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Ezekiel 18
Living Bible
Ezekiel 18
Living Bible
18 Then the Lord’s message came to me again.
2 “Why do people use this proverb about the land of Israel: The children are punished for their fathers’ sins?[a] 3 As I live,” says the Lord God, “you will not use this proverb anymore in Israel, 4 for all souls are mine to judge—fathers and sons alike—and my rule is this: It is for a man’s own sins that he will die.
5 “But if a man is just and does what is lawful and right, 6 and has not gone out to the mountains to feast before the idols of Israel and worship them, and does not commit adultery nor lie with any woman during the time of her menstruation; 7 if he is a merciful creditor, not holding onto the items given to him in pledge by poor debtors, and is no robber but gives food to the hungry and clothes to those in need; 8 and if he grants loans without interest,[b] stays away from sin, is honest and fair when judging others, 9 and obeys my laws—that man is just,” says the Lord, “and he shall surely live.
10 “But if that man has a son who is a robber or murderer and who fulfills none of his responsibilities, 11 who refuses to obey the laws of God but worships idols on the mountains and commits adultery, 12 oppresses the poor and helpless, robs his debtors by refusing to let them redeem what they have given him in pledge, loves idols and worships them, 13 and loans out his money at interest[c]—shall that man live? No! He shall surely die, and it is his own fault.
14 “But if this sinful man has, in turn, a son who sees all his father’s wickedness, so that he fears God and decides against that kind of life; 15 he doesn’t go up on the mountains to feast before the idols and worship them and does not commit adultery; 16 he is fair to those who borrow from him and doesn’t rob them, but feeds the hungry, clothes the needy, 17 helps the poor, does not loan money at interest, and obeys my laws—he shall not die because of his father’s sins; he shall surely live. 18 But his father shall die for his own sins because he is cruel and robs and does wrong.
19 “‘What?’ you ask. ‘Doesn’t the son pay for his father’s sins?’ No! For if the son does what is right and keeps my laws, he shall surely live. 20 The one who sins is the one who dies. The son shall not be punished for his father’s sins, nor the father for his son’s. The righteous person will be rewarded for his own goodness and the wicked person for his wickedness. 21 But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins and begins to obey my laws and do what is just and right, he shall surely live and not die. 22 All his past sins will be forgotten, and he shall live because of his goodness.
23 “Do you think I like to see the wicked die?” asks the Lord. “Of course not! I only want him to turn from his wicked ways and live. 24 However, if a righteous person turns to sinning and acts like any other sinner, should he be allowed to live? No, of course not. All his previous goodness will be forgotten and he shall die for his sins.
25 “Yet you say: ‘The Lord isn’t being fair!’ Listen to me, O people of Israel. Am I the one who is unfair, or is it you? 26 When a good man turns away from being good, begins sinning, and dies in his sins, he dies for the evil he has done. 27 And if a wicked person turns away from his wickedness and obeys the law and does right, he shall save his soul, 28 for he has thought it over and decided to turn from his sins and live a good life. He shall surely live—he shall not die.
29 “And yet the people of Israel keep saying: ‘The Lord is unfair!’ O people of Israel, it is you who are unfair, not I. 30 I will judge each of you, O Israel, and punish or reward each according to his own actions. Oh, turn from your sins while there is yet time. 31 Put them behind you and receive a new heart and a new spirit. For why will you die, O Israel? 32 I do not enjoy seeing you die,” the Lord God says. “Turn, turn and live!
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 18:2 The children are punished for their fathers’ sins, literally, “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.”
- Ezekiel 18:8 without interest, or “without any usury.”
- Ezekiel 18:13 at interest, or “at usurious interest.”
Ezekiel 18
New International Version
Ezekiel 18
New International Version
The One Who Sins Will Die
18 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “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)
3 “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, you will no longer quote this proverb(B) in Israel. 4 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)
5 “Suppose there is a righteous man
who does what is just and right.
6 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)
7 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)
8 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.
9 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
- Ezekiel 18:10 Or things to a brother
Ezekiel 18
King James Version
Ezekiel 18
King James Version
18 The word of the Lord came unto me again, saying,
2 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 As I live, saith the Lord God, ye 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 sinneth, it shall die.
5 But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,
6 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 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 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 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 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 And that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour's wife,
12 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 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, 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
29 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 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 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 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.
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