9. They follow my regulations, keep my case laws, and act faithfully. Such people are innocent, and they will live, proclaims the Lord God.
10. But suppose one of them has a violent child who sheds blood or does any one of these things,
11. even though his parents didn’t do any of them. He eats on the mountains, defiles his neighbor’s wife,
12. oppresses the poor and needy, robs others and doesn’t fulfill his obligations, pays attention to the idols and does detestable things,
13. and takes interest and profit. Should he live? He should not. He engaged in all these detestable practices. He will surely die, and his blood will be on him.
14. But suppose he has a child who sees all the sins that his father committed. He becomes alarmed and doesn’t do them.
15. He doesn’t eat on the mountains or pay attention to the idols of the house of Israel. He doesn’t defile his neighbor’s wife.
16. He doesn’t cheat anyone, either by seizing collateral for loans or committing robbery. He gives his food to the hungry and clothes to the naked.
17. He refrains from oppressing the poor by taking neither interest nor profit. He observes my case laws and follows my regulations. He won’t die because of his father’s guilt. He will surely live.
18. As for his father: If he exploited the weak or committed robbery, or did anything else that wasn’t good for the people, he will die because of his own guilt.
19. You will say, "Why doesn’t the child bear his parent’s guilt?" The child has acted justly and responsibly. The child kept all my regulations and observed them. The child will surely live.