1 The word of Yahweh came to me again, saying, 2 What do you
mean, 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 Yahweh, 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 who sins, he shall die. 5 But if a man is just, and does
that which is lawful and right, 6 and has not eaten on 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 on
interest, neither has taken any increase, who has withdrawn his hand from
iniquity, has executed true justice between man and man, 9 has walked in
my statutes, and has kept my ordinances, to deal truly; he is just, he shall
surely live, says the Lord Yahweh. 10 If he fathers a son who is a robber,
a shedder of blood, and who does any one of these things, 11 and who does
not any of those duties, but even has eaten on 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 on 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 on him. 14 Now,
behold, if he fathers a son, who sees all his father’s sins, which he has
done, and fears, and does not such like; 15 who has not eaten on 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 who
has withdrawn his hand from the poor, who has not received interest nor
increase, has executed my 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, 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. 20 The soul who sins, he 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 on him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on 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
Yahweh; 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, house of Israel: Is my way not equal? Aren’t 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. house
of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal? 30 Therefore
I will judge you, house of Israel, everyone according to his ways, says the
Lord Yahweh. Return you, and turn yourselves from all your
transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. 31 Cast away from you
all your transgressions, in which you have transgressed; and make you a
new heart and a new spirit: for why will you die, house of Israel?
32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him who dies, says the Lord
Yahweh: therefore turn yourselves, and live.
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