1 T hen the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

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

2 “ What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, ‘ The fathers eat the sour grapes, But 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,” declares the Lord God, “you are surely not going to use this proverb in Israel anymore.

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; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will 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 “ But if a man is righteous and practices justice and righteousness,

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

6 a nd does not eat at the mountain shrines or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period—

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 i f a man does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing,

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 i f he does not lend money on interest or take increase, if he keeps his hand from iniquity and 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 i f he walks in My statutes and My ordinances so as to deal faithfully— he is righteous and will surely live,” declares 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 “ Then he may have a violent son who sheds blood and who does any of these things to a brother

¶ 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 ( though he himself did not do any of these things), that is, he even eats at the mountain shrines, and defiles 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 o ppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore a pledge, but lifts up his eyes to the idols and commits abomination,

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 h e lends money on interest and takes increase; will he live? He will not live! He has committed all these abominations, he will surely be put to death; his blood will be on his own head.

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 “ Now behold, he has a son who has observed all his father’s sins which he committed, and observing does not do likewise.

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 H e does not eat at the mountain shrines or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile 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 o r oppress anyone, or retain a pledge, or commit robbery, but he gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing,

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 h e keeps his hand from the poor, does not take interest or increase, but executes My ordinances, and walks in My statutes; he will not die for his father’s iniquity, he will 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 practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was not good among his people, behold, he will die for his iniquity.

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 “ Yet you say, ‘ Why should the son not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity?’ When the son has practiced justice and righteousness and has observed all My statutes and 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 person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.

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 “ But if the wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed and observes all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, 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 A ll his transgressions which he has committed will not be remembered against him; because of his righteousness which he has practiced, he will 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 D o I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord God, “ rather than that he should turn from his ways 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 “ But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and does according to all the abominations that a wicked man does, will he live? All his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered for his treachery which he has committed and his sin which he has committed; for them he will 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 right.’ Hear now, O house of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right?

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, commits iniquity and dies because of it, for his iniquity which he has committed he will 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 a wicked man turns away from his wickedness which he has committed and practices justice and righteousness, he will 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 considered and turned away from all his transgressions which he had 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 B ut the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ Are My ways not right, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are not right?

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 “ Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct,” declares the Lord God. “ Repent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become 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 which you have committed and make yourselves a new 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 anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “Therefore, repent and live.”

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