Ezekiel 18:4

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“Why do you quote this proverb concerning the land of Israel: ‘The parents have eaten sour grapes, but their children’s mouths pucker at the taste’? 3As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, you will not quote this proverb anymore in Israel. For all people are mine to judge—both parents and children alike. And this is my rule: The person who sins is the one who will die. 5“Suppose a certain man is righteous and does what is just and right. 6He does not feast in the mountains before Israel’s idols or worship them. He does not commit adultery or have intercourse with a woman during her menstrual period.

Ezekiel 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.

• Behold, all soulsנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soulH5315
• of the fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
• of the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• that sinnethחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
• it shall dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191

Cross-references for Ezekiel 18:4

• Numbers 16:22But Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground. “O God,” they pleaded, “you are the God who gives breath to all creatures. Must you be angry with all the people when only one man sins?”
• Numbers 27:16“O Lord, you are the God who gives breath to all creatures. Please appoint a new man as leader for the community.
• Zechariah 12:1This message concerning the fate of Israel came from the Lord: “This message is from the Lord, who stretched out the heavens, laid the foundations of the earth, and formed the human spirit.
• Hebrews 12:9Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?
• Ezekiel 18:20The 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.
• Romans 6:23For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
• Galatians 3:10But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.”

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

• Children
• Death
• Judgment
• Proverbs
• Responsibility
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Cruelly
• Live
• Accountability
• Ezekiel
• God
• Imputation
• Prophecy; Prophets
• Resurrection
• Salvation
• Soul

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