Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, September 13th, 2025
the Week of Proper 18 / Ordinary 23
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Easy-to-Read Version

Ezekiel 18:12

He mistreats poor, helpless people. He takes advantage of them. When a debt is paid, he does not give back what he took from them. He prays to filthy idols and does other terrible things.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Children;   Idolatry;   Pawn;   Poor;   Responsibility;   Surety (Guarantee);   Wicked (People);   Thompson Chain Reference - Needy, the;   Poor, the;   Poverty-Riches;   The Topic Concordance - Death;   Execution;   Profit;   Violence;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Creditors;   Poor, the;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Lending;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Repentance;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Poor;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Death;   Ezekiel;   Life;   Loan;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Death;   Ethics;   Pledge;   Prophecy, Prophets;   Sin;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Lead;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Babylonish Captivity, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Pledge;   Poor;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Atonement;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
and when he oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, and does not return collateral, and when he looks to the idols, commits detestable acts,
Hebrew Names Version
has wronged the poor and needy, has taken by robbery, has not restored the pledge, and has lifted up his eyes to the idols, has committed abomination,
King James Version
Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination,
English Standard Version
oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore the pledge, lifts up his eyes to the idols, commits abomination,
New American Standard Bible
oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore a pledge, but raises his eyes to the idols and commits abomination,
New Century Version
He mistreats the poor and needy. He steals and refuses to return what was promised for a loan. He looks to idols for help. He does things which I hate.
Amplified Bible
oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore [to the debtor] his pledge, but raises his eyes to the idols, and commits repulsive acts,
World English Bible
has wronged the poor and needy, has taken by robbery, has not restored the pledge, and has lifted up his eyes to the idols, has committed abomination,
Geneva Bible (1587)
Or hath oppressed the poore and needy, or hath spoyled by violence, or hath not restored the pledge, or hath lift vp his eyes vnto the idoles, or hath committed abomination,
New American Standard Bible (1995)
oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore a pledge, but lifts up his eyes to the idols and commits abomination,
Legacy Standard Bible
he mistreats the afflicted and needy, commits robbery, does not return a pledge, but lifts up his eyes to the idols and does abominations;
Berean Standard Bible
He oppresses the poor and needy; he commits robbery and does not restore a pledge. He lifts his eyes to idols; he commits abominations.
Contemporary English Version
cheats the poor, and robs people. He keeps what is given to him as security for a loan. He worships idols, does disgusting things,
Complete Jewish Bible
wrongs the poor and needy, takes by robbery, doesn't restore pledged property, raises his eyes toward the idols, engages in disgusting practices,
Darby Translation
hath oppressed the poor and needy, exercised robbery, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, committed abomination,
George Lamsa Translation
Oppresses the poor and needy, extorts from his neighbor, restores not the pledge to its owner, lifts up his eyes to the idols, commits abomination,
Good News Translation
He cheats the poor, he robs, he keeps what a borrower gives him as security. He goes to pagan shrines, worships disgusting idols,
Lexham English Bible
He oppresses the needy and the poor, and he commits robbery, and he does not return a pledge for a loan, and he lifts his eyes to the idols so he does a detestable thing.
Literal Translation
he has oppressed the poor and needy; thieving, he stole; he has not returned the pledge, and has lifted up his eyes to the idols; he has committed abomination;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
he greueth the poore and nedy: he robbeth and spoyleth: he geueth not the detter his pledge agayne: he lifteth vp his eyes vnto Idols, & medleth with abhominable thinges:
American Standard Version
hath wronged the poor and needy, hath taken by robbery, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination,
Bible in Basic English
Has done wrong to the poor and to him who is in need, and taken property by force, and has not given back to one in his debt what is his, and has given worship to images and has done disgusting things,
JPS Old Testament (1917)
hath wronged the poor and needy, hath taken by robbery, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination,
King James Version (1611)
Hath oppressed the poore and needie, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lift vp his eyes to the idoles, hath committed abomination,
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Or hath oppressed the poore and needie, or spoyled by violence, or hath not restored the pledge, or hath lyft vp his eyes vnto the idols, or hath committed abomination:
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
and has oppressed the poor and needy, and has committed robbery, and not restored a pledge, and has set his eyes upon idols, has wrought iniquities,
English Revised Version
hath wronged the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
makynge soreuful a nedy man and pore, rauyschynge raueyns, not yeldinge a wed, reisynge hise iyen to idols, doynge abhomynacioun; yiuynge to vsure, and takynge more;
Update Bible Version
has wronged the poor and needy, has taken by robbery, has not restored the pledge, and has lifted up his eyes to the idols, has done a disgusting thing,
Webster's Bible Translation
Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath stripped by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination.
New English Translation
oppresses the poor and the needy, commits robbery, does not give back what was given in pledge, prays to idols, performs abominable acts,
New King James Version
If he has oppressed the poor and needy, Robbed by violence, Not restored the pledge, Lifted his eyes to the idols, Or committed abomination;
New Living Translation
oppresses the poor and helpless, steals from debtors by refusing to let them redeem their security, worships idols, commits detestable sins,
New Life Bible
He makes it hard for the poor and those in need, and he steals. He does not keep his promise to pay back what he owes. He looks up to false gods, and does sinful acts.
New Revised Standard
oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore the pledge, lifts up his eyes to the idols, commits abomination,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
The oppressed and the needy, hath treated with violence, Hath ruthlessly plundered, The pledge, hath not restored, But unto the manufactured gods, hath lifted up his eyes, Abomination, hath wrought;
Douay-Rheims Bible
That grieveth the needy and the poor, that taketh away by violence, that restoreth not the pledge, and that lifteth up his eyes to idols, that comitteth abomination:
Revised Standard Version
oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore the pledge, lifts up his eyes to the idols, commits abomination,
Young's Literal Translation
The afflicted and needy he hath oppressed, Plunder he hath taken violently away, A pledge he doth not return, And unto the idols he hath lifted up his eyes, Abomination he hath done!

Contextual Overview

10 "But someone like that might have a son who does not do any of these good things. The son steals things and kills people. 11 He does things his father never did. He goes to the mountains and eats foods offered to false gods. He commits the sin of adultery with his neighbor's wife. 12 He mistreats poor, helpless people. He takes advantage of them. When a debt is paid, he does not give back what he took from them. He prays to filthy idols and does other terrible things. 13 He lends money to people who need it, but he forces them to pay interest on the loan. The evil son will not be allowed to live. He will be put to death because he did such terrible things, and he will be responsible for his own death. 14 "Now, that evil son might also have a son. But this son sees the bad things his father did, and he refuses to live as his father did. He treats people fairly. 15 He does not go to the mountains and eat foods offered to false gods. He does not pray to filthy idols in Israel. He does not commit the sin of adultery with his neighbor's wife. 16 He does not take advantage of people. If someone borrows money from him, the good son takes something of value and then gives the other person the money. When that person pays him back, the good son gives back what he took. The good son gives food to hungry people, and he gives clothes to those who need them. 17 He helps the poor. If people want to borrow money, the good son lends them the money, and he does not charge interest on the loan. He obeys my laws and follows them. He will not be put to death for his father's sins. The good son will live. 18 The father hurts people and steals things. He never does anything good for my people! He will die because of his own sins. 19 "You might ask, ‘Why will the son not be punished for his father's sins?' The reason is that the son was fair and did good things. He very carefully obeyed my laws, so he will live.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

oppressed: Ezekiel 18:7, Ezekiel 18:16, Hosea 12:7, Amos 4:1, Zechariah 7:10, James 2:6

hath committed: Ezekiel 18:6, Ezekiel 8:6, Ezekiel 8:17, Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 18:26-30, 2 Kings 21:11, 2 Kings 23:13

Reciprocal: Leviticus 6:4 - which he Deuteronomy 24:13 - deliver 1 Kings 11:7 - abomination 1 Kings 21:26 - very abominably Job 22:6 - For thou Job 24:4 - turn Psalms 12:5 - oppression Ezekiel 16:49 - neither Ezekiel 20:24 - their eyes Ezekiel 22:7 - dealt Ezekiel 22:29 - people Ezekiel 33:15 - restore Ezekiel 33:25 - lift up Ezekiel 33:26 - work Amos 2:8 - laid Micah 2:2 - so

Cross-References

Genesis 17:17
Abraham bowed his face to the ground to show he respected God. But he laughed and said to himself, "I am 100 years old. I cannot have a son, and Sarah is 90 years old. She cannot have a child."
Genesis 18:6
Abraham hurried to the tent. He said to Sarah, "Quickly, prepare enough flour for three loaves of bread."
Genesis 18:7
Then Abraham ran to his cattle. He took his best young calf and gave it to the servant there. He told the servant to quickly kill the calf and prepare it for food.
Genesis 18:11
Abraham and Sarah were very old. Sarah was past the right age for women to have children.
Genesis 18:12
So she laughed to herself and said, "I am old, and my husband is old. I am too old to have a baby."
Genesis 18:13
Then the Lord said to Abraham, "Sarah laughed and said she was too old to have a baby.
Genesis 18:18
Abraham will become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations on earth will be blessed because of him.
Genesis 18:20
Then the Lord said, "I have heard many times that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah are very evil.
Psalms 126:2
We will laugh and sing happy songs! Then the other nations will say, "The Lord did a great thing for Zion!"
Ephesians 5:33
But each one of you must love his wife as he loves himself. And a wife must respect her husband.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Hath oppressed the poor and needy,.... Who are weak, and have none to help them, and stand by them, and so are oppressed by such a man. This serves to explain the clause, in Ezekiel 18:7;

hath spoiled by violence; his neighbour's goods; taken them away from him by force:

hath not restored the pledge; to the borrower before sunset, but kept it for his own use; taking the advantage of the poverty of him that borrowed of him:

and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols; whether of the Gentiles, or of the house of Israel:

hath committed abomination; either idolatry, the sin just before mentioned, which was an abomination to the Lord; or else approaching to a menstruous woman, since this follows the other in Ezekiel 18:6; and is not mentioned, unless it is designed here; and so Kimchi interprets it; but Jarchi understands it of the abominable and detestable sin of sodomy: it may regard any and every sin that is abominable in the sight of God.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Live ... die - In the writings of Ezekiel there is a development of the meaning of “life” and “death.” In the holy land the sanctions of divine government were in great degree temporal; so that the promise of “life” for “obedience,” the threatening of “death” for “disobedience,” in the Books of Moses, were regarded simply as temporal and national. In their exile this could not continue in its full extent, and the universality of the misfortune necessarily made men look deeper into the words of God. The word “soul” denotes a “person” viewed as an “individual,” possessing the “life” which God breathed into man when he became a “living soul” Genesis 2:7; i. e., it distinguishes “personality” from “nationality,” and this introduces that fresh and higher idea of “life” and “death,” which is not so much “life” and “death” in a future state, as “life” and “death” as equivalent to communion with or separation from God - that idea of life and death which was explained by our Lord in the Gospel of John John 8:0, and by Paul in Romans 8:0.


 
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