The One Who Sins Will Die

18 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “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’?j

3 “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, you will no longer quote this proverbk in Israel. 4 For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sinsl is the one who will die.m

5 “Suppose there is a righteous man

who does what is just and right.

6 He does not eat at the mountainn shrines

or look to the idolso of Israel.

He does not defile his neighbor’s wife

or have sexual relations with a woman during her period.p

7 He does not oppressq anyone,

but returns what he took in pledger for a loan.

He does not commit robberys

but gives his food to the hungryt

and provides clothing for the naked.u

8 He does not lend to them at interest

or take a profit from them.v

He withholds his hand from doing wrong

and judges fairlyw between two parties.

9 He follows my decreesx

and faithfully keeps my laws.

That man is righteous;y

he will surely live,z

declares the Sovereign Lord.

10 “Suppose he has a violent son, who sheds blooda or does any of these other thingsa 11 (though the father has done none of them):

“He eats at the mountain shrines.b

He defiles his neighbor’s wife.

12 He oppresses the poorc and needy.

He commits robbery.

He does not return what he took in pledge.d

He looks to the idols.

He does detestable things.e

13 He lends at interest and takes a profit.f

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.g

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:h

15 “He does not eat at the mountain shrinesi

or look to the idolsj 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 hungryk

and provides clothing for the naked.l

17 He withholds his hand from mistreating the poor

and takes no interest or profit from them.

He keeps my lawsm 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.n 20 The one who sins is the one who will die.o 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.p

21 “But ifq a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decreesr and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die.s 22 None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live.t 23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleasedu when they turn from their ways and live?v

24 “But if a righteous person turnsw 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 unfaithfulnessx they are guilty of and because of the sins they have committed, they will die.y

25 “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’z Hear, you Israelites: Is my way unjust?a 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.b 28 Because they consider all the offenses they have committed and turn away from them, that person will surely live; they will not die.c 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!d Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall.e 31 Ridf yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heartg and a new spirit. Whyh will you die, people of Israel?i 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repentj and live!k

A Lament Over Israel’s Princes

19 “Take up a lamentl concerning the princesm of Israel 2 and say:

“ ‘What a lionessn was your mother

among the lions!

She lay down among them

and reared her cubs.o

3 She brought up one of her cubs,

and he became a strong lion.

He learned to tear the prey

and he became a man-eater.

4 The nations heard about him,

and he was trapped in their pit.

They led him with hooksp

to the land of Egypt.q

5 “ ‘When she saw her hope unfulfilled,

her expectation gone,

she took another of her cubsr

and made him a strong lion.s

6 He prowled among the lions,

for he was now a strong lion.

He learned to tear the prey

and he became a man-eater.t

7 He broke downa their strongholds

and devastatedu their towns.

The land and all who were in it

were terrified by his roaring.

8 Then the nationsv came against him,

those from regions round about.

They spread their netw for him,

and he was trapped in their pit.x

9 With hooksy they pulled him into a cage

and brought him to the king of Babylon.z

They put him in prison,

so his roara was heard no longer

on the mountains of Israel.b

10 “ ‘Your mother was like a vine in your vineyardb c

planted by the water;d

it was fruitful and full of branches

because of abundant water.e

11 Its branches were strong,

fit for a ruler’s scepter.

It towered high

above the thick foliage,

conspicuous for its height

and for its many branches.f

12 But it was uprootedg in fury

and thrown to the ground.

The east windh made it shrivel,

it was stripped of its fruit;

its strong branches withered

and fire consumed them.i

13 Now it is planted in the desert,j

in a dry and thirsty land.k

14 Fire spread from one of its mainc branches

and consumedl its fruit.

No strong branch is left on it

fit for a ruler’s scepter.’m

“This is a lamentn and is to be used as a lament.”