Ezekiel 18:20 nasb — "The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear…

NASB

""The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself."

— Ezekiel 18:20, NASB

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Ezekiel 18:20 in Other Translations

7 versions All translations
  • 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.”

  • ASV

    “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. ”

  • WEB

    “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.”

  • NET

    “The person who sins is the one who will die. A son will not suffer for his father’s iniquity, and a father will not suffer for his son’s iniquity; the righteous person will be judged according to his righteousness, and the wicked person according to his wickedness.”

  • DRB

    “The soul that sinneth, the same shall die: the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, and the father shall not bear the iniquity of the son: the justice of the just shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.”

  • BBE

    “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.”

  • KJVA

    “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 — Context

17

he keeps his hand from the poor, does not take interest or increase, but executes My ordinances, and walks in My statutes; he will not die for his father's iniquity, he will surely live.

18

"As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was not good among his people, behold, he will die for his iniquity.

19

"Yet you say, 'Why should the son not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity?' When the son has practiced justice and righteousness and has observed all My statutes and done them, he shall surely live.

20

"The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.

21

"But if the wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed and observes all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall surely live; he shall not die.

22

"All his transgressions which he has committed will not be remembered against him; because of his righteousness which he has practiced, he will live.

23

"Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked," declares the Lord GOD, "rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?

Ezekiel 18:20 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Ezekiel 18:20 say?
Ezekiel 18:20 in the NASB reads: “"The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.”
Where is Ezekiel 18:20 in the Bible?
Ezekiel 18:20 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Ezekiel, chapter 18, verse 20.
Who wrote Ezekiel?
Ezekiel is traditionally attributed to Ezekiel the priest. It was written c. 593–571 BC.
What is the book of Ezekiel about?
Ezekiel ministers among the exiles in Babylon with vivid visions, sign-acts, and oracles. He sees God's glory depart from a defiled temple, then promises dry bones brought to life, a new heart, and a restored temple — pictures of resurrection and the new covenant fulfilled in Christ.
What are the major themes of Ezekiel?
Ezekiel explores themes including Glory of God, Judgment, New Heart, Resurrection, New Temple. These themes shape the meaning and context of Ezekiel 18:20.
What translation should I read Ezekiel 18:20 in?
Ezekiel 18:20 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Ezekiel 18:20?
Ezekiel 18:20 reads (NASB): “"The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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