Contradiction claim
Are children punished for the sins of their ancestors?
The Decalogue describes the LORD visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate him. Deuteronomy 24:16 forbids putting children to death for their fathers, and Ezekiel 18:20 states that the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father.
Theological tensionReviewedSeverity: highClassification confidence: moderate
2 source records · no review date recorded
How to read this record
This record states that a conflict has been claimed. The classification is CodexTrace’s editorial assessment of what kind of question this is, not a verdict on whether the passages can be read together. Primary text comes first; interpretation and analysis follow it. Methodology
Passages side by side
TextThe primary text, as seeded. Nothing here is summarised or paraphrased.
Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
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.
The soul that sinneth, it 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 upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.