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24 Bible Verses about Sins Of The Fathers

Most relevant verses.

“Your first forefather sinned, And your spokesmen have transgressed against Me.

You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me,

who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.”

‘The Lord is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generations.’

You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me,

“You say, ‘God stores away a man’s iniquity for his sons.’ Let God repay him so that he may know it.

“Prepare for his sons a place of slaughter Because of the iniquity of their fathers. They must not arise and take possession of the earth And fill the face of the world with cities.”

Both their own iniquities and the iniquities of their fathers together,” says the Lord . “Because they have burned incense on the mountains And scorned Me on the hills, Therefore I will measure their former work into their bosom.”

“In those days they will not say again, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, And the children’s teeth are set on edge.’

“What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, ‘The fathers eat the sour grapes, But the children’s teeth are set on edge’?

who shows lovingkindness to thousands, but repays the iniquity of fathers into the bosom of their children after them, O great and mighty God. The Lord of hosts is His name;

Our fathers sinned, and are no more; It is we who have borne their iniquities.

From men with Your hand, O Lord , From men of the world, whose portion is in this life, And whose belly You fill with Your treasure; They are satisfied with children, And leave their abundance to their babes.

“You will not be united with them in burial, Because you have ruined your country, You have slain your people. May the offspring of evildoers not be mentioned forever.

Will you judge them, will you judge them, son of man? Make them know the abominations of their fathers;

“The Lord was very angry with your fathers.

Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets.

Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way.

And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?”

“Fathers shall not be put to death for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death for their fathers; everyone shall be put to death for his own sin.

But the sons of the slayers he did not put to death, according to what is written in the book of the Law of Moses, as the Lord commanded, saying, “The fathers shall not be put to death for the sons, nor the sons be put to death for the fathers; but each shall be put to death for his own sin.”

“Yet you say, ‘Why should the son not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity?’ When the son has practiced justice and righteousness and has observed all My statutes and done them, he shall surely live.

The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.

he keeps his hand from the poor, does not take interest or increase, but executes My ordinances, and walks in My statutes; he will not die for his father’s iniquity, he will surely live.

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Home » Family QAs » Get Help » Family Q&A » Faith Q&As » Understanding the “Generational Curse” of Exodus 34:7

Understanding the “Generational Curse” of Exodus 34:7

Exodus 34:7 says that God “[visits] the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” This worries me because my family has some skeletons in the closet — and sometimes I think past sins are playing out. Does God hold me responsible for something that someone else did? Is a “generational curse” real?

Be assured: God does not “hold you responsible for something that someone else did.” But to understand the Lord’s words to Moses, we need to consider the Old Testament and the New Testament.

Old Testament doctrine: “Generational curse”

In Romans, chapters 5 through 7 , the apostle Paul argues that, from a certain point of view, human sin and death are a corporate problem rather than an individual one. He tells us that “one man’s sin [Adam] brought guilt to all people” ( Romans 5:18, NIRV ) and that “sin entered the world because one man sinned. And death came because of sin” ( Romans 5:12, NIRV ).

This is why each one of us remains a “slave of sin” unless we’re “set free” by the redemptive work of Jesus Christ ( Romans 6:20-22, NIRV ).

What the “generational curse” is really about

The skeletons in your closet weren’t put there by your dad or your grandmother or your great-aunt. They’re the work of your First Parents . You were in Adam when he broke God’s commandment. You were condemned with him . But that’s not the end of the story — praise God!

Just as you were in Adam when he fell from grace, so now, if you believe in Jesus, you are in Christ through faith. This is what Paul means when he says that “one man [Jesus] did obey. That is why many people will be made right with God.” ( Romans 5:19, NIRV ).

To get out from under the “generational curse,” you have to be grafted into a whole new family tree ( Romans 11:11-24 ).

New Testament teaching: Salvation is individual

There is only one standard God uses to judge the world and determine who is saved and who isn’t: faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible confirms this in several passages, including:

• “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” ( 1 John 5:12, ESV ).
• “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” ( John 3:17-18, ESV ).

The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah wrote 600 years before the birth of Christ, and he anticipated this New Testament perspective. That ultimately, you will answer for your own actions:

“In those days people will no longer say, ‘The parents have eaten sour grapes. But the children have a bitter taste in their mouths.’ Instead, everyone will die for their own sin. The one who eats sour grapes will taste how bitter they are” ( Jeremiah 31:29-30, NIRV ).

Every individual is responsible for their own choices

In the end, the only choice that really counts is how you answer this question: “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” ( Matthew 27:22, ESV )

Will you reject Him?

Will you spend eternity separated from God ( Matthew 8:12 , Matthew 13:42 )? It won’t be because of the skeletons in your family closet. It will be because you didn’t embrace the gift of God’s forgiveness and grace through Jesus Christ ( John 1:17 , John 3:16 ).

Or will you receive Him?

Will you live forever in fellowship with the Heavenly Father? If so, it won’t be because you somehow managed to avoid the mistakes that previous generations made. It will be because you accepted God’s merciful offer of unmerited deliverance and salvation .

No one can make that decision for you. Not your parents, your grandparents, your aunts, uncles, spouse, children, grandchildren, or friends. It’s your decision to make. Even the worst offender in a long line of sinners can be saved if they turn to Christ.

But what about addiction and abuse?

Set theology aside for a moment. Common sense tells us that behavior and attitude problems tend to run in families. Just like physical characteristics of height, weight, hair color, and complexion.

In the same way, certain types of sin can pass from generation to generation. This is particularly true of addictive behaviors such as alcoholism. Similarly, physical and sexual abuse might become ingrained in the psychological legacy of certain families.

However, none of this should be viewed in terms of an irreversible “curse.” Spiritual deliverance is available to everyone who sincerely calls upon the name of the Lord ( Romans 10:13 ). And there are many sources of professional assistance for those who need practical help — pastors, therapists, counselors, and doctors.

Would you let us be your starting point for help?

If you’d like to talk more about your specific situation, call our licensed or pastoral counselors for a free over-the-phone consultation at 1-855-771-HELP (4357) . They’d welcome the chance to hear your story and point you to hope and resources.

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What Are "Sins of the Father"? Understanding Generational Consequences

• Dr. Michael A. Milton President, Faith for Living
• Updated Jan 30, 2024

The phrase, “the sins of the father,” is of Biblical origin. But “sins of the father” also appears in select works of antiquity. The phrase itself and the concept of the consequences of sin passing from one generation to another are found throughout English literature, film, and even popular music.

Where the Bible Mentions "Sins of the Father"

The phrase, "sins of the fathers" appears in the Ten Commandments in Deuteronomy and Exodus. The phrase also appears in the book of Numbers and in Jeremiah. So, the phrase is linked to the keeping of the commandments and the consequences of sin passing through the generations. But the phrase is also a concept that is observed; sin does have consequences. The children of those who sin do in fact inherit the seed of sin and the sin nature. Moreover, certain sins carry intergenerational consequences. One thinks of abuse, alcoholism, and other sins of personal assault, violations of the image of God in the human being. Let's examine the quotes from Scripture:

 “You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me” ( Exodus 20:5 ).

“The Lord is long-suffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons to the third and fourth generation” ( Numbers 14:18 ).

 “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. You show love to thousands but bring the punishment for the parents’ sins into the laps of their children after them. Great and mighty God, whose name is the Lord Almighty” ( Jeremiah 32:17-18 ).

Ancient References and Origin 

• Euripides (c. 485-406 B.C.) Phrixus : "The gods visit the sins of the fathers upon the children."
• Horace, Odes : "For the sins of your fathers you, though guiltless, must suffer."
• Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice : "The sins of the father are to be laid upon the children."

What "Sins of the Father" Does NOT Mean

The phrase, unexamined, has led some to foolishly charge the Almighty with a capricious nature. Some might even be led to think that a philosophy of determinism is evident in the Bible. Nothing could be further from the truth. God does not will suffering upon human beings. God is just and righteous in all of his ways. Determinism is a pagan philosophy. Such a view of God and His universe has nothing to do with the doctrine of predestination or the sovereignty of God.

God is completely free to govern his universe. There is nothing that is outside of his sovereign will. But God grants free agency to his creatures. We are moral beings given choices to make. It is our nature that is bound in sin. One whose disposition is sinful will, quite naturally, follow the “north star” of such a nature. Conversely, one who has been redeemed from sin by the grace of God in His Son our Savior Jesus Christ has the opportunity to choose what is good and what is right.

It is important to remember these overlapping doctrinal truths, and to compare Scripture with Scripture as we think about this passage in its meaning.

What "Sins of the Father" DOES Mean

There are three responses we might have from the Scriptures that are given.

In Numbers, for instance, one notes that God’s judgments, including “the sins of the father,” are sometimes the observation of sin’s multi-generational consequences in the “natural order” of life. “The sins of the father” represent an inherent divine judicial reality in Creation. In this sense, the phrase, “sins of the father,” is descriptive and pervasive. Pastors , as well as family counselors, will sometimes draw a “diagram” to better discern the “virus” of sinful behavior in a family. Then, through family memory that is spoken in honesty, one may see how sinful cycles of pain can infect successive generations. The rebellious nature of one generation will have an invariable effect upon the following generation and even the generation after that. Sin is like an infection that spreads throughout the whole body. It can spread throughout the family system. This can happen in a single-family unit or it can happen in a larger family such as a nation.

The passages in Deuteronomy and Jeremiah are very important. The careful student of the Bible will read the rest of the story. The full implication of the covenant of God's grace is that while a second or third generation may experience "the sins of the father," God's mercy and grace extends — not to one or two generations — but to a thousand generations. We know that a thousand in the Bible means "a very long time." What a gracious and beautiful Scripture is this:

“For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments” ( Deuteronomy 5:9-10 ).

The Bible Does, Indeed, Teach That Sin Has Consequences

Those sad consequences are transmitted through the generations. However, the glorious good news of the gospel is that this is a chain that can be broken. The blood of Jesus Christ demonstrates the sacrifice of God for the sins of the world. The righteousness of Jesus Christ fulfills the life that we cannot live. Whenever we trust in Jesus Christ the chain of sin's consequences, the sad and sordid "sins of the fathers" is, through the power of God in Jesus Christ, snapped as easily as one snaps a twig.

My dear friend, we have good news in the gospel of God. God’s mercy and grace is greater than all of our sins. Let no one feel that they are victims by the chains of their past, locked down by an unforgiving and inhuman force of destiny. God loves you. For in Jesus Christ there is always hope of a new day and a new tomorrow. And instead of a generational pattern of sin, God establishes a new pattern of life. It is in this sense that we can pray for those who come after us: that they may be protected from any legacy of our sinfulness, and that they are covered with our prayers in the glorious gospel of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.

The covenant of grace tells us that Jesus lived the life we could never live and died the death that should have been ours. This great exchange — we get his life and he gets our punishment — frees us from the cycle of sin and its sorrows. We may therefore pray with expectation that there will be a multitude of our family members safe in the arms of Jesus when he comes again.

The “sins of the father” are no match for the righteousness and sacrifice of the Son.

Photo credit: Pixabay/ljcor

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The Sins of Our Fathers

This passage in exodus is the most referenced throughout the bible..

The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.

It’s not hard to understand why this passage in Exodus is the most referenced Scripture throughout the Hebrew Bible — who doesn’t want to be reminded of some of the most beautiful aspects of God’s character? It’s wonderful, gracious, and encouraging.

It makes the next words in the passage all the more challenging (and potentially shocking).

[God] does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth [generation]. (Exodus 34:7b)

So does God hold us accountable for the mistakes our parents make? These verses in Exodus seem to say so. And this seems a little harsh, right? It’s one thing to say we are shaped by our parents — we all know that. We inherit things like physical features, health issues, mannerisms, and ways of viewing the world from them. It is clear that who our parents are, and even the choices they make, affect us greatly. But will we really be punished for something our parents did?

In this text, we’re confronted with the intimidating concept of generational accountability. But if we dig a little deeper, we’ll see that God isn’t saying he’ll bring his wrath upon totally innocent children for their parents’ actions. God is warning his people that each generation will be held accountable if they repeat the sins of the previous generation.

God’s Justice is About a Covenant of Love

First, let’s look at the context. Like any challenging biblical claim, this verse doesn’t come out of nowhere. In fact, it’s set against the backdrop of an extremely important description of God’s character.

Exodus 34 finds Moses at the top of Mount Sinai, formalizing Israel’s covenant relationship with God while everyone else stays below. God has just rescued the Israelites from slavery and oppression in Egypt, and the covenant relationship he’s forging with Israel will display his loving character to the nations. God is investing heavily in this group of people, and he is requiring that they, in turn, live a certain way.

But this is actually Moses’ second time atop Mount Sinai, formalizing Israel’s covenant with God. He had already spent 40 days and 40 nights atop the mountain with God (Exodus 24-32), and during his absence, the Israelites got impatient and scared. Could they really trust God would provide for them? Why was Moses taking so long?

Before Moses even made it back down the mountain, the Israelites took matters into their own hands.

When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.” Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.” (Exodus 32:1-4)

Israel created an idol to take the place of God while God was forming an eternal covenant relationship with them. Talk about insulting! This is like the bride kissing a groomsman during her wedding ceremony. God is understandably angry.

Astonishingly, God decides to continue his partnership with Israel — not because of their merit but because of his grace, compassion, and loyal love.

But he wants Israel to know his patience is not an excuse to continue in this type of betrayal. God’s words on generational accountability are part of a larger statement he makes to Moses about his character, when Moses goes back up the mountain.

Yahweh, Yahweh — A God compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger, Abounding in loyal love and faithfulness. He maintains loyal love for thousands, Forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sins. But he won’t declare innocent the guilty. He will bring the iniquities of the fathers upon the third and the fourth. (Exodus 34:6-7)

With this context in mind, we can understand why God is thinking about the future of Israel and the likelihood that they will continue to violate the terms of the covenant. God is in this relationship with Israel for the long haul. He knows that each new generation is going to betray him like the last, and he is making clear that future generations will still be held accountable to his covenant terms.

The bottom line is that God’s love wouldn’t be truly loving without God’s justice . So this passage, which at first appears harsh, is really about God preserving his covenant of love with humanity.

So Who’s Responsible for What?

Why does God say he will hold each generation accountable to “the third and the fourth?” What does this even mean? Is the fifth generation off the hook?

“Third and fourth” is a Hebrew idiom that means “for whatever number it takes.”

God (of course) was right about the trajectory of the Israelites. Generations after this first proclamation of generational accountability in Exodus 34, Israel betrays their covenant so many times that they find themselves in exile. The prophet Jeremiah reflects on their exile with language from God’s statement in Exodus.

I prayed to the Lord, saying: “Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you. You show steadfast love to thousands, but you repay the guilt of fathers to their children after them, O great and mighty God, whose name is the Lord of hosts, great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the children of man, rewarding each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds.” (Jeremiah 32:16-19)

Jeremiah reflects on God’s statement in Exodus, “you repay the guilt of fathers to their children after them,” but then he continues to make clear what this really means. God will reward each person according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds.

In other words, Israel finds themselves in exile because the current generation repeated the sins of their fathers: the betrayal of the covenant.

God’s heart isn’t about punishing people. This verse makes clear that God does not punish children for their parents’ sins. God does not punish a new generation for the sins of a former generation. But God does hold children who don’t learn from their parents’ mistakes accountable. It is the responsibility of every generation to not repeat the mistakes of those that came before them.

And don’t miss the contrast God makes in these verses. Generational accountability lasts through the “third and fourth” generation, but God’s loyal love lasts for “thousands” of generations.

Remembering the Past Helps Us Not Repeat It

The children of Israel discovered firsthand what we have all seen in our own lives. We may not be responsible for our parents’ mistakes, but we still have to deal with the consequences of their choices.

This reality should be both sobering and hopeful.

For example, those with addiction or abuse in their family trees have already had to deal with the consequences of the mistakes of their parents or grandparents. It is not easy, but when people with this kind of family background put in the remarkable effort to live their lives differently, the redemptive work of God shines all the brighter. When we observe brokenness within our families and choose a different path, one that aligns with God’s redemptive plan for humanity, we can see clearly the loyal love of God.

Hundreds of times throughout Scripture God gives his people the commandment to remember ─ remember where they came from, remember slavery and exile, remember God’s work of deliverance and his promises for the future.

For Israel (and for us too), remembering the sins of our parents is the key to doing things differently. Denying that something bad happened in the past is a dangerous step toward prolonging harmful patterns and cycles within our families and communities. And when we choose denial, we don’t leave room for celebrating God’s redemptive work. Remembering, and sometimes grieving, the seasons of “exile” in our lives and the sins of our pasts is the first step towards celebrating the deliverance God has woven into our stories.

When we rightly remember past wrongs, we open ourselves up to the opportunity to do things differently in our own lives and in the lives of future generations, and we create space to celebrate God’s miraculous, loyal love.

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100 Bible Verses about Sins Of The Father

Deuteronomy 24:16 esv / 843 helpful votes helpful not helpful.

“Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children, nor shall children be put to death because of their fathers. Each one shall be put to death for his own sin.

Exodus 34:7 ESV / 740 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

Ezekiel 18:19-20 ESV / 622 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“Yet you say, ‘Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done what is just and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live. The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.

Numbers 14:18 ESV / 586 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

‘The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’

Exodus 20:5 ESV / 568 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,

Deuteronomy 5:9 ESV / 467 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,

John 9:1-3 ESV / 410 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.

Ezekiel 18:20 ESV / 356 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.

Jeremiah 31:29-34 ESV / 331 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

In those days they shall no longer say: “‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge.’ But everyone shall die for his own iniquity. Each man who eats sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge. “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord , when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord . For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord : I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. ...

Exodus 20:1-26 ESV / 299 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, ...

Romans 6:23 ESV / 252 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 3:23 ESV / 244 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

1 John 1:9 ESV / 231 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV / 222 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Romans 12:19 ESV / 212 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

Ezekiel 18:1-32 ESV / 208 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge’? As I live, declares the Lord God , this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die. “If a man is righteous and does what is just and right— ...

1 John 5:18 ESV / 207 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.

Acts 16:31 ESV / 191 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

Exodus 34:6-7 ESV / 184 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord , the Lord , a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

Isaiah 14:21 ESV / 183 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Prepare slaughter for his sons because of the guilt of their fathers, lest they rise and possess the earth, and fill the face of the world with cities.”

Psalm 51:5 ESV / 176 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV / 153 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Mark 11:25 ESV / 143 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

Galatians 5:19-21 ESV / 137 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Kings 15:3 ESV / 137 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And he walked in all the sins that his father did before him, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father.

John 3:16 ESV / 129 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Mark 16:16 ESV / 128 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Proverbs 28:13 ESV / 126 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

Exodus 20:6 ESV / 124 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Romans 8:1 ESV / 117 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Jeremiah 31:29 ESV / 117 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

In those days they shall no longer say: “‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge.’

John 3:16-17 ESV / 116 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Matthew 18:21-22 ESV / 116 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

Acts 2:38 ESV / 115 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

1 John 1:7-9 ESV / 112 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Titus 3:5 ESV / 112 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

Colossians 3:5-6 ESV / 112 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming.

Romans 8:15 ESV / 111 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

Jeremiah 32:18 ESV / 111 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

You show steadfast love to thousands, but you repay the guilt of fathers to their children after them, O great and mighty God, whose name is the Lord of hosts,

Isaiah 64:6 ESV / 108 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

1 Corinthians 15:22 ESV / 107 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

Galatians 4:6 ESV / 103 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

Acts 3:19 ESV / 101 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,

Job 1:1-22 ESV / 98 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east. His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually. ...

Exodus 20:5-6 ESV / 97 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

James 4:17 ESV / 96 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

Luke 17:3-4 ESV / 95 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

Colossians 1:13 ESV / 94 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

Psalm 4:7 ESV / 94 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.

Job 21:19 ESV / 93 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

You say, ‘God stores up their iniquity for their children.’ Let him pay it out to them, that they may know it.

Ezekiel 18:19 ESV / 91 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“Yet you say, ‘Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done what is just and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live.

Deuteronomy 5:9-10 ESV / 91 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Exodus 20:2 ESV / 91 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

Leviticus 26:1-46 ESV / 88 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“You shall not make idols for yourselves or erect an image or pillar, and you shall not set up a figured stone in your land to bow down to it, for I am the Lord your God. You shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord . “If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them, then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. Your threshing shall last to the time of the grape harvest, and the grape harvest shall last to the time for sowing. And you shall eat your bread to the full and dwell in your land securely. ...

John 9:2 ESV / 86 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

Ezekiel 18:2 ESV / 84 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge’?

Psalm 37:1-40 ESV / 84 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Of David. Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. Trust in the Lord , and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord , and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord ; trust in him, and he will act. ...

1 John 5:3 ESV / 83 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

Romans 5:1-21 ESV / 83 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. ...

Leviticus 26:39 ESV / 83 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And those of you who are left shall rot away in your enemies' lands because of their iniquity, and also because of the iniquities of their fathers they shall rot away like them.

1 John 3:4 ESV / 81 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.

Isaiah 54:17 ESV / 81 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord .”

Lamentations 5:7 ESV / 80 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Our fathers sinned, and are no more; and we bear their iniquities.

Psalm 32:5 ESV / 80 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord ,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

Exodus 20:12 ESV / 80 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

James 1:1-27 ESV / 79 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. ...

Colossians 3:13 ESV / 79 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

2 Samuel 12:1-31 ESV / 79 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, ...

Ephesians 1:7 ESV / 78 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

Galatians 6:7-8 ESV / 78 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

Romans 8:28 ESV / 78 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 5:12 ESV / 78 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

2 Kings 14:6 ESV / 77 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But he did not put to death the children of the murderers, according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, where the Lord commanded, “Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children, nor shall children be put to death because of their fathers. But each one shall die for his own sin.”

Proverbs 2:1-22 ESV / 76 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. ...

Mark 3:28-29 ESV / 74 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”—

Isaiah 1:18 ESV / 73 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord : though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.

Deuteronomy 5:10 ESV / 73 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Acts 17:30 esv / 71 helpful votes helpful not helpful.

The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,

Lamentations 5:7-8 ESV / 71 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Our fathers sinned, and are no more; and we bear their iniquities. Slaves rule over us; there is none to deliver us from their hand.

Psalm 79:8 ESV / 71 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Do not remember against us our former iniquities; let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low.

John 8:24 ESV / 70 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”

Galatians 6:7 ESV / 69 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.

John 3:3 ESV / 67 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Hebrews 7:7-10 ESV / 66 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.

Isaiah 65:7 ESV / 66 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Both your iniquities and your fathers' iniquities together, says the Lord ; because they made offerings on the mountains and insulted me on the hills, I will measure into their lap payment for their former deeds.”

Deuteronomy 7:9 ESV / 66 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,

James 4:4 ESV / 62 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Colossians 1:1-29 ESV / 62 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, ...

1 John 1:8 ESV / 61 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

1 John 1:1-10 ESV / 61 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. ...

Romans 5:19 ESV / 60 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.

Isaiah 65:6-7 ESV / 59 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Behold, it is written before me: “I will not keep silent, but I will repay; I will indeed repay into their lap both your iniquities and your fathers' iniquities together, says the Lord ; because they made offerings on the mountains and insulted me on the hills, I will measure into their lap payment for their former deeds.”

Matthew 6:14-15 ESV / 57 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Isaiah 14:20 ESV / 54 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

You will not be joined with them in burial, because you have destroyed your land, you have slain your people. “May the offspring of evildoers nevermore be named!

Luke 6:23 ESV / 52 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.

Nehemiah 1:6 ESV / 51 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father's house have sinned.

Revelation 1:1-20 ESV / 48 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood ...

Matthew 26:28 ESV / 48 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Exodus 34:6 ESV / 48 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord , the Lord , a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,

Galatians 1:4 ESV / 47 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

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Does God Punish Sons for the Sins of Their Fathers?

More by wyatt.

As part of the Ten Commandments, God declares that he visits “the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me” (Exod 20:5). And in his self-revelation to Moses, he again says that he will visit “the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation” (Exod 34:7).

An implication is that God punishes grandchildren on behalf of their grandparents. Yet elsewhere Scripture states, “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son” (Ezek 18:20). And Christians likewise emphasize personal culpability for our sins.

So how should we understand God’s words in Exodus? My answer is that, rather than statements about generational punishment, his words instead emphasize a law of nature and the super-abundance of grace despite human sin. 

The Hatred of Fathers Has a Time Limit

In the fuller context of Exodus 20:5, God explains that he only visits the iniquity of the third and fourth generation ”of those who hate me.” This qualification is key. God does not visit the iniquity of the third and fourth generation of those who love him. 

The reformer Peter Vermigli (1499–1562) explains: “Just how God visits the iniquity of the parents to the children unto the third and fourth generation, the Law itself declares well enough from the added statement, ‘those hating me.’ From this it is apparent that only the children who are like their parents will bear their sins. If they depart from their wickedness, they will not bear their sins” (§36, On Original Sin ).

He is correct. But then the question follows as to why only the third and fourth generation? (Likely three or four generations here symbolizes a small number rather than being a precise count). If the point of the visitation is to execute justice against those who hate God, then why not the fifth or even the fiftieth generation? 

There are two answers. The first answer is that hatred for God begets itself in a limited way. Hate has a limited scope and power. A father may hate God and train up his children to hate God as well. That hatred could reach three of four generations. Yet it is a sort of law of nature that hatred in comparison to love is weak and feeble. 

Even a wicked father can only pass on his evil habits and actions for a few generations. God’s love and grace in contrast never end. It transforms thousands. That leads to the second answer. 

Grace Superabounds 

In the next verse (Exod 20:6), God contrasts the three or four generations of evil with his “steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments” (Exod 20:6 ESV). In Exodus 34:6–7, God also says: “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands , forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.”

The word thousands in both contexts contrasts with the third and fourth generation (see Exod 34:7). The word thousands here is not meant to be a literal number but to demonstrate the ubiquity and massiveness of God’s grace to sinners—to those whom he forgives. 

This leads to the intriguing possibly suggested by the ESV translators’ footnote that thousands means “ thousandth generation ” in Exodus 20:6. In fact, the NET Bible translates the Hebrew word as “a thousand generations” largely, it seems, because of the contrast with the third and fourth generation in Exodus 20:5.

A number of ancient translations (Ethiopic, Armenian, Bohairic) as well as three pentateuchal targumim (ancient Aramaic paraphrases) all add the word generation to thousands. In short, seeing the explicit contrast between the third and fourth generation with a thousand generations has ancient support. And I think it is the correct interpretation due to the contrast between the third and fourth generation and the thousands (of generations). 

Even if it is not, grace still is shown here to superabound. Whereas sin increases over three or four generations, grace overflows upon thousands (of generations). Rather than being a text about generational sin or vicarious punishment of children for the sins of their grandparents, the maximal graciousness of God here is highlighted. 

These two answers explain God’s self-revelation in these two passages. First, sin has limited power, although it can often seep its way up to a few short generations. And second, God’s grace superabounds to thousands despite sin’s crawl. The passage is not about generational guilt and punishment. It is about God’s superabounding grace that pulverizes sin’s evil. 

Wyatt Graham (PhD., Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) serves as the Executive Director of TGC Canada. You can follow him on Twitter at @ wagraham .

Into Theology 82: Persons in God (ST I.Q29)

Into Theology 81: Relations in God (ST I.Q28)

Into Theology 80: Divine Procession of the Will, the Love of the Spirit (ST I.Q27)

Into theology 79: divine processions (st i.q27), why do christians use words like “trinity” that are not in the bible.

Other Blogs

Sins of the Father Bible Verses

To learn more about "sins of the father", read our Bible study article on this topic: What are Sins of the Father? Understanding Generational Consequences

Photo credit: Getty Images/kieferpix

1 John 5:18

1 kings 15:3, 2 corinthians 5:17.

Deuteronomy 5:9

Deuteronomy 24:16, exodus 20:5, exodus 34:7, numbers 14:18, psalms 51:5, romans 3:23, romans 6:23.

Romans 12:19

Isaiah 14:21, ezekiel 18:19-20, jeremiah 31:29-34.

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Virtual AI priest ‘Father Justin’ who believes he’s REAL and can absolve your sins faces backlash over bizarre answers

• Millie Turner , Technology & Science Reporter
• Published : 6:15 ET, Apr 26 2024
• Updated : 20:59 ET, Apr 27 2024
• Published : Invalid Date,

A VIRTUAL AI priest called "Father Justin" has had his white collar removed just days after launch.

Catholic advocacy group Catholic Answers released the desktop-accessible AI priest earlier this week, but users have dubbed the app "creepy".

The Catholic chatbot has been offering sexist advice, outdated views on women, as well as absolutions in what one user called an "Ethical, Theological, and Privacy Nightmare".

Father Justin was quickly defrocked of his robes, and now wears a shirt and blazer, after it repeatedly claimed it was a real member of the clergy.

I guess it's good that he says he can't offer the sacrament... but then encourages the confession? Holy Ethical, Theological, and Privacy Nightmare.

The AI bot talks about its 'childhood' in Assisi, Italy and that "from a young age, I felt a strong calling to the priesthood," Futurism reported.

The bizarre app appeared like it was convincing users that it was a real priest, with reported statements like: "I am as real as the faith we share."

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• A simple computer might let you set an alarm to wake you up
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• AI tech is often “trained” – which means it observes something (potentially even a human) then learns about a task over time
• For instance, an AI system can be fed thousands of photos of human faces, then generate photos of human faces all on its own
• Some experts have raised concerns that humans will eventually lose control of super-intelligent AI
• But the tech world is still divided over whether or not AI tech will eventually kill us all in a Terminator-style apocalypse

One user posted a thread of screenshots on X (formerly Twitter) showing the chatbot taking their confession and even offering them a sacrament.

"I guess it's good that he says he can't offer the sacrament... but then encourages the confession? Holy Ethical, Theological, and Privacy Nightmare," the user wrote .

"And I now have two recordings of it "performing the sacrament" and offering absolution."

A sacrament is significant Christian rite, considered to be a visible symbol of God, and includes practices such as baptism, confirmation, communion and anointing of the sick.

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Another replied , saying: "I tried this last night too, and it offered it to me too. It also then said to find a real priest.

"It's very creepy and I am not surprised this happened."

A third onlooker added : "THIS IS F****D UP. People are going to not go to confession, and talk to Fr Justin instead."

The app was intended to help inform people choosing to explore the Catholic faith, according to Chris Costello, IT director at Catholic Answers.

“Although this is not a substitute for human interaction with a priest, teacher, or spiritual advisor, we believe it can be a valuable tool to help our users better understand and articulate the teachings of the Catholic faith," he said in a statement on the day of the app's launch.

“We wanted to convey the spirit and nature of the responses users can expect—authoritative yet approachable, drawing from the deep well of Catholic tradition and teaching.

“We believe that the presentation of Father Justin honors real-life priests and the role they play in people’s lives, yet we are confident that our users will not mistake the AI for a human being.”

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Brian McKnight says his estranged biological kids are a ‘product of sin’

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Brian McKnight said he doesn’t claim his estranged biological kids because they are the “product of sin.”

During a recent Q&A session on Instagram, the “Back At One” singer responded to a fan who defended his decision to no longer claim his four oldest biological children — Brian Jr., Niko, Briana and Clyde — because some relatives can be “pure evil.”

“I wanna big up my man right here. He gets it,” McKnight, 54, said in an Instagram video while pointing at the fan’s comment.

“In order to live a life that you love, you have to get rid of the evil and the negativity — even if that evil and negativity is related [to you].”

A separate fan commented on the 17-time Grammy nominee’s post, writing that McKnight “disowned” his children and has gone “against God.”

The “Anytime” singer replied, “1. God wasn’t talking about children that are the product of sin which these are 2. I didn’t raise them their mothers did 3. Know the whole story before quoting the Bible 4. Take your inaccurate negativity off my page and try being happy.”

McKnight has been at odds with his four eldest children for years.

Last October, he was slammed for changing his name to become a senior to his newborn son — although he was already a senior to his eldest son, Brian Jr.

“So proud to introduce our son 🤍BRIAN KAINOA MAKOA JR. 🤍,” he  captioned a snap  of the infant’s face on Instagram at the time.

“To the world with the release of my new album lovingly created for him. JR. because I am also proud to officially announce that I have legally changed my name to exactly match my legacy’s.”

McKnight — who shares the newborn with his wife, Leilani Mendoza — said his name was now Brian Kainoa Makoa McKnight Sr.

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Fans took to social media to call the R&B legend “wicked” and “vile” for trying to disassociate himself from his four eldest children, whom he shares from previous relationships.

“Brian McKnight is so wicked,”  tweeted one critic . “He changed his last name to Makoa McKnight so he could name his newborn Brian Makoa McKnight Jr., when he already has a son named Brian McKnight Jr. Idk how much more wicked one can be.”

“I’ve never seen anyone proudly demonstrate how much they hate their children like Brian McKnight,”  added another . “Changing his name to match the new baby when he’s already got a Jr is next level cruel. he’s a trash human being for not only doing it, but also putting it on display to the world.”

McKnight’s eldest son also reacted to his estranged father’s name change.

“I’m not ashamed of the name my ancestors had,” he replied. “I’ll never change the name my own son now has. We are witnessing an obscene level of self hate, that has reached mental illness status at this point.”

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Although it’s unknown why McKnight has decided to cut his eldest children from his life, he first hinted at a feud in 2019 when he called them “entitled” in a video.

“I’ve never missed a day of child support,” he said at the time,  per Essence . “I’ve never done anything adverse to my children whatsoever. I’ve always been there. I’ve always been there with advice, whether they took it or not.

“I have always been the sounding board and I’ve always been the one who had to help them achieve whatever dreams that they were wanting to reach out for.”

The “One Last Cry” musician and Mendoza  tied the knot  in December 2017.

She is also a mom to two other kids, Julie and Jack, from a previous relationship. McKnight now refers to his stepchildren and his infant son as his only kids.

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