I have read the chapter, many times. God says the son shall not BEAR the iniquity of his father. You don't need a PhD in theology to understand this.
And God is not speaking of civil law, this is shown when God says a man shall die "in his sins", the same language Jesus uses in John 8:24 when he says that if a man believes not he shall die "in his sins". So, God is not speaking of being executed for sins, he is speaking of being eternally punished for his sins.
Eze 18:24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
Again, God is not simply saying a man shall be executed and die, he is saying that IN HIS TRESPASS, and IN HIS SIN that he hath sinned, IN THEM shall he die. This is speaking of eternal damnation, not temporal death.
No you don't need a Ph.d to understand this passage. Nowhere does it speak of eternal damnation; nowhere. Look at the context in the WEB
Ezekiel 18:10 If he fathers a son who is a robber, a shedder of blood, and who does any one of these things,
11 and who does not any of those [duties], but even has eaten on the mountains, and defiled his neighbor's wife,
12 has wronged the poor and needy, has taken by robbery, has not restored the pledge, and has lifted up his eyes to the idols, has committed abomination,
13 has given forth on interest, and has taken increase; shall he then live? he shall not live: he has done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be on him.
14 Now, behold, if he fathers a son, who sees all his father's sins, which he has done, and fears, and does not such like;
15 who has not eaten on the mountains, neither has lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, has not defiled his neighbor's wife,
16 neither has wronged any, has not taken anything to pledge, neither has taken by robbery, but has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment;
17 who has withdrawn his hand from the poor, who has not received interest nor increase, has executed my ordinances, has walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.
18 As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, robbed his brother, and did that which is not good among his people, behold, he shall die in his iniquity.
19 Yet say you, Why does not the son bear the iniquity of the father? when the son has done that which is lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes, and has done them, he shall surely live.
20 The soul who sins, he 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 on him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on him.
Consider the generations involved, and the crimes involved.
Ezekiel 18:10 If he fathers a son who is a robber, a shedder of blood, and who does any one of these things,
11 and who does not any of those [duties], but even has eaten on the mountains, and defiled his neighbor's wife,
Ezekiel 18:13 has given forth on interest, and has taken increase; shall he then live? he shall not live: he has done all these abominations; he shall surely die;
his blood shall be on him.
Let's make it personal only to make it understandable. (God forbid that this should ever happen. It is only for the purpose of illustration).
If Winman has a son, and his son is involved in the various crimes listed, then Winman's son shall surely die. His blood shall be on him (Winman's son.)
Ezekiel 18:14 Now, behold, if he fathers a son, who sees all his father's sins, which he has done, and fears, and does not such like;
--Now the tables are turned. If the father is wicked and his son sees all his crimes but fears God, fears his father, and does no such crime, then:
Ezekiel 18:17 who has withdrawn his hand from the poor, who has not received interest nor increase, has executed my ordinances, has walked in my statutes;
he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.
--He shall not die. He has not committed evil, the evils of his father in particular. Why should he die for the crimes that his father has done?
Ezekiel 18:18 As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, robbed his brother, and did that which is not good among his people, behold, he shall die in his iniquity.
--His father, because of the nature of his crimes will be tried, and no doubt found guilty, and shall pay for the crimes--die in his iniquity. They had the death penalty.
Ezekiel 18:19 Yet say you, Why does not the son bear the iniquity of the father? when the son has done that which is lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes, and has done them, he shall surely live.
20 The soul who sins, he 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 on him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on him.
--Again: The son does not pay for the sins of the father when the son is innocent and has done no wrong. He will live.
But the person (soul) who does sin (as in murder) will die. He will face the consequence of his sin.
The son will not bear the iniquity of the father.
The father will not bear the iniquity of the son.
This is the justice system. It has nothing to do with spiritual life or damnation.