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What does the Bible say about sins of the father?

Bible Topic · WEB

The Bible teaches that each person is morally accountable to God for his or her own sin, while sin also brings real consequences that can affect families and generations. Deuteronomy 24:16 and Ezekiel 18:19-20 plainly reject punishing children for their fathers' guilt, affirming that each soul answers for its own sin. Yet Exodus 20:5, Deuteronomy 5:9, Numbers 14:18, and Exodus 34:7 warn that persistent family idolatry may bear generational consequences, as children often inherit sinful patterns and God's temporal judgments. Jeremiah 31:29-34 points to the new covenant, in which God forgives sin and writes his law on his people’s hearts. John 9:1-3 also cautions against assuming suffering directly results from personal or parental sin.

Top passages, ranked by readers

Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible

  • Deuteronomy 24:16 5 votes

    The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.

  • Exodus 34:7 5 votes

    keeping loving kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and disobedience and sin; and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the children's children, on the third and on the fourth generation."

  • Ezekiel 18:19-20 4 votes

    [19] Yet say you, Why does not the son bear the iniquity of the father? when the son has done that which is lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes, and has done them, he shall surely live. [20] The soul who sins, he shall die: the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be on him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on him.

  • Numbers 14:18 4 votes

    Yahweh is slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, forgiving iniquity and disobedience; and that will by no means clear [the guilty], visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation.

  • Exodus 20:5 3 votes

    you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me,

  • Deuteronomy 5:9 3 votes

    you shall not bow down yourself to them, nor serve them; for I, Yahweh, your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me;

  • John 9:1-3 3 votes

    [1] As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. [2] His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" [3] Jesus answered, "Neither did this man sin, nor his parents; but, that the works of God might be revealed in him.

  • Ezekiel 18:20 2 votes

    The soul who sins, he shall die: the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be on him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on him.

  • Jeremiah 31:29-34 2 votes

    [29] In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge. [30] But everyone shall die for his own iniquity: every man who eats the sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge. [31] Behold, the days come, says Yahweh, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: [32] not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they broke, although I was a husband to them, says Yahweh. [33] But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says Yahweh: I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people: [34] and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know Yahweh; for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says Yahweh: for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more.

  • Exodus 20:1-26 2 votes

    [1] God spoke all these words, saying, [2] "I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. [3] You shall have no other gods before me. [4] "You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: [5] you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me, [6] and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. [7] "You shall not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain, for Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. [8] "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. [9] You shall labor six days, and do all your work, [10] but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahweh your God. You shall not do any work in it, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your man-servant, nor your maid-servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates; [11] for in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy. [12] "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your God gives you. [13] "You shall not murder. [14] "You shall not commit adultery. [15] "You shall not steal. [16] "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. [17] "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's." [18] All the people perceived the thunderings, the lightnings, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking. When the people saw it, they trembled, and stayed at a distance. [19] They said to Moses, "Speak with us yourself, and we will listen; but don't let God speak with us, lest we die." [20] Moses said to the people, "Don't be afraid, for God has come to test you, and that his fear may be before you, that you won't sin." [21] The people stayed at a distance, and Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was. [22] Yahweh said to Moses, "This is what you shall tell the children of Israel: 'You yourselves have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. [23] You shall most certainly not make alongside of me gods of silver, or gods of gold for yourselves. [24] You shall make an altar of earth for me, and shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace-offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I record my name I will come to you and I will bless you. [25] If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stones; for if you lift up your tool on it, you have polluted it. [26] Neither shall you go up by steps to my altar, that your nakedness may not be exposed to it.'

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