14-17 “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—

doesn’t eat at the pagan shrines,

doesn’t worship the popular idols of Israel,

doesn’t seduce his neighbor’s spouse,

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,

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.

17-18 “This person will not die for the sins of the parent; he will live truly and well. 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.

19-20 “Do you need to ask, ‘So why does the child not share the guilt of the parent?’

“Isn’t it plain? It’s because the child did what is fair and right. Since the child was careful to do what is lawful and right, the child will live truly and well. 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.

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17 He withholds his hand from mistreating the poor
    and takes no interest or profit from them.
He keeps my laws(A) and follows my decrees.

He will not die for his father’s sin; he will surely live. 18 But his father will die for his own sin, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was wrong among his people.

19 “Yet you ask, ‘Why does the son not share the guilt of his father?’ Since the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live.(B)

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