Ezekiel, Chapter 18

1. The word of the LORD came to me again, saying,    2. What do you mean that you 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, says the Lord GOD, you 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, neither has lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither has defiled his neighbor's wife, neither has come near to a menstruous woman,    7. And has not oppressed any, but has returned to the debtor his pledge, has plundered none by violence, has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment;    8. He that has not given out at interest, neither has taken any unjust gain, that has withdrawn his hand from iniquity, has executed true judgment between man and man,    9. Has walked in my statutes, and has kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, says the Lord GOD.    10. If he begets a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that does anything like any one of these things,    11. And that does not do any of those duties, but even has eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbor's wife,    12. Has oppressed the poor and needy, has plundered by violence, has not returned the pledge, and has lifted up his eyes to the idols, has committed abomination,    13. Has given out at interest, and has taken unjust gain: 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 that sees all his father's sins which he has done, and considers, and does not do likewise,    15. That has not eaten upon the mountains, neither has lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, has not defiled his neighbor's wife,    16. Neither has oppressed any, has not withheld the pledge, neither has plundered by violence, but has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment,    17. That has taken away his hand from the poor, that has not received interest nor unjust gain, has executed my judgments, 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, plundered his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity.    19. Yet you 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, 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 has 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 has committed, they shall not be mentioned to him: in his righteousness that he has done he shall live.    23. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? says the Lord GOD: and not that he should turn back from his ways, and live?    24. But when the righteous 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 mentioned: in his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them shall he die.    25. Yet you say, The way of the Lord is not just. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way just? are not your ways unjust?    26. When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and dies in his sins; for his iniquity that he has done shall he 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 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 says the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not just. O house of Israel, are not my ways just? are not your ways unjust?    30. Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, says the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.    31. Put away from you all your transgressions, by which you have transgressed; and make yourself 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 him that dies, says the Lord GOD: therefore turn yourselves, and live.