 5:10 | For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one... | Emphasizes individual judgment for deeds done in the body. |
| Gal 6:5 | For each one will carry his own load. | Individual responsibility for one's actions and life. |
| Rev 22:12 | "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to each... | Christ's righteous judgment based on individual works. |
| Matt 16:27 | For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father... | Jesus' promise of recompense for each person according to their deeds. |
| 1 Pet 1:17 | And if you call on Him as Father who judges impartially according to each... | God's impartial judgment based on each person's conduct. |
| Gen 2:17 | but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for... | Introduces the principle of death as a consequence of sin. |
| Rom 6:23 | For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life... | Definitive statement that sin's natural outcome is death; points to divine remedy. |
| Jas 1:15 | Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is... | The internal process of sin leading to death. |
| Eze 33:1-20 | (whole chapter) | Expands on individual accountability, repentance, and divine justice, reinforcing Eze 18:20. |
| Isa 3:10-11 | Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall... | Clear distinction of outcomes for the righteous and the wicked based on their deeds. |
| Deut 32:4 | The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness... | Affirmation of God's perfect justice and righteousness. |
| Ps 7:11 | God is a just judge, And God is indignant every day. | God's character as the perfectly just and impartial judge. |
| Ps 96:13 | For He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world in... | Prophecy of God's ultimate and righteous judgment of all. |
| Jer 17:10 | "I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each... | God's deep knowledge and judgment of individual hearts and minds. |
| Rom 3:26 | to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be... | God's attribute of being both just and the justifier of those who have faith. |
| Eze 33:12 | "Therefore say to the house of Israel: 'Thus you say, "Our transgressions... | Reiterates that a person's past righteousness/wickedness is irrelevant if they change their ways. |
| Prov 11:18 | The wicked earns deceptive wages, But he who sows righteousness gets a true reward. | Consequences for wicked are false, but righteous gain true reward. |
| Prov 11:31 | If the righteous receives his due on earth, How much more the ungodly and the sinner. | Assurance of recompense for both the righteous and the wicked. |
| Heb 9:27 | And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, | Universal decree of death followed by individual judgment. |
Ezekiel 18 verses
Ezekiel 18 20 Meaning
Ezekiel 18:20 declares the fundamental principle of individual accountability before God for one's own actions and moral choices. It asserts that each person will bear the consequences of their personal sin or righteousness, definitively rejecting the notion that an individual can be judged for the sins of their ancestors or descendants. God's justice ensures that both sin and righteousness are not transferable between generations, demanding personal responsibility for one's spiritual destiny.
Ezekiel 18 20 Context
Ezekiel chapter 18 directly confronts a pervasive theological challenge among the Judean exiles in Babylon. They were suffering the consequences of generations of national sin, particularly idolatry, and clung to a fatalistic proverb: "The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge" (Eze 18:2). This implied a belief that they were unjustly being punished for their ancestors' transgressions, diminishing personal responsibility and questioning God's fairness.
In response, God, through Ezekiel, delivers a profound oracle affirming individual moral accountability and divine justice. The chapter details contrasting scenarios – a righteous father, a wicked son, and a righteous grandson – to illustrate that God judges each person based on their own actions and heart, not their lineage. Verse 20 serves as the powerful summary and definitive declaration of this principle, laying the foundation for the subsequent calls to repentance (Eze 18:21-32). It sets straight any misconceptions about inherited guilt and unequivocally places the responsibility for spiritual life and death on the individual's current moral state.
Ezekiel 18 20 Word analysis
- The soul (נֶפֶשׁ, nephesh): In Hebrew thought, this term refers to the entire living person, the individual self, encompassing all aspects—body, mind, and spirit. It signifies a complete, morally capable human being, emphasizing the holistic nature of personal responsibility.
- who sins (הַחֹטֵאת, hachote't): A participle, indicating an active state or ongoing characteristic. It refers to someone who transgresses God's commands, misses the mark, or rebels against His perfect standard. This is a personal act or condition of moral failure.
- shall die (הִיא תָּמוּת, hi' tamut): This "death" primarily signifies spiritual death—separation from God, the source of life, leading to eternal judgment. While sin can lead to temporal and physical death, in this theological context, especially regarding an individual's destiny, it points to a profound severing from God's life-giving presence and ultimate condemnation.
- The son (בֵּן, ben): Refers to a child, offspring, or descendant. Here, it denotes an individual in relation to their parent, specifically in terms of moral inheritance.
- shall not bear (לֹא יִשָּׂא, lo yissa'): "Yissa'" means to carry, bear, or endure. Coupled with "lo" (not), it explicitly denies the transfer of legal and moral burden. It means the son will not be held judicially accountable or suffer punishment for someone else's transgression.
- the guilt of the father (עֲוֹן אָבִיהוּ, 'avon 'avihu): "Avon" refers to iniquity, sin, and the associated punishment or legal guilt. This phrase specifically states that a son will not carry the moral burden or penalty for the specific, personal sins committed by his father.
- nor the father (וְאָב, ve'av): Denotes the parent. This reinforces the reciprocity, making the principle universal for both generations.
- bear the guilt (לֹא יִשָּׂא עֲוֹן, lo yissa' 'avon): Repeated for emphasis, cementing the non-transferability of judicial culpability.
- of the son (בְּנוֹ, beno): His child, again in the context of moral and legal accountability.
- The righteousness (צִדְקַת, tzidkat): "Tzidkat" signifies justice, uprightness, conformity to God's divine law, and a right standing before Him. It refers to actions and character that are ethically correct and pleasing to God.
- of the righteous (צַדִּיק, tzaddiq): An individual who actively practices justice and righteousness; one who lives in alignment with God's standards and is thus deemed just or upright.
- shall be upon himself (עָלָיו תִּהְיֶה, 'alav tihye): Literally "upon him it shall be." This signifies that the personal benefit, blessing, and positive divine regard for righteous living are directly and exclusively applied to the individual who performs them. It's a personal reward for personal conduct.
- and the wickedness (וְרִשְׁעַת, verish'at): "Rish'at" refers to active wrongdoing, moral depravity, ungodliness, injustice, or rebellion against God's will. It characterizes a state and actions of deliberate defiance.
- of the wicked (רָשָׁע, rasha'): An individual who persistently lives in active wickedness and rebellion against God.
- shall be upon himself (עָלָיו תִּהְיֶה, 'alav tihye): Reiterates that the penalty, condemnation, and adverse consequences for evil actions will solely and directly fall upon the individual who commits them. It affirms a direct and personal retribution.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "The soul who sins shall die.": This declaration establishes the absolute link between personal sin and its ultimate consequence of death (spiritual separation from God). It highlights individual agency: if anyone sins, they face the judgment. This negates any idea of a universal blanket punishment not tied to personal choice.
- "The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son.": This is the heart of the polemic against the "sour grapes" proverb. It adamantly denies the transferability of judicial guilt for specific, personal transgressions between generations. God’s justice dictates that each person is held accountable for their own moral ledger; parental sin does not inherently damn an innocent child, nor does a child's sin condemn a righteous parent. It emphasizes a distinct moral identity for every individual before God.
- "The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.": This couplet powerfully summarizes the principle of individual retribution and reward. It means that positive actions of righteousness earn personal favor and blessings from God, while negative acts of wickedness incur personal judgment and consequences. There is no sharing or transfer of merit or culpability; God deals with each person according to their own character and conduct. This underscores God's perfect justice and encourages personal transformation.
Ezekiel 18 20 Bonus section
While Ezekiel 18:20 powerfully emphasizes individual responsibility for one's own sins, it's crucial to understand this within the broader biblical narrative. The concept of "corporate solidarity" is still present in the Bible (e.g., Ex 20:5, where consequences for sin affect generations). However, Ezekiel clarifies that these passages describe the societal ripple effects, broken covenants, or the predisposing influence of a sinful environment that generations might inherit, not the imputation of judicial guilt for another's personal sin for eternal damnation.
This verse therefore creates a clear theological need: if every soul who sins shall die, and all have sinned (Rom 3:23), then all humanity is justly condemned. This understanding is foundational to the necessity of Christ's atoning sacrifice. Jesus Christ, uniquely righteous (1 Pet 2:22), bore the guilt and penalty of human sin—a voluntary substitution for those who believe, not a natural transfer of guilt or an unjust punishment for His own parents' deeds. This demonstrates both God's unchanging justice (sin must be punished) and His immense grace (providing a perfect means of reconciliation) within the framework established by Ezekiel 18:20. Thus, true righteousness for salvation becomes not our own imperfect deeds, but imputed righteousness through faith in Christ.
Ezekiel 18 20 Commentary
Ezekiel 18:20 stands as a foundational statement of God's perfect justice and individual moral accountability. Faced with the exiles' cynical proverb, God emphatically clarifies that He does not operate by a system of inherited personal guilt for eternal judgment. While the consequences of corporate sin (like idolatry) could profoundly impact future generations and society, God fundamentally holds each "soul" (the entire person) directly responsible for their own moral choices. This means no individual will be punished for an ancestor's specific sins, nor can they benefit eternally from an ancestor's righteousness without their own personal faith and obedience. The ultimate destiny—spiritual life or death—is a direct result of one's own actions and heart before God. This truth provides both a challenge to personal responsibility and profound hope: regardless of lineage or past environment, any individual can turn to righteousness and live, and any individual who persists in wickedness will surely face its direct consequences.