A False Proverb Refuted

18 The word of the Lord came to me again, saying, “What do you mean when you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying:

‘The (A)fathers have eaten sour grapes,
And the children’s teeth are set on edge’?

As I live,” says the Lord God, “you shall no longer use this proverb in Israel.

“Behold, all souls are (B)Mine;
The soul of the father
As well as the soul of the son is Mine;
(C)The soul who sins shall die.
But if a man is just
And does what is lawful and right;
(D)If he has not eaten [a]on the mountains,
Nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel,
Nor (E)defiled his neighbor’s wife,
Nor approached (F)a woman during her impurity;
If he has not (G)oppressed anyone,
But has restored to the debtor his (H)pledge;
Has robbed no one by violence,
But has (I)given his bread to the hungry
And covered the naked with (J)clothing;
If he has not [b]exacted (K)usury
Nor taken any increase,
But has withdrawn his hand from iniquity
And (L)executed true [c]judgment between man and man;
If he has walked in My statutes
And kept My judgments faithfully—
He is just;
He shall surely (M)live!”
Says the Lord God.

10 “If he begets a son who is a robber
Or (N)a shedder of blood,
Who does any of these things
11 And does none of those duties,
But has eaten [d]on the mountains
Or defiled his neighbor’s wife;
12 If he has oppressed the poor and needy,
Robbed by violence,
Not restored the pledge,
Lifted his eyes to the idols,
Or (O)committed abomination;
13 If he has exacted usury
Or taken increase—
Shall he then live?
He shall not live!
If he has done any of these abominations,
He shall surely die;
(P)His blood shall be upon him.

14 If, however, he begets a son
Who sees all the sins which his father has done,
And considers but does not do likewise;
15 (Q)Who has not eaten [e]on the mountains,
Nor lifted his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel,
Nor defiled his neighbor’s wife;
16 Has not oppressed anyone,
Nor withheld a pledge,
Nor robbed by violence,
But has given his bread to the hungry
And covered the naked with clothing;
17 Who has withdrawn his hand from [f]the poor
And not received usury or increase,
But has executed My judgments
And 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 by violence,
And did what is not good among his people,
Behold, (R)he shall die for his iniquity.

Turn and Live

19 “Yet you say, ‘Why (S)should the son not bear the guilt of the father?’ Because the son has done what is lawful and right, and has kept all My statutes and observed them, he shall surely live. 20 (T)The soul who sins shall die. (U)The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. (V)The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, (W)and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.

21 “But (X)if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 22 (Y)None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall (Z)live. 23 (AA)Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord God, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live?

24 “But (AB)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? (AC)All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die.

25 “Yet you say, (AD)‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ Hear now, O house of Israel, is it not My way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair? 26 (AE)When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and dies in it, it is because of the iniquity which he has done that he dies. 27 Again, (AF)when a wicked man turns away from the wickedness which he committed, and does what is lawful and right, he preserves himself alive. 28 Because he (AG)considers and turns away from all the transgressions which he committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 29 (AH)Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ O house of Israel, is it not My ways which are fair, and your ways which are not fair?

30 (AI)“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,” says the Lord God. (AJ)“Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. 31 (AK)Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a (AL)new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? 32 For (AM)I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and (AN)live!”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 18:6 At the mountain shrines
  2. Ezekiel 18:8 Lent money at interest
  3. Ezekiel 18:8 justice
  4. Ezekiel 18:11 At the mountain shrines
  5. Ezekiel 18:15 At the mountain shrines
  6. Ezekiel 18:17 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX iniquity (cf. v. 8)

The One Who Sins Will Die

18 The word of the Lord came to me: “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)

“As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, you will no longer quote this proverb(B) in Israel. 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)

“Suppose there is a righteous man
    who does what is just and right.
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)
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)
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.
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

  1. Ezekiel 18:10 Or things to a brother