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THE TRUTH: Sin Is Not Passed Down

Anchored in Yhwh’s Word (early West‑Semitic / Proto‑Canaanite stream and the Dead Sea Scrolls): judgment is personal. No inherited guilt. Each person answers for their own actions.

Ezekiel 18:20 — Personal Accountability, Not Inherited Guilt

“The soul that sins — it shall die… the son shall not bear the guilt of the father.”

Witnesses and comparisons:

  • Proto‑Canaanite / early West‑Semitic stream: clear separation of guilt (authoritative).
  • Dead Sea Scrolls: consistent with personal responsibility (authoritative where extant).
  • Later Aramaic renderings (comparison only): same meaning; not authoritative for Yhwh’s Word.
  • Greek Septuagint (comparison): supports when aligned; used only to confirm, not to define.
  • Later English OT translations (comparison): generally reflect the same principle.
Explore Deuteronomy 24:16

Deuteronomy 24:16 — Each Dies for Their Own Sin

“Fathers shall not be put to death for sons, and sons not for fathers.”

Witnesses and comparisons:

  • Proto‑Canaanite / early West‑Semitic: personal justice, no transferable guilt (authoritative).
  • Dead Sea Scrolls: clear match (authoritative where preserved).
  • Later traditions (Aramaic / Greek / modern translations): rephrase but keep the sense (comparison only).
Continue to Genesis 4:7

Genesis 4:7 — “Sin is crouching… you must rule over it.”

Acceptance is tied to what you do — mastery over sin is commanded.

Witnesses and comparisons:

  • Proto‑Canaanite stream: sin is a choice; mastery is required (authoritative).
  • Dead Sea Scrolls: personal accountability confirmed (authoritative where extant).
  • Comparative witnesses (Aramaic / Greek / modern): same message when not overlaid by later theology.
See Final Proof

Paul’s Roman‑Era Claim — “Born in Sin”

Only Paul introduces inherited sin; it is not in Yhwh’s Word.

Claim summarized: In Roman‑era writings attributed to Paul, the idea appears that all are born sinners and that guilt is inherited from the first man. This is outside the authoritative stream and arrives centuries after the Proto‑Canaanite / early West‑Semitic witness.

  • Authoritative stream (Proto‑Canaanite / early West‑Semitic & Dead Sea Scrolls): justice is personal; guilt is not transferable.
  • Paul’s later claim (Roman era): proposes inherited guilt/born‑in‑sin. We reject this as not part of Yhwh’s Word.
  • Consistency check: Ezekiel 18:20 and Deut 24:16 deny transferable guilt; Genesis 4:7 commands mastery over sin — all three refute the inherited‑sin idea.

Bottom line: The “born a sinner” doctrine is a Roman‑era insertion and do

Final Proof — No “Original Sin” in Yhwh’s Word

Yhwh’s Word (the early West‑Semitic stream) never teaches inherited guilt.

Summary: The authoritative stream — Proto‑Canaanite/early West‑Semitic and the Dead Sea Scrolls — consistently presents justice as personal. Later Roman‑era writings introduced inherited‑sin ideas; those are not part of Yhwh’s Word.

  • Proto‑Canaanite / early West‑Semitic (authoritative): ❌ no inherited sin.
  • Dead Sea Scrolls (authoritative where extant): ❌ no inherited sin.
  • Comparative witnesses (Aramaic / Greek / later translations): not authoritative; useful only when they agree with the authoritative stream.

Notes on Sources & Terms

  • Authoritative scope: Only the early West‑Semitic stream (often called “Proto‑Canaanite,” no vowels) with Yhwh written is treated as authoritative here.
  • Comparative scope: Aramaic, Greek (LXX), and modern translations are included only for comparison when they agree with the authoritative stream.
  • Terminology: We use “Yhwh’s Word” — not later labels or temple‑economy systems.