1 T he 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 saying about the land of Israel: ‘The fathers eat the sour grapes, but the children get the sour taste’?

What 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?

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

As I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.

4 F or 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.

Behold, 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.

5 B ut if a man is right and good and does what is right and good,

But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,

6 h e 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.

and hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour’s wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman,

7 H e 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.

and hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;

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

he that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man,

9 H e 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.

hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord God.

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

If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth the like to any one of these things,

11 t hat the father never did. He eats at the altars on the mountains, and sins with his neighbor’s wife.

and that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour’s wife,

12 H e 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.

hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination,

13 A nd 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.

hath given forth upon usury, 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.

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

Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father’s sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like,

15 H e 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,

that hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbour’s wife,

16 o r 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.

neither hath oppressed any, hath not withholden the pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment,

17 H e 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.

that hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath 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 used his power to rob his brother, and did what was wrong among his people, he will die for his sin.

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

19 “ 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.

Yet say ye, Why? 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.

20 T he 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.

The 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.

21 “ 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.

But if the wicked will 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.

22 N one of the sins he has done will be remembered against him. Because of the right and good things he has done, he will live.

All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.

23 A m 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.

Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?

24 “ 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.

But 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? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.

25 Y et 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?

Yet 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?

26 W hen 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.

When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.

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

Again, 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.

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

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

29 B ut 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?

Yet 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?

30 “ 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.

Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord God. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.

31 T urn 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?

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

32 F or 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.”

For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.