 1 The Word of the Lord came to me again saying, 2 What do you mean that you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes and the children's teeth are set on edge? 3 As I live says the Lord God, to you there is no longer any occasion to use this proverb in Israel. 4 Behold, all souls are mine. As the soul of the father so also the soul of the son. They are mine. The soul who sins will die. 5 But anyone who is just and does what is just and right, 6 and has not eaten on the mountains nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel nor defiled his neighbor's wife nor come near a menstruating woman, 7 and has not ill treated anyone, but has given the debtor's pledge back to him, has robbed no one by violence, has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment, 8 he has not given out on usury, nor has taken any increase, he has withdrawn his hand from iniquity, has done judgment between man and man, 9 has walked in my statutes and kept my judgments to deal truly, he is righteous. He will surely live, says the Lord God. 10 If he fathers a son who is violent, who sheds blood and does to a brother any of these, 11 even if he does do not any of these himself, but his son has, but has eaten on the mountains and has defiled his neighbor's wife, 12 has ill treated the poor and needy, thieving, he stole, has not given back the pledge, and has lifted up his eyes to the idols, has committed abomination, 13 has loaned on usury, and has taken increase, shall he then live? No, he shall not live. If he has done these abominations, then he will surely die. His blood will be on him. 14 If he fathers a son who sees all his father's sins that he has done and fears and does not do like him, 15 who has not eaten on the mountains nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel and has not defiled his neighbor's wife, 16 nor ill treated anyone and not withheld the pledge nor robbed by violence, but has given bread to the hungry and covered the naked with clothes, 17 has withdrawn his hand from the poor, has not received usury nor increase, has done my judgments, has walked in my statutes, then he will not die for the iniquity of his father. He will surely live. 18 But his father, because he extorted, robbed his brother by robbery, and did what is not good among his people, he will die in his iniquity. 19 Yet you say, Why? Does not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son has done justice and right, has kept all my statutes, and has done them, he will surely live. 20 The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, nor 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. 21 But if the wicked will turn from all their sins that they have committed and keep all my statutes and do justice and right, they will surely live. They will not die. 22 All their transgressions that they have done, they will not be mentioned to them. In their righteousness that they have done they will live. 23 Do I delight in the death of the wicked? says the Lord God. Is it not better that they should turn from their ways and live? 24 But when the righteous turn from their righteousness and do injustice and do according to all the abominations that the wicked do, shall they live? All their righteousness that they have done will not be remembered. In their trespass that they have trespassed and in their sin that they have sinned, in them they will die. 25 Yet you say, The way of the Lord is not fair. Hear now, house of Israel: Is my way not fair? Are your ways not unfair? 26 When the righteous turn away from righteousness and commit iniquity and dies in them, for their iniquity that they have done they shall die. 27 When the wicked turn away from wickedness that they have committed and do what is lawful and righteous, they shall save their soul alive. 28 Because he looks carefully and turns away from all his sins that he has committed, he will surely live. He will not die. 29 Yet says the house of Israel: The way of the Lord is not fair. O house of Israel, are my ways not fair? Are your ways not unfair? 30 So I will judge you, O house of Israel, each one of you according to his ways, says the Lord God. Turn and be made to turn from all your sins. And iniquity shall not be your stumbling block. 31 Cast away from you all your sins by which you have sinned. And make you a new heart and a new spirit. For why will you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no delight in the death of him who dies, says the Lord God. Therefore turn and live.
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