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18 And the word of the Lord was made to me, and he said,

What is it, that ye turn a parable among you into this proverb, in the land of Israel, and say, [The] Fathers ate a bitter grape, and the teeth of (the) sons be on edge, either (be) astonied? (What is this proverb, that ye have in the land of Israel, when you say, The fathers ate bitter grapes, but the children’s teeth be on edge, that is, they be astonished, or they be startled?)

I live, saith the Lord God, this parable shall no more be into a proverb to you in Israel. (As I live, saith the Lord God, this parable, or this saying, shall no longer be a proverb for you in Israel.)

Lo! all souls be mine; as the soul of the father, so and the soul of the son is mine (like the father’s soul, so also the son’s soul is mine). That soul that doeth sin, shall die.

And if a man is just, and doeth doom and rightfulness, (But if a man is righteous, and doeth what is just and right, or honest,)

(and) eateth not in [the] hills, and raiseth not his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel; and defouleth not the wife of his neighbour, and nigheth not to a woman defouled with unclean blood;

and maketh not a man sorry, yieldeth the wed to the debtor, ravisheth nothing by violence, giveth his bread to the hungry, and covereth a naked man with a cloth; (and maketh not a man sorrowful, but giveth back the pledge to the debtor, taketh nothing by force, giveth his bread to the hungry, and covereth a naked person with a cloak;)

lendeth not to usury, and taketh not more; turneth away his hand from wickedness, and maketh true doom betwixt man and man; (lendeth not for usury, and taketh not more than is just, or is right; turneth away his hand from wickedness, and maketh true justice between one person and another;)

and goeth in my commandments, and keepeth my dooms, that he do truth; this is a just man, he shall live in life, saith the Lord God. (and goeth in my commandments, and keepeth, or obeyeth, my laws, so that he do them in truth, or truthfully; this is a just, or a righteous, man, and he shall live, saith the Lord God.)

10 That if he engendereth a son, a thief, shedding out blood, and doeth (not) one of these things, (And if he begetteth a son, yea, a thief who sheddeth out blood, and doeth not any of these good, or righteous, things,)

11 and soothly not doing all these things, but eating in hills, and defouling the wife of his neighbour; (and truly not doing any of these good things, that his father did, but eateth on hills, and defileth his neighbour’s wife;)

12 making sorrowful a needy man and poor, ravishing ravens, not yielding a wed, raising his eyes to idols, doing abomination; (maketh sorrowful the needy and the poor, robbeth spoils, giveth not back a pledge, raiseth his eyes to idols, doeth abomination;)

13 giving to usury, and taking more; whether he shall live? he shall not live; when he hath done all these abominable things, he shall die by death, his blood shall be in him. (lendeth for usury, and taketh more than he should; shall he live? nay! he shall not live; for he hath done all these abominable things, he shall die, and his blood shall be upon him.)

14 That if he begetteth a son, which seeth all the sins of his father, which he did, and dreadeth, and doeth none like those; (And if he begetteth a son, who seeth all his father’s sins, which he did, and feareth, and doeth none like them;)

15 eateth not on hills, and raiseth not (up) his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel; and defouleth not the wife of his neighbour (and defileth not his neighbour’s wife),

16 and maketh not sorry a man, withholdeth not a wed, and ravisheth not raven, giveth his bread to the hungry, and covereth the naked with a cloth; (and maketh not any person sorrowful, withholdeth not a pledge, and robbeth not any spoils, but giveth his bread to the hungry, and covereth the naked with a cloak;)

17 turneth away his hand from the wrong of a poor man, taketh not usury and overabundance, that is, nothing more than he lent, and doeth my dooms, and goeth in my commandments; this son shall not die in the wickedness of his father, but he shall live in life. (turneth away his hand from doing wrong to the poor, taketh not usury and overabundance, that is, nothing more than he lent, and keepeth, or obeyeth, my laws, and goeth in my commandments; this son shall not die in the wickedness of his father, but he shall live.)

18 For his father made false challenge, and did violence to his brother, and wrought evil in the midst of his people, lo! he is dead in his wickedness. (Because his father oppressed, and did violence to his kinsman, and wrought evil in the midst of his people, lo! he shall die because of his wickedness.)

19 And ye say, Why beareth not the son the wickedness of the father? That is to say, for the son wrought doom and rightfulness, he kept all my commandments, and did those, he shall live in life. (And ye say, Why beareth not the son his father’s wickedness? Because the son did what was just and right, he kept all my commandments, and did them, and so he shall live.)

20 That soul that doeth sin, shall die; the son shall not bear the wickedness of the father, and the father shall not bear the wickedness of the son; the rightfulness of a just man shall be on him, and the wickedness of a wicked man shall be on him (the righteousness of a just person shall be upon him, and the wickedness of a wicked person shall be upon him).

21 Forsooth if a wicked man doeth penance of all his sins which he wrought, and keepeth all my behests, and doeth doom and rightfulness, he shall live by life, and shall not die. (And if a wicked person doeth penance for all his sins which he did, and keepeth, or obeyeth, all my commands, and doeth what is just and right, then he shall live, and shall not die.)

22 I shall not have mind of all his wickednesses which he wrought; he shall live in his rightfulness which he wrought. (I shall not remember all his wickednesses which he did; he shall live in his righteousness, or because of his righteous deeds, which he hath done.)

23 Whether the death of the wicked man is of my will, saith the Lord God, and not that he be converted from his ways, and live? (Is the death of the wicked person my desire, saith the Lord God, and not, rather, that he be turned from his evil ways, and so live?)

24 Forsooth if a just man turneth away himself from his rightfulness, and doeth wickedness by all his abominations, which a wicked man is wont to work, whether he shall live? All his rightfulnesses which he did, shall not be had in mind; in his trespassing by which he trespassed, and in his sin which he sinned, he shall die in those. (And if a just person turneth himself away from his righteousness, and doeth wickedness with all his abominations, which a wicked person is wont to do, shall he live? Nay! All his righteousness which he did, shall not be remembered; and in the trespassing by which he trespassed, and in the sin in which he sinned, in those he shall die.)

25 And ye said, The way of the Lord is not even. Therefore, the house of Israel, hear ye, whether my way is not even, and not more, your ways be depraved? (And ye said, The way of the Lord is not equal, or not fair. And so, O house of Israel, hear ye, is not my way equal, or fair, and not only that, but that your ways be depraved?)

26 For when a rightful man turneth away himself from his rightfulness, and doeth wickedness, he shall die in it; he shall die in the unrightfulness which he wrought. (For when a righteous person turneth himself away from his righteousness, and doeth wickedness, he shall die in it; he shall die in the unrighteousness which he hath done.)

27 And when a wicked man turneth away himself from his wickedness which he wrought, and doeth doom and rightfulness, he shall quicken his soul. (And when a wicked person turneth himself away from his wickedness which he hath done, and doeth what is just and right, he shall quicken his soul, that is, he shall save his own life.)

28 For he beholding and turning away himself from all his wickednesses which he wrought, [he] shall live in life, and shall not die. (For by considering and then turning himself away from all of the wickednesses which he hath done, he shall live, and shall not die.)

29 And the sons of Israel say, The way of the Lord is not even. Whether my ways be not even, ye house of Israel, and not more, your ways be depraved? (And the Israelites say, The way of the Lord is not equal, or not fair. Is not my way equal, or fair, ye house of Israel, and not only that, but that your ways be depraved? Yea!)

30 Therefore, thou house of Israel, I shall deem each man by his ways, saith the Lord God. Turn ye together, and do ye penance for all your wickednesses, and wickedness shall not be to you into falling. (And so, O house of Israel, I shall judge each person by their ways, saith the Lord God. Altogether turn ye, and do ye penance for all your wickednesses, and wickedness shall not be to you into falling.)

31 Cast away from you all your trespassings, by which ye trespassed, and make ye a new heart and a new spirit to you (and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit), and then why shall ye die, the house of Israel?

32 For I desire not the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God (For I do not desire the death of anyone who dieth); turn ye again, and live ye.

The One Who Sins Will Die

18 The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel:

“‘The parents eat sour grapes,
    and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?(A)

“As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, you will no longer quote this proverb(B) in Israel. For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins(C) is the one who will die.(D)

“Suppose there is a righteous man
    who does what is just and right.
He does not eat at the mountain(E) shrines
    or look to the idols(F) of Israel.
He does not defile his neighbor’s wife
    or have sexual relations with a woman during her period.(G)
He does not oppress(H) anyone,
    but returns what he took in pledge(I) for a loan.
He does not commit robbery(J)
    but gives his food to the hungry(K)
    and provides clothing for the naked.(L)
He does not lend to them at interest
    or take a profit from them.(M)
He withholds his hand from doing wrong
    and judges fairly(N) between two parties.
He follows my decrees(O)
    and faithfully keeps my laws.
That man is righteous;(P)
    he will surely live,(Q)
declares the Sovereign Lord.

10 “Suppose he has a violent son, who sheds blood(R) or does any of these other things[a] 11 (though the father has done none of them):

“He eats at the mountain shrines.(S)
He defiles his neighbor’s wife.
12 He oppresses the poor(T) and needy.
He commits robbery.
He does not return what he took in pledge.(U)
He looks to the idols.
He does detestable things.(V)
13 He lends at interest and takes a profit.(W)

Will such a man live? He will not! Because he has done all these detestable things, he is to be put to death; his blood will be on his own head.(X)

14 “But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things:(Y)

15 “He does not eat at the mountain shrines(Z)
    or look to the idols(AA) of Israel.
He does not defile his neighbor’s wife.
16 He does not oppress anyone
    or require a pledge for a loan.
He does not commit robbery
    but gives his food to the hungry(AB)
    and provides clothing for the naked.(AC)
17 He withholds his hand from mistreating the poor
    and takes no interest or profit from them.
He keeps my laws(AD) and follows my decrees.

He will not die for his father’s sin; he will surely live. 18 But his father will die for his own sin, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was wrong among his people.

19 “Yet you ask, ‘Why does the son not share the guilt of his father?’ Since the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live.(AE) 20 The one who sins is the one who will die.(AF) The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them.(AG)

21 “But if(AH) a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees(AI) and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die.(AJ) 22 None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live.(AK) 23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased(AL) when they turn from their ways and live?(AM)

24 “But if a righteous person turns(AN) from their righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked person does, will they live? None of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness(AO) they are guilty of and because of the sins they have committed, they will die.(AP)

25 “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’(AQ) Hear, you Israelites: Is my way unjust?(AR) Is it not your ways that are unjust? 26 If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin, they will die for it; because of the sin they have committed they will die. 27 But if a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just and right, they will save their life.(AS) 28 Because they consider all the offenses they have committed and turn away from them, that person will surely live; they will not die.(AT) 29 Yet the Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are my ways unjust, people of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?

30 “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent!(AU) Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall.(AV) 31 Rid(AW) yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart(AX) and a new spirit. Why(AY) will you die, people of Israel?(AZ) 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent(BA) and live!(BB)

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 18:10 Or things to a brother