Ezekiel 18

1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying:

And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

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

What mean ye, that ye use this proverb in the country of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the teeth of the children 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.

As I live, saith the Lord Eternal, ye shall not have 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.

Behold, all the souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son—mine are they: the soul which sinneth that alone shall die.

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

But if a man be righteous, and execute justice and righteousness;

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 woman in her impurity;

Upon the mountains he eateth not, and his eyes he lifteth not up to the idols of the house of Israel, and the wife of his neighbor he defileth not, and unto a woman in her separation he cometh not near;

7 and hath not wronged any, but hath restored his pledge for a debt, hath taken nought by robbery, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;

And he over-reacheth no man, he restoreth his pledge for a debt, a robbery he doth not commit, his bread he giveth to the hungry, and the naked he covereth with a garment;

8 he that hath not given forth upon interest, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true justice between man and man,

Upon interest he giveth not forth, and increase he doth not take, from wrong he withdraweth his hand, true judgment he executeth between man and man;

9 hath walked in My statutes, and hath kept Mine ordinances, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD.

In my statutes he walketh steadfastly, and my ordinances he keepeth to deal truly: he is righteous, he shall surely live, saith the Lord Eternal.

10 If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth to a brother any of these things,

If he [now] beget a dissolute son that sheddeth blood and doth to [his] brother any one of thee things;

11 whereas he himself had not done any of these things, for he hath even eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour's wife,

And he is one that doth not any of these [duties]; but eateth even upon the mountains, and defileth the wife of his neighbor;

12 hath wronged the poor and needy, hath taken by robbery, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination,

The poor and needy he over-reacheth, he is guilty of robberies, the pledge he restoreth not, and to the idols he lifteth up his eyes, abominations he committeth:

13 hath given forth upon interest, and hath taken increase; shall he then live? he shall not live — he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely be put to death, his blood shall be upon him.

Upon interest he giveth forth, and increase he taketh: and he should live? he shall not live; all these abominations hath he done, 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,

And behold, if he beget a son, who seeth all the sins of his father which he hath done, and he considereth, and doth not the like of them;

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,

Upon the mountains he eateth not, and his eyes he lifteth not up to the idols of the house of Israel, the wife of his neighbor he defileth not;

16 neither hath wronged any, hath not taken aught to pledge, neither hath taken by robbery, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment,

And he over-reacheth no man, a pledge he withholdeth not, and of a robbery he is never guilty, his bread he giveth to the hungry, and the naked he covereth with a garment;

17 that hath withdrawn his hand from the poor, that hath not received interest nor increase, hath executed Mine ordinances, hath walked in My statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.

From the poor he withdraweth his hand, interest and increase he taketh not: my ordinances he executeth; in my statutes he walketh: —he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.

18 As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, committed robbery on his brother, and did that which is not good among his people, behold, he dieth for his iniquity.

His father, because he unjustly withheld [wages], was guilty of robbery on his brother, and did that which is not good in the midst of his people, —and lo, he died through his iniquity.

19 Yet say ye: Why doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father with him? 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.

Yet say ye, Why doth not the son bear part of the iniquity of the father? when the son hath executed justice and righteousness, all my statutes hath he kept, 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 with him, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son with him; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

The soul that sinneth, she alone shall die; the son shall not help to bear the iniquity of the father and the father shall not help to 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 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.

And the wicked, when he turneth away from all his sins that he hath committed, and keepeth all my statutes, and executeth justice and righteousness, shall surely live, he shall not die.

22 None of his transgressions that he hath committed shall be remembered against him; for his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.

All his transgressions which he hath committed shall not be remembered unto him: through his righteousness which he hath done shall he live.

23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD; and not rather that he should return from his ways, and live?

Have I then the least pleasure in the death of the wicked? saith the Lord Eternal: and not in his turning away from his ways, that he may 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? None of his righteous deeds that he hath done shall be remembered; for his trespass that he trespassed, and for his sin that he hath sinned, for them shall he die.

But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth wrong, and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? all his righteousness that he hath done shall not he remembered: through his trespass which he hath committed, and through his sin that he hath done, —through them shall he die.

25 Yet ye say: The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel: Is it My way that is not equal? is it not your ways that are unequal?

Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equitable: hear now, O house of Israel, Is not my way equitable? is it not your ways which are not equitable?

26 When the righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall die therefor; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.

When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and doth wrong, and dieth therefore: through his wrong which he hath done must 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.

Again, when the wicked turneth away from his wickedness which he hath committed, and executeth justice and righteousness: he shall indeed preserve 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.

Because he hath considered, and turned away from all his transgressions which he had 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, is it My ways that are not equal? is it not your ways that are unequal?

Yet say the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equitable: are not my ways equitable, O house of Israel? is it not your ways which are not equitable?

30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Return ye, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so shall they not be a stumblingblock of iniquity unto you.

Therefore will I judge you, every one according to his ways, O house of Israel, saith the Lord Eternal: return ye, and cause others to return from all your transgressions, that iniquity may not become your stumbling-block.

31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, wherein ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

Cast away from yourselves all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make yourselves 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.

For I have no pleasure in the death of him that deserveth to die, saith the Lord Eternal: therefore convert yourselves, and live.