Ezekiel 18:4

Easy-to-Read Version

I will treat everyone, child and parent, just the same. The one who sins is the one who will die!

Parallel Translations

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.

Hebrew Names Version
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.

King James 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.

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.

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.

New Century Version
Every living thing belongs to me. The life of the parent is mine, and the life of the child is mine. The person who sins is the one who 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.

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.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Beholde, all soules are mine, both the soule of the father, and also the soule of the sonne are mine: the soule that sinneth, it shall die.

New American Standard Bible (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.

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.

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.

Contemporary English Version
The lives of all people belong to me—parents as well as children. Only those who sin will be put to death.

Complete Jewish Bible
Look, all lives belong to me — both the parent's life and the child's life are equally mine — so it is the person who sins, himself, who must die.

Darby Translation
Behold, all the 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.

George Lamsa Translation
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.

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.

Lexham English Bible
Look! All lives are mine. The lives of father and son alike are mine. The person sinning will die.

Literal Translation
Behold, they are all My souls. As the soul of the father, also the soul of the son, they are Mine. The soul that sins, it shall die.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Beholde, all soules are myne. Like as the father is myne, so is ye sonne myne also. The soule that synneth, shal dye.

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.

Bible in Basic English
See, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so the soul of the son is mine: death will be the fate of the sinner's soul.

JPS Old Testament (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.

King James Version (1611)
Behold, all soules are mine, as the soule of the father, so also the soule of the sonne is mine: the soule that sinneth, it shall die.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Beholde, all soules are mine, lyke as the soule of the father is mine, so is the soule of the sonne myne also: the soule that sinneth shall dye it selfe.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
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.

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.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Lo! alle soulis ben myne; as the soule of the fadir, so and the soule of the sone is myn. Thilke soule that doith synne, schal die.

Update Bible Version
Look, 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.

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.

New English Translation
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 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 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.

New Life Bible
For all souls belong to Me. Both the soul of the father and the soul of the son are Mine. The soul who sins will die.

New Revised Standard
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.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Lo! as for all persons, mine they are, As the person of the father, so also the person of the son, mine they are, - The person that sinneth, the same shall die.

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.

Revised Standard Version
Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sins shall die.

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.

Contextual Overview

¹ The word of the Lord came to me. He said, ² "Why do you people say this proverb: ‘The parents ate the sour grapes, but the children got the sour taste'?" ³ But the Lord God says, "By my life, I swear that people in Israel will not think this proverb is true anymore! ⁴ I will treat everyone, child and parent, just the same. The one who sins is the one who will die! ⁵ "A person who is good will live! He is fair and does what is right. ⁶ He doesn't go to the mountains to share food offered to idols. He doesn't pray to those filthy idols in Israel. He doesn't commit adultery with his neighbor's wife or with a woman during her period. ⁷ He doesn't take advantage of others. If someone borrows money from him, he might take something of value before he gives the money. But when that person pays him back, he returns what he took. He gives food to the hungry and clothes to people who need them. ⁸ If someone wants to borrow money from him, he lends the money and doesn't charge interest on the loan. He refuses to be crooked. He is always fair with everyone. People can trust him. ⁹ He obeys my laws and studies my rules so that he can learn to be fair and dependable. He is good, so he will live." This is what the Lord God said.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

all souls: Numbers 16:22, Numbers 27:16, Zechariah 12:1, Hebrews 12:9

the soul that: Ezekiel 18:20, Romans 6:23, Galatians 3:10-13, Galatians 3:22

Reciprocal: Genesis 2:17 - surely Genesis 5:5 - and he died Genesis 12:13 - and Exodus 32:33 - sinned Leviticus 5:1 - a soul Numbers 5:31 - bear Numbers 27:3 - died in his 2 Kings 1:4 - but shalt 2 Kings 14:6 - The fathers 2 Chronicles 25:4 - as it is written Job 19:4 - mine Jeremiah 31:30 - General Ezekiel 3:18 - I say Ezekiel 18:18 - even Ezekiel 33:8 - O wicked Ezekiel 33:13 - he shall die Romans 2:9 - soul Romans 5:12 - and death Romans 6:13 - unrighteousness Galatians 6:5 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 18:5
I will get some food for you, and you can eat as much as you want. Then you can continue your journey." The three men said, "Do as you wish."

Genesis 18:15
Sarah said, "I didn't laugh!" (She said this because she was afraid.) Then the Lord said, "No, I know that is not true. You did laugh!"

Genesis 24:32
So Abraham's servant went into the house. Laban unloaded his camels and gave them straw and feed. Then he gave Abraham's servant water so that he and the men with him could wash their feet.

Genesis 43:24
The servant led the men into Joseph's house. He gave them water, and they washed their feet. Then he fed their donkeys.

1 Samuel 25:41
Abigail bowed her face to the ground. She said, "I am willing to be your slave woman, even if it is only to wash the feet of my master's servants."

Luke 7:44
Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? When I came into your house, you gave me no water for my feet. But she washed my feet with her tears and dried my feet with her hair.

1 Timothy 5:10
She must be known for the good she has done: raising children, welcoming travelers into her home, serving the needs of God's people, helping those in trouble, and using her life to do all kinds of good.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Behold, all souls are mine,.... By creation; they being the immediate produce of his power; hence he is called "the Father of spirits", Hebrews 12:9, or the souls of men; these he has an apparent right unto; a property in; a dominion over; they are accountable to him, and will be judged impartially by him:

as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine; and therefore must be thought to have as great a respect and affection for the one as for the other; for the soul of a son as for the soul of a father; and not deal partially in favour of the one, and cruelly and unrighteously with the other:

the soul that sinneth, it shall die; the soul that continues in sin, without repentance towards God, and faith in Christ, shall die the second death; shall be separated from the presence of God, and endure his wrath to all eternity: or the meaning is, that a person that is guilty of gross sins, and continues in them, shall personally suffer; he shall endure one calamity or another, as the famine, sword, pestilence, or be carried into captivity, which is the death all along spoken of in this chapter; the Lord will exercise no patience towards him, or defer punishment to a future generation, his offspring; but shall immediately execute it upon himself.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

All 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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezekiel 18:4. All 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.