3 "As sure as I'm the living God, you're not going to repeat this saying in Israel any longer. 4 Every soul - man, woman, child - belongs to me, parent and child alike. You die for your own sin, not another's. 5 "Imagine a person who lives well, treating others fairly, keeping good relationships - 6 doesn't eat at the pagan shrines, doesn't worship the idols so popular in Israel, doesn't seduce a neighbor's spouse, doesn't indulge in casual sex, 7 doesn't bully anyone, doesn't pile up bad debts, doesn't steal, doesn't refuse food to the hungry, doesn't refuse clothing to the ill-clad, 8 doesn't exploit the poor, doesn't live by impulse and greed, doesn't treat one person better than another, 9 But lives by my statutes and faithfully honors and obeys my laws. This person who lives upright and well shall live a full and true life. Decree of God, the Master.
10 "But if this person has a child who turns violent and murders and goes off and does any of these things, 11 even though the parent has done none of them - eats at the pagan shrines, seduces his neighbor's spouse, 12 bullies the weak, steals, piles up bad debts, admires idols, commits outrageous obscenities, 13 exploits the poor " - do you think this person, the child, will live? Not a chance! Because he's done all these vile things, he'll die. And his death will be his own fault. 14 "Now look: Suppose that this child has a child who sees all the sins done by his parent. The child sees them, but doesn't follow in the parent's footsteps - 15 doesn't eat at the pagan shrines, doesn't worship the popular idols of Israel, doesn't seduce his neighbor's spouse, 16 doesn't bully anyone, doesn't refuse to loan money, doesn't steal, doesn't refuse food to the hungry, doesn't refuse to give clothes to the ill-clad, 17 doesn't live by impulse and greed, doesn't exploit the poor. He does what I say; he performs my laws and lives by my statutes. 18 But the parent will die for what the parent did, for the sins of - oppressing the weak, robbing brothers and sisters, doing what is dead wrong in the community. 19 "Do you need to ask, 'So why does the child not share the guilt of the parent?' 20 The soul that sins is the soul that dies. The child does not share the guilt of the parent, nor the parent the guilt of the child. If you live upright and well, you get the credit; if you live a wicked life, you're guilty as charged.
21 "But a wicked person who turns his back on that life of sin and keeps all my statutes, living a just and righteous life, he'll live, really live. He won't die. 22 I won't keep a list of all the things he did wrong. He will live. 23 Do you think I take any pleasure in the death of wicked men and women? Isn't it my pleasure that they turn around, no longer living wrong but living right - really living? 24 "The same thing goes for a good person who turns his back on an upright life and starts sinning, plunging into the same vile obscenities that the wicked person practices. Will this person live? I don't keep a list of all the things this person did right, like money in the bank he can draw on. Because of his defection, because he accumulates sin, he'll die. 25 "Do I hear you saying, 'That's not fair! God's not fair!'? 26 If a good person turns away from his good life and takes up sinning, he'll die for it. He'll die for his own sin. 27 Likewise, if a bad person turns away from his bad life and starts living a good life, a fair life, he will save his life. 28 Because he faces up to all the wrongs he's committed and puts them behind him, he will live, really live. He won't die. 29 "And yet Israel keeps on whining, 'That's not fair! God's not fair.' "I'm not fair, Israel? You're the ones who aren't fair.
30 "The upshot is this, Israel: I'll judge each of you according to the way you live. So turn around! Turn your backs on your rebellious living so that sin won't drag you down. 31 Clean house. No more rebellions, please. Get a new heart! Get a new spirit! Why would you choose to die, Israel? 32 I take no pleasure in anyone's death. Decree of God, the Master. "Make a clean break! Live!"
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Ezekiel 18:3-32
Commentary on Ezekiel 18:1-20
(Read Ezekiel 18:1-20)
The soul that sinneth it shall die. As to eternity, every man was, is, and will be dealt with, as his conduct shows him to have been under the old covenant of works, or the new covenant of grace. Whatever outward sufferings come upon men through the sins of others, they deserve for their own sins all they suffer; and the Lord overrules every event for the eternal good of believers. All souls are in the hand of the great Creator: he will deal with them in justice or mercy; nor will any perish for the sins of another, who is not in some sense worthy of death for his own. We all have sinned, and our souls must be lost, if God deal with us according to his holy law; but we are invited to come to Christ. If a man who had shown his faith by his works, had a wicked son, whose character and conduct were the reverse of his parent's, could it be expected he should escape the Divine vengeance on account of his father's piety? Surely not. And should a wicked man have a son who walked before God as righteous, this man would not perish for his father's sins. If the son was not free from evils in this life, still he should be partaker of salvation. The question here is not about the meritorious ground of justification, but about the Lord's dealings with the righteous and the wicked.
Commentary on Ezekiel 18:21-29
(Read Ezekiel 18:21-29)
The wicked man would be saved, if he turned from his evil ways. The true penitent is a true believer. None of his former transgressions shall be mentioned unto him, but in the righteousness which he has done, as the fruit of faith and the effect of conversion, he shall surely live. The question is not whether the truly righteous ever become apostates. It is certain that many who for a time were thought to be righteous, do so, while 28 is the beginning and progress of repentance. True believers watch and pray, and continue to the end, and they are saved. In all our disputes with God, he is in the right, and we are in the wrong.
Commentary on Ezekiel 18:30-32
(Read Ezekiel 18:30-32)
The Lord will judge each of the Israelites according to his ways. On this is grounded an exhortation to repent, and to make them a new heart and a new spirit. God does not command what cannot be done, but admonishes us to do what is in our power, and to pray for what is not. Ordinances and means are appointed, directions and promises are given, that those who desire this change may seek it from God.