Ezekiel 18

The Soul Who Sins Shall Die

1 The word of the Lord came to me:2 "What do yout 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'?3 As I live, declares the Lord God, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel.4 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.

5 "If a man is righteous and does what is just and right—6 if he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman in her time of menstrual impurity,7 does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, commits no robbery, gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment,8 does not lend at interest or take any profit,t withholds his hand from injustice, executes true justice between man and man,9 walks in my statutes, and keeps my rules by acting faithfully—he is righteous; he shall surely live, declares the Lord God.

10 "If he fathers a son who is violent, a shedder of blood, who does any of these things11 (though he himself did none of these things), who even eats upon the mountains, defiles his neighbor's wife,12 oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore the pledge, lifts up his eyes to the idols, commits abomination,13 lends at interest, and takes profit; shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon himself.

14 "Now suppose this man fathers a son who sees all the sins that his father has done; he sees, and does not do likewise:15 he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor's wife,16 does not oppress anyone, exacts no pledge, commits no robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment,17 withholds his hand from iniquity,t takes no interest or profit, obeys my rules, and walks in my statutes; he shall not die for his father's iniquity; he shall surely live.18 As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what is not good among his people, behold, he shall die for his iniquity.

19 "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.20 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.

21 "But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die.22 None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live.23 Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?24 But when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die.

25 "Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?26 When a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice, he shall die for it; for the injustice that he has done he shall die.27 Again, when a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his life.28 Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions that he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die.29 Yet the house of Israel says, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' O house of Israel, are my ways not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?

30 "Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin.t31 Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel?32 For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live."

Ezekiel 18

Individual Retribution

1 The word of the Lord came to me:

2 “What do you mean by quoting this proverb concerning the land of Israel,
“‘The fathers eat sour grapes
And the children’s teeth become numb?’t
3 “As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord,t you will not quote this proverb in Israel anymore!

4 Indeed! All lives are mine – the life of the father as well as the life of the son is mine. The onet who sins will die.
5 “Suppose a man is righteous. He practices what is just and right,6 does not eat pagan sacrifices on the mountainst or pray to the idolst of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife, does not have sexual relations with at woman during her period,7 does not oppress anyone, but gives the debtor back whatever was given in pledge,t does not commit robbery,t but gives his bread to the hungry and clothes the naked,8 does not engage in usury or charge interest,s but refrainst from wrongdoing, promotes true justicet between men,

9 and follows my statutes and observes my regulations by carrying them out.s That mant is righteous; he will certainly live,t declares the sovereign Lord.
10 “Suppose such a man hast a violent son who sheds blood and does any of these thingst mentioned previously11 (though the father did not do any of them).t He eats pagan sacrifices on the mountains,s defiles his neighbor’s wife,12 oppresses the poor and the needy,s commits robbery, does not give back what was given in pledge, prays tot idols, performs abominable acts,

13 engages in usury and charges interest. Will he live? He will not! Because he has done all these abominable deeds he will certainly die.t He will bear the responsibility for his own death.t
14 “But suppose he in turn has a son who notices all the sins his father commits, considers them, and does not follow his father’s example.t15 He does not eat pagan sacrifices on the mountains, does not pray to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife,16 does not oppress anyone or keep what has been given in pledge, does not commit robbery, gives his food to the hungry, and clothes the naked,17 refrains from wrongdoing,s does not engage in usury or charge interest, carries out my regulations and follows my statutes. He will not die for his father’s iniquity;t he will surely live.

18 As for his father, because he practices extortion, robs his brother, and does what is not good among his people, he will die for his iniquity.
19 “Yet you say, ‘Why should the son not suffert for his father’s iniquity?’ When the son does what is just and right, and observes all my statutes and carries them out, he will surely live.

20 The person who sins is the one who will die. A son will not suffert for his father’s iniquity, and a father will not suffert for his son’s iniquity; the righteous person will be judged according to his righteousness, and the wicked person according to his wickedness.t
21 “But if the wicked person turns from all the sin he has committed and observes all my statutes and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die.22 None of the sins he has committed will be heldt against him; because of the righteousness he has done, he will live.

23 Do I actually delight in the death of the wicked, declares the sovereign Lord? Do I not prefer that he turn from his wicked conduct and live?

24 “But if a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and practices wrongdoing according to all the abominable practices the wicked carry out, will he live? All his righteous acts will not be remembered; because of the unfaithful acts he has done and the sin he has committed, he will die.t
25 “Yet you say, ‘The Lord’s conductt is unjust!’ Hear, O house of Israel: Is my conduct unjust? Is it not your conduct that is unjust?26 When a righteous person turns back from his righteousness and practices wrongdoing, he will die for it;t because of the wrongdoing he has done, he will die.27 When a wicked person turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will preserve his life.28 Because he consideredt and turned from all the sins he had done, he will surely live; he will not die.

29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The Lord’s conduct is unjust!’ Is my conduct unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your conduct that is unjust?
30 “Therefore I will judge each person according to his conduct,t O house of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord. Repentt and turn from all your wickedness; then it will not be an obstacle leading to iniquity.t31 Throw away all your sins you have committed and fashion yourselves a new heart and a new spirit!s Why should you die, O house of Israel?

32 For I take no delight in the death of anyone,t declares the sovereign Lord. Repent and live!