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

The word of the Lord came to 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 do you mean when 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 A s I live, says the Lord God, you shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.

“ As I live,” says the Lord God, “you shall no longer use this proverb 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; The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins 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 what is lawful and right;

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,

If he 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 approached a woman during her impurity;

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,

If he has not oppressed anyone, But has restored to the debtor his pledge; Has robbed no one by violence, But has given his bread to the hungry And covered the naked with clothing;

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,

If he has not exacted usury Nor taken any increase, But has withdrawn his hand from iniquity And executed true judgment between man and man;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.

If he has walked in My statutes And kept My judgments faithfully— He is just; He shall surely live!” Says 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 who is a robber Or a shedder of blood, Who does any 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 does none of those duties, But has eaten on the mountains Or defiled his neighbor’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),

If he has oppressed the poor and needy, Robbed by violence, Not restored the pledge, Lifted his eyes to the idols, Or committed 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.

If he has exacted usury Or taken increase— Shall he then live? He shall not live! If he has done any of 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,

“ If, however, he begets a son Who sees all the sins which his father has done, And considers but does not do likewise;

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,

Who has not eaten on the mountains, Nor lifted his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, Nor defiled his neighbor’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,

Has not oppressed anyone, Nor withheld a pledge, Nor robbed by violence, But has given his bread to the hungry And covered the naked with clothing;

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.

Who has withdrawn his hand from the poor And not received usury or increase, But has executed My judgments And walked 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, Robbed his brother by violence, And did what is not good among his people, Behold, he shall die for his iniquity. Turn and Live

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 you say, ‘Why should the son not bear the guilt of the father?’ Because the son has done what is lawful and right, and has kept all My statutes and observed 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 who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.

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 a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, 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.

None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which 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 have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord God, “ and not that he should turn from his ways and live?

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 when a 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? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the 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?

“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ Hear now, O house of Israel, is it not My way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair?

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 turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and dies in it, it is because of the iniquity which he has done that he dies.

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 a wicked man turns away from the wickedness which he committed, and does what is lawful and right, he preserves himself alive.

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 considers and turns away from all the transgressions which he 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?

Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ O house of Israel, is it not My ways which are fair, and your ways which are not fair?

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, every one according to his ways,” says the Lord God. “Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will 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 the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you 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 have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and live!”