Deuteronomy 24 · Verse 16

Deuteronomy 24:16

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.
Deuteronomy 24:16, King James Version

Deuteronomy 24:16 in other translations

BSBFathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin.
WEBThe 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.
ASVThe 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.
YLT‘Fathers are not put to death for sons, and sons are not put to death for fathers--each for his own sin, they are put to death.
DARBYThe fathers shall not be put to death for the sons, neither shall the sons be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.
BBEFathers are not to be put to death for their children or children for their fathers: every man is to be put to death for the sin which he himself has done.
WebsterThe 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.

What does Deuteronomy 24:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Deuteronomy 24:16-18
16-18. The fathers shall not be put to death for the children--The rule was addressed for the guidance of magistrates, and it established the equitable principle that none should be responsible for the crimes of others.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, etc. - This law is explained and illustrated in sufficient detail, Ezekiel 18.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Deuteronomy 24:14-22

It is not hard to prove that purity, piety, justice, mercy, fair conduct, kindness to the poor and destitute, consideration for them, and generosity of spirit, are pleasing to God, and becoming in his redeemed people. The difficulty is to attend to them in our daily walk and conversation.

Read the full comment on Deuteronomy 24:14-22 →

Deuteronomy 24:16 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

לֹֽא\־lo'-notH3808
יוּמְת֤וּyu.me.Tuthey will be put to deathH4191
אָבוֹת֙'a.VotparentsH1
עַל\־'al-onH5921
בָּנִ֔יםba.NimchildrenH1121
וּבָנִ֖יםu.va.Nimand childrenH1121
לֹא\־lo'-notH3808
יוּמְת֣וּyu.me.Tuthey will be put to deathH4191
עַל\־'al-onH5921
אָב֑וֹת'a.VotparentsH1
אִ֥יש'ishanyoneH376
בְּחֶטְא֖וֹbe.chet.'Ofor own sin hisH2399
יוּמָֽתוּ\׃\ \סyu.Ma.tuthey will be put to deathH4191

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Deuteronomy 24:16

  • Ezekiel 18:20

    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.

  • 2 Chronicles 25:4

    But he slew not their children, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, where the Lord commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin.

  • Jeremiah 31:29-30

    In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children’s teeth are set on edge. But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.

  • 2 Kings 14:5-6

    And it came to pass, as soon as the kingdom was confirmed in his hand, that he slew his servants which had slain the king his father. But the children of the murderers he slew not: according unto that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the Lord commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sin.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ki 14:5,6; 2Ch 25:4; Jer 31:29,30; Eze 18:20

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Deuteronomy 24:15

    At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the Lord, and it be sin unto thee.

  • Deuteronomy 24:16

    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.

  • Deuteronomy 24:17

    Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow’s raiment to pledge:

Read all of Deuteronomy 24

Deuteronomy 24:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Los padres no morirán por los hijos, ni los hijos por los padres; cada uno morirá por su pecado.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Les pères ne seront pas mis à mort pour les fils, et les fils ne seront pas mis à mort pour les pères: ils seront mis à mort chacun pour son péché.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Nicht sollen Väter getötet werden um der Kinder willen, und Kinder sollen nicht getötet werden um der Väter willen; sie sollen ein jeder für seine Sünde getötet werden.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Non occidentur patres pro filiis, nec filii pro patribus, sed unusquisque pro peccato suo morietur.