Ezekiel 18:4 Behold, every soul belongs to Me; both father and son are Mine. The soul who sins is the one who will die.

◄ Ezekiel 18:4 ►

New International Version
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.

New Living Translation
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.

English Standard Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
Behold, every soul belongs to Me; both father and son are Mine. The soul who sins is the one who will die.

King James Bible
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 King James Version
“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 American Standard Bible
Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die.

NASB 1995
“Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die.

NASB 1977
“Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die.

Legacy Standard Bible
Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die.

Amplified Bible
Behold (pay close attention), all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die.

Christian Standard Bible
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.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
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.”

American Standard Version
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.

Contemporary English Version
The lives of all people belong to me--parents as well as children. However, only those who sin will be put to death.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The life of every person belongs to me. Fathers and their children belong to me. The person who sins will die.

Good News Translation
The life of every person belongs to me, the life of the parent as well as that of the child. The person who sins is the one who will die.

International Standard Version
Look! Every living soul belongs to me—the father's as well as the son's. So pay attention! The person who keeps on sinning is going to die."

Majority Standard Bible
Behold, every soul belongs to Me; both father and son are Mine. The soul who sins is the one who will die.

NET Bible
Indeed! All lives are mine--the life of the father as well as the life of the son is mine. The one who sins will die.

New Heart English Bible
Look, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins, he shall die.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine. The soul who sins, he shall die.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
Behold, all the souls are Mine, "" As the soul of the father, "" So also the soul of the son—they are Mine, "" The soul that is sinning—it dies.

Young's Literal Translation
Lo, all the souls are Mine, As the soul of the father, So also the soul of the son -- they are Mine, The soul that is sinning -- it doth die.

Smith's Literal Translation
Behold, all souls to me; behold, as the soul of the father, and so the soul of the son, they are to me. The soul sinning, it shall die.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
Behold all souls are mine: as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, the same shall die.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Behold, all souls are mine. Just as the soul of the father is mine, so also is the soul of the son. The soul that sins, the same shall die.

New American Bible
For all life is mine: the life of the parent is like the life of the child, both are mine. Only the one who sins shall die!

New Revised Standard Version
Know that all lives are mine; the life of the parent as well as the life of the child is mine: it is only the person who sins that shall die.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
Because all souls are mine; the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine; the soul that sins, it shall die.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Because all souls are mine. The soul of the father and the soul of the son, they are mine! The soul that sins, that shall die!

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
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.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
For all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son, they are mine: the soul that sins, it shall die.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

A Proverb about Israel
…3As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. 4Behold, every soul belongs to Me; both father and son are Mine. The soul who sins is the one who will die. 5Now suppose a man is righteous and does what is just and right:…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Deuteronomy 24:16
Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin.

Jeremiah 31:30
Instead, each will die for his own iniquity. If anyone eats the sour grapes, his own teeth will be set on edge.

2 Kings 14:6
Yet he did not put the sons of the murderers to death, but acted according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, where the LORD commanded: “Fathers must not be put to death for their children, and children must not be put to death for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin.”

Galatians 6:7-8
Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return. / The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

James 1:15
Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Proverbs 24:12
If you say, “Behold, we did not know about this,” does not He who weighs hearts consider it? Does not the One who guards your life know? Will He not repay a man according to his deeds?

Matthew 16:27
For the Son of Man will come in His Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will repay each one according to what he has done.

Revelation 20:12-13
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And books were opened, and one of them was the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books. / The sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead, and each one was judged according to his deeds.

John 8:34
Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts, / nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.

Isaiah 3:10-11
Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their labor. / Woe to the wicked; disaster is upon them! For they will be repaid with what their hands have done.

Job 4:8
As I have observed, those who plow iniquity and those who sow trouble reap the same.

Psalm 62:12
and loving devotion to You, O Lord. For You will repay each man according to his deeds.

2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.

Treasury of Scripture

Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sins, it shall die.

all souls

Numbers 16:22
And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?

Numbers 27:16
Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,

Zechariah 12:1
The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.

the soul that

Ezekiel 18:20
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.

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Galatians 3:10-13,22
For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them…

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Ezekiel 18

1. God defends his justice
31. and exhorts to repentance

Berean Study Bible

Behold
The Hebrew word for "behold" is "הִנֵּה" (hinneh), which serves as an imperative to pay attention or to look. It is often used in Scripture to draw the reader's or listener's focus to a significant truth or revelation. In this context, it emphasizes the importance of the message that follows, urging the audience to consider the divine ownership and justice of God.

every soul belongs to Me
The term "soul" is translated from the Hebrew word "נֶפֶשׁ" (nephesh), which can mean life, person, or being. This phrase underscores the sovereignty of God over all creation. It reflects the biblical truth that every individual, regardless of lineage or status, is under God's authority and care. This challenges any notion of inherited guilt or righteousness, emphasizing personal responsibility before God.

both father and son alike belong to Me
This phrase reiterates the previous statement, emphasizing that God's ownership and authority extend across generations. In the historical context of Israel, where family lineage and heritage were significant, this declaration serves as a reminder that divine justice is not bound by human traditions or familial ties. Each person stands individually accountable to God.

The soul who sins
Here, "soul" again refers to the individual person. The focus is on personal sin, highlighting the biblical principle that each person is responsible for their own actions. This counters the prevailing belief in Ezekiel's time that children could suffer for the sins of their parents, as seen in the proverb mentioned earlier in the chapter (Ezekiel 18:2).

is the one who will die
The Hebrew word for "die" is "מוּת" (muth), which can refer to physical death or spiritual separation from God. In this context, it signifies the consequence of sin, which is death. This aligns with the broader biblical narrative that sin leads to death (Romans 6:23). However, it also points to the hope of redemption, as the chapter later discusses repentance and life. The emphasis is on God's justice and mercy, offering each person the opportunity to turn from sin and live.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(4) All souls are mine.--This is the basis of the subsequent teaching. Since all alike belong to God and are absolutely in His power. He has no occasion to punish one lest another should escape; and again, since all are His, He loves and would save them all, and inflicts punishment only when it is deserved and His grace is rejected. Four cases are now discussed separately: (1) That of the righteous man who honestly seeks to follow the ways of the Lord (Ezekiel 18:5-9); (2) that of his wicked son (Ezekiel 18:10-13); (3) that of the righteous son of the wicked (Ezekiel 18:14-20); (4) that of a change of character in the individual, whether from sin to righteousness or the reverse (Ezekiel 18:21-29). The word "soul" throughout the chapter does not mean exclusively the immortal part of our nature, but, as so often in Scripture, is equivalent to man, or person, or self; and the word "die" is used, as often elsewhere, in the broad sense of suffer punishment.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 4. - Behold, all souls are mine, etc. The words imply, not only creation, ownership, absolute authority, on the part of God, but, as even Calvin could recognize (in loc.), "a paternal affection towards the whole human race which he created and formed." Ezekiel anticipates here, and yet more fully in ver. 32. the teaching of St. Paul, that "God willeth that all men should be saved" (1 Timothy 2:4). The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The sentence, though taken from the Law, which ordered capital punishment for the offences named, cannot be limited to that punishment. "Death" and "life" are both used in their highest and widest meaning - "life" as including all that makes it worth living, "death" for the loss of that only true life which is found in knowing God (John 17:3).

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

Behold,
הֵ֤ן (hên)
Interjection
Strong's 2005: Lo! behold!

every
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

soul
הַנְּפָשׁוֹת֙ (han·nə·p̄ā·šō·wṯ)
Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

belongs to Me;
לִ֣י (lî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew

both father
הָאָ֛ב (hā·’āḇ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1: Father

[and]
וּכְנֶ֥פֶשׁ (ū·ḵə·ne·p̄eš)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

son
הַבֵּ֖ן (hab·bên)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1121: A son

are
הֵ֑נָּה (hên·nāh)
Pronoun - third person feminine plural
Strong's 2007: Themselves

Mine.
לִי־ (lî-)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew

The soul
הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ (han·ne·p̄eš)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

who sins
הַחֹטֵ֖את (ha·ḥō·ṭêṯ)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 2398: To miss, to sin, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, lead astray, condemn

is the one who
הִ֥יא (hî)
Pronoun - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

will die.
תָמֽוּת׃ (ṯā·mūṯ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 18:4 Behold all souls are mine (Ezek. Eze Ezk)