1 T he word of Jehovah came unto me again, saying,

The Word of the Lord came to me saying,

2 W hat mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?

“What do you mean by using this saying about the land of Israel: ‘The fathers eat the sour grapes, but the children get the sour taste’?

3 A s I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.

As I live,” says the Lord God, “you will never use this saying in Israel again.

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 sinneth, it shall die.

For all souls belong to Me. Both the soul of the father and the soul of the son are Mine. The soul who sins will die.

5 B ut if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,

But if a man is right and good and does what is right and good,

6 a nd hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbor's wife, neither hath come near to a woman in her impurity,

he does not eat at the altars on the mountains or look up to the false gods of Israel. He does not sin with his neighbor’s wife or go near a woman during the time she is unclean.

7 a nd hath not wronged any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath taken nought by robbery, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;

He does not make it hard for anyone. He keeps his promise to pay back what he owes. He does not steal, but gives his bread to the hungry, and gives clothing to those who have none.

8 h e that hath not given forth upon interest, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true justice between man and man,

He does not make others pay back more than they owe him. He keeps away from sin, and is an honest judge when men argue.

9 h ath walked in my statutes, and hath kept mine ordinances, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord Jehovah.

He walks in My Laws and is careful to obey them. This man is right and good, and will live for sure,” says the Lord God.

10 I f he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth any one of these things,

“But he may have a son who acts in anger and kills another man, or does any of these other things

11 a nd that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbor's wife,

that the father never did. He eats at the altars on the mountains, and sins with his neighbor’s wife.

12 h ath wronged the poor and needy, hath taken by robbery, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination,

He makes it hard for the poor and those in need, and he steals. He does not keep his promise to pay back what he owes. He looks up to false gods, and does sinful acts.

13 h ath given forth upon interest, and hath taken increase; shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.

And he makes people pay back more than they owe him. Will this man live? He will not live! He has done all these sinful acts, and for sure he will die. He will be guilty for his own death.

14 N ow, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father's sins, which he hath done, and feareth, and doeth not such like;

“Now this man may have a son who has seen all the sins his father has done, but does not do the same.

15 t hat hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbor's wife,

He does not eat at the altars on the mountains or look to the false gods of Israel. He does not sin with his neighbor’s wife,

16 n either hath wronged any, hath not taken aught to pledge, neither hath taken by robbery, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;

or make it hard for anyone. He does not keep what another man has given him in trust for a promise. He does not steal, but he gives his bread to the hungry and clothing to those who have none.

17 t hat hath withdrawn his hand from the poor, that hath not received interest nor increase, hath executed mine ordinances, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.

He keeps away from sin. He does not make a person pay back more than he owes him. But he walks in My Laws and obeys them. This man will not die for his father’s sin. He will live for sure.

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 in his iniquity.

As for his father, because he used his power to rob his brother, and did what was wrong among his people, he will die for his sin.

19 Y et say ye, Wherefore doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? when the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.

“Yet you say, ‘Why should the son not suffer for the father’s sin?’ Since the son has done what is right and good, and has kept and obeyed all My Laws, he will live for sure.

20 T he soul that sinneth, 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, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

The person who sins will die. The son will not be punished for the father’s sin. And the father will not be punished for the son’s sin. The right and good man will receive good, and the sinful man will suffer for his sin.

21 B ut if the wicked turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

“But if the sinful man turns from all the sins he has done and obeys all My Laws and does what is right and good, he will live for sure. He will not die.

22 N one of his transgressions that he hath committed shall be remembered against him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.

None of the sins he has done will be remembered against him. Because of the right and good things he has done, he will live.

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

Am I pleased with the death of a sinful man?” says the Lord God. “No, instead I would like him to turn from his sinful ways and live.

24 B ut 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? None of his righteous deeds that he hath done shall be remembered: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.

“But when a right and good man turns away from doing what is right and good, and sins, doing all the bad things that a sinful man does, will he live? None of the right and good things he has done will be remembered. Because he has not been faithful and has sinned, he will die.

25 Y et ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel: Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?

Yet you say, ‘The Lord is not doing what is right.’ Listen, O people of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right?

26 W hen the righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth therein; in his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.

When a right and good man turns away from doing what is right and good, and sins, and dies because of it, he dies because of the sin he has done.

27 A gain, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.

But when a sinful man turns away from his sin and does what is right and good, he will save his life.

28 B ecause he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

Because he thought about it and turned away from all the sins he had done, he will live for sure. He will not die.

29 Y et saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?

But the people of Israel say, ‘The Lord is not doing what is right.’ Are My ways not right, O people of Israel? Is it not your ways that are not right?

30 T herefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord Jehovah. Return ye, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.

“So I will judge you, O people of Israel, each of you by what he has done,” says the Lord God. “Be sorry for all your sins and turn away from them, so sin will not destroy you.

31 C ast away from you all your transgressions, wherein ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

Turn away from all the sins you have done, and get a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O people of Israel?

32 F or I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord Jehovah: wherefore turn yourselves, and live.

For I am not pleased with the death of anyone who dies,” says the Lord God. “So be sorry for your sins and turn away from them, and live.”