Ezequiel 18:20-30

20 El alma que peque, ésa morirá. El hijo no cargará con la iniquidad del padre, ni el padre cargará con la iniquidad del hijo; la justicia del justo será sobre él y la maldad del impío será sobre él.

21 Pero si el impío se aparta de todos los pecados que ha cometido, guarda todos mis estatutos y practica el derecho y la justicia, ciertamente vivirá, no morirá.

22 Ninguna de las transgresiones que ha cometido le serán recordadas; por la justicia que ha practicado, vivirá.

23 ¿Acaso me complazco yo en la muerte del impíodeclara el Señor DIOSy no en que se aparte de sus caminos y viva?

24 Pero si el justo se aparta de su justicia y comete iniquidad, actuando conforme a todas las abominaciones que comete el impío, ¿vivirá? Ninguna de las obras justas que ha hecho le serán recordadas; por la infidelidad que ha cometido y el pecado que ha cometido, por ellos morirá.

25 Y vosotros decís: "No es recto el camino del Señor." Oid ahora, casa de Israel: ¿No es recto mi camino? ¿No son vuestros caminos los que no son rectos?

26 Cuando el justo se aparta de su justicia, comete iniquidad y muere a causa de ello, por la iniquidad que ha cometido, morirá.

27 Y cuando el impío se aparta de la maldad que ha cometido y practica el derecho y la justicia, salvará su vida.

28 Porque consideró y se apartó de todas las transgresiones que había cometido, ciertamente vivirá, no morirá.

29 Pero la casa de Israel dice: "El camino del Señor no es recto." ¿No son rectos mis caminos, oh casa de Israel? ¿No son vuestros caminos los que no son rectos?

30 Por tanto, os juzgaré, a cada uno conforme a su conducta, oh casa de Israeldeclara el Señor DIOS. Arrepentíos y apartaos de todas vuestras transgresiones, para que la iniquidad no os sea piedra de tropiezo.

Ezequiel 18:20-30 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 18

This chapter contains an answer to an objection of the Jews to the dealings of God with them in a providential way. The objection is expressed in a proverb of common use among them, and complained of as being without cause, Eze 18:1,2; however, for the future, no occasion should be given them to use it; for, though God could justify his proceedings upon the foot of his sovereignty, all souls being his; yet he was determined none but the sinner himself should suffer, Eze 18:3,4; and puts various cases for the illustration and vindication of his proceedings; as that a just man, who is described by his proper characters, as abstaining from several sins specified, and doing what is right and good, should surely live, Eze 18:5-9; but that the son of such a just man, being the reverse of his father's character, should surely die, Eze 18:10-13; and again, the son of such a wicked man, observing the heinousness of his father's sins, and abstaining from them, though his father should die in his iniquities, he should not die for them, but live, Eze 18:14-18; by which it appears that the dealings of God with the Jews were not according to the proverb used by them, but quite agreeable to his resolution; that the sinner, be he a father or a son, shall die for his own sins; and that the righteous man's righteousness shall be upon him, and the wicked man's sin upon him, and accordingly both shall be dealt with, Eze 18:19,20; which is further illustrated by a wicked man's turning from his sinful course, and doing righteousness, and living in that righteousness he has done; which is more agreeable to God that he should live, and not die in sin, Eze 18:21-23; and by a righteous man turning from his righteousness, and living a vicious life, and dying in it, Eze 18:24; from both which instances this conclusion follows, that God is to be justified; and that his ways are equal, and the Jews' ways were unequal, and their complaint unjust, Eze 18:25; and the same instances are repeated in a different order, and the same conclusion formed, Eze 18:26-29; upon which the Lord determines to judge them according to their own ways, their personal actions, good or bad; and exhorts them to repentance and reformation; and closes with a pathetic expostulation, with them, Eze 18:30-32.