1 T he word of the Lord came to me again, saying,

¶ The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying,

2 W hat do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge?

What mean ye, that ye use this saying concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes and the children’s teeth are set on edge?

3 A s I live, says the Lord God, you shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.

As I live, said the Lord GOD, ye shall never again have reason to use this saying in Israel.

4 B ehold, all souls are Mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is Mine; the soul that sins, it shall die.

Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine; the soul that sins, it shall die.

5 B ut if a man is righteous (upright and in right standing with God) and does what is lawful and right,

But if a man is just and does judgment and righteousness,

6 A nd has not eaten upon the mountains nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, has not defiled his neighbor’s wife nor come near to a woman in her time of impurity,

that he does not eat upon the mountains, neither lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither defile his neighbour’s wife, neither come near to the menstruous woman,

7 A nd has not wronged anyone but has restored to the debtor his pledge, has taken nothing by robbery but has given his bread to the hungry and has covered the naked with a garment,

neither oppress any, but restores to the debtor his pledge, does not commit robbery, gives his bread to the hungry, and covers the naked with a garment,

8 W ho does not charge interest or percentage of increase on what he lends, who withholds his hand from iniquity, who executes true justice between man and man,

neither lends at interest, neither takes any increase, withdraws his hand from iniquity, executes true judgment between man and man,

9 W ho has walked in My statutes and kept My ordinances, to deal justly; he is righteous; he shall surely live, says the Lord God.

walks in my statutes, and keeps my rights, to do according to the truth: he is just; he shall surely live, said the Lord GOD.

10 I f he begets a son who is a robber or a shedder of blood, who does to a brother either of these sins of violence,

¶ If he begets a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that does the like of any one of these things,

11 A nd leaves undone all of the duties, and has even eaten on the mountains and defiled his neighbor’s wife,

and that does not do any of those duties, but, on the other hand, he does eat upon the mountains, or defiles his neighbour’s wife,

12 H as wronged the poor and needy, has taken by robbery, has not restored his pledge, has lifted up his eyes to the idols, has committed abomination (things hateful and exceedingly vile in the eyes of God),

oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore the pledge, or lifts up his eyes to the idols, or makes an abomination,

13 A nd has charged interest or percentage of increase on what he has loaned; shall he then live? He shall not live! He has done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.

gives forth upon usury and takes increase, shall he then live? He shall not live; he has done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.

14 B ut if this wicked man begets a son who sees all the sins which his father has committed, and considers and fears and does not do like his father,

But if he begets a son that sees all his father’s sins which he has done and seeing them, does not do according to them,

15 W ho has not eaten upon the mountains nor has lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, has not defiled his neighbor’s wife,

that he does not eat upon the mountains, neither lifts up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, nor defiles his neighbour’s wife,

16 N or wronged anyone, nor has taken anything in pledge, nor has taken by robbery but has given his bread to the hungry and has covered the naked with a garment,

neither oppresses any, nor withholds the pledge, neither commits robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry, and covers the naked with a garment,

17 W ho has withdrawn his hand from the poor, who has not received interest or increase but has executed My ordinances and has walked in My statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father; he shall surely live.

takes off his hand from oppressing the poor, does not receive usury nor increase, acts according to my rights, and walks in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father; he shall surely live.

18 A s for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, robbed his brother, and did that which is not good among his people, behold, he shall die for his iniquity and guilt.

As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, behold, even he shall die for his iniquity.

19 Y et do you say, 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.

Yet if ye say, Why does not the son bear the iniquity of the father? Because the son has lived according to judgment and righteousness and has kept all my statutes and has done them, he shall surely live.

20 T he soul that sins, it shall die. The son shall not bear and be punished for the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear and be punished for the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him only, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon the wicked only.

The soul that sins, it 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 upon him who is righteous, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him who is wicked.

21 B ut if the wicked man turns from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all My statutes and does that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die.

¶ But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he has committed and keep all my statutes and live according to judgment and righteousness, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

22 N one of his transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; for his righteousness which he has executed, he shall live.

All his rebellions that he has committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him; by his righteousness that he has done he shall live.

23 H ave I any pleasure in the death of the wicked? says the Lord, and not rather that he should turn from his evil way and return and live?

Do I desire perchance the death of the wicked? said the Lord GOD, Shall he not live if he should leave his ways?

24 B ut if the righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? None of his righteous deeds which he has done shall be remembered. In his trespass that he has trespassed and in his sin that he has sinned, in them shall he die.

But if the righteous should leave his righteousness and commit iniquity, and do according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All his righteousness that he has done shall not be mentioned; by his rebellion in which he has trespassed and by his sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die.

25 Y et you say, The way of the Lord is not fair and just. Hear now, O house of Israel: Is not My way fair and just? Are not your ways unfair and unjust?

And if ye say, The way of the Lord is not straight. Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not straight? Are not your ways crooked?

26 W hen a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity and dies in his sins, for his iniquity that he has done he shall die.

When a righteous man leaves his righteousness, and commits iniquity, he shall die in it; for his iniquity that he has done he shall die.

27 A gain, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness which he has committed and does that which is lawful and right, he shall save his life.

Again, when the wicked man leaves his wickedness that he has committed and lives according to judgment and righteousness, he shall cause his soul to live.

28 B ecause he considers and turns away from all his transgressions which he has committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die.

Because he saw and left all his rebellions that he has committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die.

29 Y et says the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not fair and just! O house of Israel, are not My ways fair and just? Are not your ways unfair and unjust?

If even now the house of Israel should say, The way of the Lord is not straight. O house of Israel, are not my ways straight? Certainly your ways are not straight.

30 T herefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, says the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin and so shall they not be a stumbling block to you.

¶ Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each one according to his ways, said the Lord GOD. Repent and turn yourselves from all your iniquities, so iniquity shall not be your ruin.

31 C ast away from you all your transgressions by which you have transgressed against Me, and make you a new mind and heart and a new spirit. For why will you die, O house of Israel?

Cast away from you all your iniquities by which ye have rebelled, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

32 F or I have no pleasure in the death of him who dies, says the Lord God. Therefore turn (be converted) and live!

For I do not desire the death of him that dies, said the Lord GOD; therefore turn yourselves, and ye shall live.