Ezekiel 18

1 The word of Jehovah came to me again, saying,

2 What do ye mean, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the son's teeth are set on edge?

3 As I live, says the lord Jehovah, 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 sins, it shall die.

5 But if a man be just, and does that which is lawful and right,

6 and has not eaten upon the mountains, nor has lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, nor has defiled his neighbor's wife, nor has come near to a woman in her impurity,

7 and has not wronged any man, but has restored to the debtor his pledge, has taken nothing by robbery, has given his bread to a hungry man, and has covered a naked man with a garment,

8 he who has not given forth upon interest, nor has taken any increase, who has withdrawn his hand from iniquity, has executed true justice between man and man,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 Jehovah.

10 If he begets a son who is a robber, a shedder of blood, and who does any one of these things,

11 and who does not do any of those duties, but has even eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbor's wife,

12 has wronged the poor and needy man, 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, lo, if he begets a son, who sees all his father's sins, which he has done, and fears, and does not do such like,

15 who has not eaten upon the mountains, nor has lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, has not defiled his neighbor's wife,

16 nor has wronged any man, has not taken anything to pledge, nor has taken by robbery, but has given his bread to a hungry man, and has covered a naked man with a garment,

17 who has withdrawn his hand from a poor man, who has not received interest nor increase, has executed my ordinances, has walked in my statutes, he shall not die for the iniquity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 ye say, 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 that sins, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, nor shall the father bear the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of a righteous man shall be upon him, and the wickedness of a wicked man shall be upon him.

21 But if a wicked man 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 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 a wicked man? says the lord Jehovah, and not rather that he should return from his way, and live?

24 But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that a 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 he shall die.

25 Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equitable. Hear now, O house of Israel. Is not my way equitable? Are not your ways inequitable?

26 When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and dies in it, in his iniquity that he has done, he shall die.

27 Again, when a 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 the house of Israel says, The way of the Lord is not equitable. O house of Israel, are not my ways equitable? Are not your ways inequitable?

30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each one according to his ways, says the lord Jehovah. Return ye, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions, so iniquity shall not be your ruin.

31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, by which 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 who dies, says the lord Jehovah, therefore turn yourselves back, and live.