Yet you say, ‘Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?’: God’s argument with the three examples contradicted the traditional beliefs of the Israelites so strongly that they could not believe what they heard. According to their traditional beliefs, based on Exo 20.5 and Deut 5.9, they thought it was right and proper for people to suffer for their parents’ sins. Since a question follows Yet you say, this clause may be rendered “But you ask” (Good News Translation). The question may be expressed as “It is right for the son to suffer because of his father’s sins, isn’t it?” In languages where translators can express it more naturally with indirect speech, they may say “But you ask why it is not right for the son to suffer because of his father’s sins.” For the Hebrew word rendered iniquity, see the comments on verse 17.

God’s answer to this question contains a lot of repetition. The following outline of verses 19b-24 summarizes his answer:

1) A person who has done right will live (verse 19b)
2) A person who sins will die (verse 20a)
a) No one suffers for the sins of another (verse 20b)
b) Each person is responsible for their own goodness or sin (verse 20c)
3) A wicked person who repents will live (verse 21)
a) He will not be punished for the sins he did before (verse 22)
4) God does not want the wicked to die, but to repent and live (verse 23)
5) A good person who turns to sin will die (verse 24a)
a) The good things he did before will not save him (verse 24b)

When the son has done what is lawful and right: See Ezek 18.5.

And has been careful to observe all my statutes: See Ezek 18.9.

He shall surely live: See Ezek 18.9.

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .