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The Soul Who Sins Will Die
18 The word of the Lord came to me again, saying: 2 What do you mean in using 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 God, you shall not have occasion anymore to use this proverb in Israel. 4 All souls are Mine. The soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins shall die.
5 But if a man is righteous
and does that which is lawful and right,
6 and has not eaten on the mountains;
nor has he lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel,
nor has he defiled his neighbor’s wife,
nor has he approached a woman during her impurity;
7 and he has not oppressed anyone,
but has restored to the debtor his pledge;
has devastated no one by violence,
has given his bread to the hungry,
and has covered the naked with a garment;
8 if he has not lent at interest,
nor has taken any increase,
but has withdrawn his hand from iniquity,
has executed true justice between man and man;
9 has walked in My statutes,
and has kept My judgments to deal truly,
he is righteous
and shall surely live,
says the Lord God.
10 If he begets a son who is a robber, a shedder of blood, and who does any of these things to a brother 11 (though he himself does not do any of these things),
but even has eaten on the mountain shrines
and defiled his neighbor’s wife;
12 has oppressed the poor and needy,
has devastated by violence,
has not restored the pledge,
and has lifted up his eyes to the idols,
has committed abomination,
13 has lent at 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 his own head.
14 Now if he begets a son who sees all his father’s sins which he has done, and considering does not do likewise:
15 He has not eaten on the mountain shrines,
nor has he lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel,
has not defiled his neighbor’s wife;
16 nor has he oppressed anyone,
has not withheld a pledge,
nor has he devastated by violence,
but has given his bread to the hungry,
and has covered the naked with a garment;
17 he keeps his hand from the poor,
has not received usury nor increase,
has executed My judgments, and 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, devastated his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, he shall die for his iniquity.
Repent and Live
19 Yet you say, “Why should the son not bear the punishment of the iniquity of the father?” When the son has done what is lawful and right, and has kept all My statutes, and has done them, he shall surely live. 20 The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the punishment of the iniquity of the father, nor shall the father bear the punishment of the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.
21 But if the wicked turns from all his sins that he has committed, and keeps all My statutes, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live. He shall not die. 22 All his transgressions that he has committed, they shall not be remembered against him. Because of his righteousness that he has done, he shall live. 23 Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord God, but rather that he should turn from his ways and live?
24 But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All his righteousness that he has done shall not be remembered for his trespass that he has committed and in his sin that he has done. In them he shall die.
25 Yet you say, “The way of the Lord is not right.” Hear now, O house of Israel. Is not My way right? Are not your ways not right? 26 When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he dies in it. For his iniquity that he has done he shall 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. 28 Because he considered and turned away from all his transgressions that he has committed, he shall surely live. He shall not die. 29 Yet the house of Israel says, “The way of the Lord is not right.” O house of Israel, are not My ways right? Are not your ways not right?
30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, says the Lord God. Repent, and turn away from all your transgressions so that iniquity shall not be your ruin. 31 Cast away from you all your transgressions whereby you have transgressed, and make yourselves 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 anyone who dies, says the Lord God. Therefore, repent and live.
A Lament for Israel’s Princes
19 Moreover take up a lamentation for the officials of Israel, 2 and say:
What was your mother?
A lioness among lions!
She lay down among young lions;
she nourished her whelps.
3 When she brought up one of her whelps,
he became a lion
and learned to catch his prey;
he devoured men.
4 The nations also heard of him;
he was taken in their pit,
and they brought him with chains
to the land of Egypt.
5 Now when she saw as she had waited
that her hope was lost,
then she took another of her whelps
and made him a young lion.
6 He went up and down among the lions;
he became a young lion,
and learned to catch the prey,
and devoured men.
7 He destroyed their fortified palaces,
and he laid waste their cities;
and the land and its fullness
were appalled by the noise of his roaring.
8 Then the nations set against him
on every side from their provinces,
and spread their net over him;
he was taken in their pit.
9 They put him in a cage with hooks
and brought him to the king of Babylon;
they brought him in hunting nets,
so that his voice would be heard no more
on the mountains of Israel.
10 Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard,
planted by the waters;
it was fruitful and full of branches
by reason of many waters.
11 It had strong rods
for the scepters of those who rule.
And its stature
was exalted above the clouds,
so it appeared in its height
with the multitude of its branches.
12 But it was plucked up in fury,
it was cast down to the ground,
and the east wind dried up its fruit.
Its strong rod was broken and it withered;
the fire consumed it.
13 Now it is planted in the wilderness,
in a dry and thirsty ground.
14 Fire has gone out from its branch;
it has devoured its shoots and fruit,
so that there is no strong rod in it,
a scepter to rule.
This is a lamentation, and has become a lamentation.
The Earthly and Heavenly Sanctuaries
9 Then indeed, the first covenant had ordinances for divine services and an earthly sanctuary. 2 A tabernacle was made. In the first part of the tabernacle, called the Holy Place, were the candlestick, the table, and the showbread. 3 Behind the second veil was the second part of the tabernacle called the Most Holy Place, 4 which contained the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid with gold, containing the golden pot holding the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. 5 Above the ark were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Concerning these things we cannot now speak in detail.
6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests would regularly go into the first part, conducting the services of God. 7 But only the high priest went into the second part once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins of the people, committed in ignorance. 8 The Holy Spirit was signifying through this that the way into the Most Holy Place was not yet revealed, because the first part of the tabernacle was still standing. 9 This is an illustration for the present time, showing that the gifts and sacrifices offered could not perfect the conscience of those who worshipped, 10 since they are concerned only with foods and drinks, ceremonial cleansings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.
32 They angered Him also at the waters of Meribah,
so that Moses suffered because of them,
33 because they provoked his temper,
so that he spoke impulsively with his lips.
34 They did not destroy the nations
as the Lord commanded them,
35 but they mixed among the nations
and learned their deeds;
36 they served their idols,
which were a snare to them.
37 Yes, they sacrificed their sons
and their daughters to demons,
38 and poured out innocent blood,
even the blood of their sons and of their daughters,
whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,
and the land was polluted with blood.
39 Thus were they defiled by their acts
and acted like whores with these actions.
40 Therefore the wrath of the Lord was kindled against His people,
and He abhorred His own inheritance.
41 He gave them into the hand of the nations,
and those who hated them ruled over them.
42 Their enemies also oppressed them,
and Israel was brought into subjection under their powerful hand.
43 Many times He delivered them,
but they were rebellious against Him with their counsel,
and were afflicted for their iniquity.
44 Nevertheless, He regarded their affliction,
when He heard their cry:
45 and He remembered on their behalf His covenant
and relented according to the greatness of His mercies.
46 He made them pitied
among all those who held them captive.
47 Save us, O Lord our God,
and gather us from among the nations,
to give thanks unto Your holy name
and to boast in Your praise.
48 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting,
and let all the people say, “Amen!”
Praise the Lord!
10 Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend,
nor go into your brother’s house in the day of your calamity;
for better is a neighbor who is near than a brother far off.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.