Ezek 18
1
The word of YHWH came to me again, saying,
2
What mean you, that 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
As I live, says the Lord YHWH, you shall not have [occasion] any more to use this
proverb in Israel.
4
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 be just, and do that which is lawful and right,
6
and has not eaten upon the mountains, neither has lifted up his eyes to the idols
of the house of Israel, neither has defiled his neighbor`s wife, neither has come
near to a woman in her impurity,
7
and has not wronged any, but has restored to the debtor his pledge, has taken nothing
by robbery, has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment;
8
he who has not given forth upon interest, neither has taken any increase, that has
withdrawn his hand from iniquity, has executed true justice between man and man,
9
has walked in my statutes, and has kept mine ordinances, to deal truly; he is just,
he shall surely live, says the Lord YHWH.
10
If he engender a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that does any one of
these things,
11
and that does not any of those [duties], but even has eaten upon the mountains, and
defiled his neighbor`s wife,
12
has wronged the poor and needy, has taken by robbery, has not restored the pledge,
and has lifted up his eyes to the idols, has committed abomination,
13
has given forth upon interest, and has taken 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, if he engender a son, that sees all his father`s sins, which he has done,
and fears, and does not such like;
15
that has not eaten upon the mountains, neither has lifted up his eyes to the idols
of the house of Israel, has not defiled his neighbor`s wife,
16
neither has wronged any, has not taken anything to pledge, neither has taken by robbery,
but has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment;
17
that has withdrawn his hand from the poor, that has not received interest nor increase,
has executed mine ordinances, has walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the
iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.
18
As 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.
19
Yet say you, Wherefore 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.
20
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, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
21
But if the wicked turn from all his sins that he has committed, and keep all my statutes,
and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
22
None of his transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him:
in his righteousness that he has done he shall live.
23
Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked? says the Lord YHWH; and not rather
that he should return from his way, and live?
24
But when the righteous 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 that 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.
25
Yet you 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
When the righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and
dies therein; in his iniquity that he has done shall he die.
27
Again, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has committed, and
does that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.
28
Because he considers, and turns away from all his transgressions that he has committed,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.
29
Yet says 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
Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, says
the Lord YHWH. Return you, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity
shall not be your ruin.
31
Cast away from you all your transgressions, wherein you have transgressed; and make
you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will you die, O house of Israel?
32
For I have no pleasure in the death of him whom dies, says the Lord YHWH: wherefore
turn yourselves, and live.