Christian Standard Bible
Ezekiel 18:4
4Look, every life belongs to me. The life of the father is like the life of the son — both belong to me. The person who sins is the one who will die.
Ezekiel 18:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
- New International Version (NIV)For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins is the one who will die.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die.
Context of Ezekiel 18:4
2“What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel: ‘The fathers eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’? 3As I live” — this is the declaration of the Lord God — “you will no longer use this proverb in Israel. Look, every life belongs to me. The life of the father is like the life of the son — both belong to me. The person who sins is the one who will die. 5“Suppose a man is righteous and does what is just and right: 6He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her menstrual impurity.
Read all of Ezekiel 18Ezekiel 18:4 word by word
הֵ֤ן כָּל־הַנְּפָשׁוֹת֙ לִ֣י הֵ֔נָּה כְּנֶ֧פֶשׁ הָאָ֛ב וּכְנֶ֥פֶשׁ הַבֵּ֖ן לִי־הֵ֑נָּה הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַחֹטֵ֖את הִ֥יא תָמֽוּת׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ezekiel 18:4
- Numbers 16:22But Moses and Aaron fell facedown and said, “God, God who gives breath to all, when one man sins, will you vent your wrath on the whole community?”
- Numbers 27:16“May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all, appoint a man over the community
- Zechariah 12:1A pronouncement: The word of the Lord concerning Israel. A declaration of the Lord, who stretched out the heavens, laid the foundation of the earth, and formed the spirit of man within him.
- Hebrews 12:9Furthermore, we had human fathers discipline us, and we respected them. Shouldn’t we submit even more to the Father of spirits and live?
- Ezekiel 18:20The person who sins is the one who will die. A son won’t suffer punishment for the father’s iniquity, and a father won’t suffer punishment for the son’s iniquity. The righteousness of the righteous person will be on him, and the wickedness of the wicked person will be on him.
- Romans 6:23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Galatians 3:10For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, because it is written, Everyone who does not do everything written in the book of the law is cursed.
Commentaries on Ezekiel 18:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4All souls are mine - Equally so; I am the Father of the spirits of all flesh, and shall deal impartially with the whole. The soul that sinneth, it shall die - None shall die for another's crimes, none shall be saved by another's righteousness. Here is the general judgment relative to the righteousness and unrighteousness of men, and the influence of one man's state on that of another; particularly in respect to their moral conduct.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4All souls are mine - Man is not simply to ascribe his existence to earthly parents, but to acknowledge as his Father Him who created man in His own image, and who gave and gives him the spirit of life. The relation of father to son is merged in the common relation of all (father and son alike) as sons to their heavenly Father.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4The Lord's response to the proverb of Ezekiel 18:1–2 was to clearly state that it did not apply to this situation. Instead, the Lord always punishes only the guilty (Deuteronomy 24:16). God is always fair and just.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. all souls are mine--Therefore I can deal with all, being My own creation, as I please (Jr 18:6). As the Creator of all alike I can have no reason, but the principle of equity, according to men's works, to make any difference, so as to punish some, and to save others (Ge 18:25). "The soul that sinneth it shall die." The curse descending from father to son assumes guilt shared in by the son; there is a natural tendency in the child to follow the sin of…Read the comment
Topics related to Ezekiel 18:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ezekiel 18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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