GOD JUDGES EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS OWN SINS

Ezekiel 18:1-18 / Keywords 18:9

He follows my decrees and faithfully keeps my laws. That man is righteous; he will surely live, declares the Sovereign LORD.

 

The One Who Sins Will Die

18:1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel:

“‘The parents eat sour grapes,

    and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?

3 “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. 4 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.

5 “Suppose there is a righteous man

    who does what is just and right.

6 He does not eat at the mountain shrines

    or look to the idols of Israel.

He does not defile his neighbor’s wife

    or have sexual relations with a woman during her period.

7 He does not oppress anyone,

    but returns what he took in pledge for a loan.

He does not commit robbery

    but gives his food to the hungry

    and provides clothing for the naked.

8 He does not lend to them at interest

    or take a profit from them.

He withholds his hand from doing wrong

    and judges fairly between two parties.

9 He follows my decrees

    and faithfully keeps my laws.

That man is righteous;

    he will surely live,

declares the Sovereign Lord.

10 “Suppose he has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these other things[a] 11 (though the father has done none of them):

“He eats at the mountain shrines.

He defiles his neighbor’s wife.

12 He oppresses the poor and needy.

He commits robbery.

He does not return what he took in pledge.

He looks to the idols.

He does detestable things.

13 He lends at interest and takes a profit.

Will such a man live? He will not! Because he has done all these detestable things, he is to be put to death; his blood will be on his own head.

14 “But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things:

15 “He does not eat at the mountain shrines

    or look to the idols of Israel.

He does not defile his neighbor’s wife.

16 He does not oppress anyone

    or require a pledge for a loan.

He does not commit robbery

    but gives his food to the hungry

    and provides clothing for the naked.

17 He withholds his hand from mistreating the poor

    and takes no interest or profit from them.

He keeps my laws and follows my decrees.

He will not die for his father’s sin; he will surely live. 18 But his father will die for his own sin, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was wrong among his people.

Footnotes

a. Ezekiel 18:10 Or things to a brother

1. There was a proverb in Israel suggesting that children suffered the consequences of their parents’ actions. But God is not constrained by human proverbs. He judges each one according to their own actions. He judges sin. We do not belong to ourselves. Everyone belongs to the Lord, and he judges each one justly.

 

2. The Lord judges each one according to their deeds. The righteous man who practices faithfulness and love for God will surely live. If his son is a violent man, he will not live even if his father was righteous; he will die for his own sins. But if the violent man’s son repents and lives a righteous life, he will live. God is the judge, and he is just. Every person belongs to him who judges justly. He is the source of life and righteousness in this sinful world.

 

Prayer Father, your judgment is righteous. Please forgive my terrible sins and help me to be righteous before you through Jesus’ holy blood.

One Word The righteous will surely live