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The Soul Who Sins Will Die
Ezekiel 18 answers a saying in Israel about children suffering for their fathers’ sin. Yahweh rejects that proverb and teaches personal responsibility, real justice, and a genuine call to turn from sin and live.
Understanding the passage
The setting of this message
This passage comes as Yahweh’s word to Ezekiel. It begins with a proverb being used in Israel, then tests that proverb through examples of a righteous man, his wicked son, and a different son who refuses his father’s sins. The chapter closes with Yahweh’s appeal for Israel to turn and live.
Ezekiel 18:1–32Main takeaway
This passage teaches that Yahweh judges each person according to his or her own ways, and he calls people to turn from sin and live.
Explore the message
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01A proverb Yahweh forbidsYahweh challenges a proverb about fathers eating sour grapes while children feel the effect.
Explanation
Yahweh challenges a proverb about fathers eating sour grapes while children feel the effect. He says Israel must stop using it. The reason follows at once: every soul belongs to him, both father and son, and the one who sins will die. The focus is individual accountability before God.
02A just man and a wicked sonYahweh describes a just person by actions such as rejecting idols, avoiding sexual sin, refusing robbery, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and carrying out true justice.
Explanation
Yahweh describes a just person by actions such as rejecting idols, avoiding sexual sin, refusing robbery, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and carrying out true justice. That just man will live. If his son practises violence, idolatry, oppression, and greed, that son will die for his own abominations.
03A grandson who does not copy evilThe next example answers the family question more directly. If a son sees his father’s sins and does not do likewise, but instead acts with justice and mercy, he will live.
Explanation
The next example answers the family question more directly. If a son sees his father’s sins and does not do likewise, but instead acts with justice and mercy, he will live. He will not die for his father’s iniquity. His father, however, will die in his own wrongdoing.
04Turning changes the outcomeYahweh then speaks about change. A wicked person who turns from sin and does what is lawful and right will live, and his former transgressions will not be remembered against him.
Explanation
Yahweh then speaks about change. A wicked person who turns from sin and does what is lawful and right will live, and his former transgressions will not be remembered against him. But a righteous person who turns to iniquity will die in that sin. Yahweh says his ways are fair.
05A final appeal to return and liveThe teaching ends with judgement and invitation together. Yahweh will judge everyone according to his ways, so Israel must turn from transgressions.
Explanation
The teaching ends with judgement and invitation together. Yahweh will judge everyone according to his ways, so Israel must turn from transgressions. He tells them to cast away their sins and make themselves a new heart and a new spirit. He takes no pleasure in death, so he calls them to turn and live.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01How does Ezekiel 18 answer the proverb about sour grapes?
Compare the proverb in Ezekiel 18:2 with Yahweh’s answer that every soul is his and the one who sins will die.
02Which actions in this passage show what Yahweh calls just and right?
Look for the repeated details about idolatry, treatment of neighbours, care for the poor, honesty, and justice in Ezekiel 18:6, Ezekiel 18:7, Ezekiel 18:8, Ezekiel 18:9, Ezekiel 18:15, Ezekiel 18:16, and Ezekiel 18:17.
03What does this chapter say Yahweh wants from people who have sinned?
Notice both Yahweh’s question about his pleasure and his command to return, turn away from transgressions, and live.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Ezekiel 18:1–32
1Yahweh’s word came to me again, saying,
2“What do you mean, that you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?
3“As I live,” says the Lord Yahweh, “you shall not use this proverb any more in Israel.
4Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine. The soul who sins, he shall die.
5“But if a man is just, and does that which is lawful and right,
6and has not eaten on the mountains, hasn’t lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hasn’t defiled his neighbor’s wife, hasn’t come near a woman in her impurity,
7and has not wronged any, but has restored to the debtor his pledge, has taken nothing by robbery, has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment;
8he who hasn’t lent to them with interest, hasn’t taken any increase from them, who has withdrawn his hand from iniquity, has executed true justice between man and man,
9has walked in my statutes, and has kept my ordinances, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live,” says the Lord Yahweh.
10“If he fathers a son who is a robber who sheds blood, and who does any one of these things,
11or who does not do any of those things but has eaten at the mountain shrines and defiled his neighbor’s wife,
12has wronged the poor and needy, has taken by robbery, has not restored the pledge, and has lifted up his eyes to the idols, has committed abomination,
13has lent with interest, and has taken increase from the poor, shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations. He shall surely die. His blood will be on him.
14“Now, behold, if he fathers a son who sees all his father’s sins which he has done, and fears, and doesn’t do likewise,
15who hasn’t eaten on the mountains, hasn’t lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hasn’t defiled his neighbor’s wife,
16hasn’t wronged any, hasn’t taken anything to pledge, hasn’t taken by robbery, but has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment;
17who has withdrawn his hand from the poor, who hasn’t received interest or increase, has executed my ordinances, has walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father. He shall surely live.
18As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, robbed his brother, and did that which is not good among his people, behold, he will die in his iniquity.
19“Yet you say, ‘Why doesn’t the son bear the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done that which is lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes, and has done them, he will surely live.
20The 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.
21“But if the wicked turns from all his sins that he has committed, and keeps all my statutes, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live. He shall not die.
22None of his transgressions that he has committed will be remembered against him. In his righteousness that he has done, he shall live.
23Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked?” says the Lord Yahweh, “and not rather that he should return from his way, and live?
24“But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, should he live? None of his righteous deeds that he has done will be remembered. In his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them he shall die.
25“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not equal.’ Hear now, house of Israel: Is my way not equal? Aren’t your ways unequal?
26When the righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and dies in it, then he dies in his iniquity that he has done.
27Again, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he will save his soul alive.
28Because he considers, and turns away from all his transgressions that he has committed, he shall surely live. He shall not die.
29Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ House of Israel, aren’t my ways fair? Aren’t your ways unfair?
30“Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, everyone according to his ways,” says the Lord Yahweh. “Return, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions, so iniquity will not be your ruin.
31Cast away from you all your transgressions in which you have transgressed; and make yourself a new heart and a new spirit. For why will you die, house of Israel?
32For I have no pleasure in the death of him who dies,” says the Lord Yahweh. “Therefore turn yourselves, and live!