Chapter 18

God Deals Justly with Individuals

1 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

2 “aWhat do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying,

‘bThe fathers eat the sour grapes,

But the children’s teeth 1are set on edge’?

3 “As I live,” declares the Lord 1God, “you are surely not going to use this proverb in Israel anymore.

4 “Behold, aall 1souls are Mine; the 2soul of the father as well as the 2soul of the son is Mine. The 3soul who bsins will die.

5 “But if a man is righteous and practices justice and righteousness,

6 and does not aeat at the mountain shrines or blift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or cdefile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period—

7 if a man does not oppress anyone, but arestores to the debtor his pledge, bdoes not commit robbery, but cgives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing,

8 if he does not lend money on ainterest or take bincrease, if he keeps his hand from iniquity and cexecutes true justice between man and man,

9 if he walks in aMy statutes and My ordinances so as to deal faithfully—bhe is righteous and will surely clive,” declares the Lord God.

10 “Then he may 1have a violent son who sheds blood and who does any of these things to a brother

11 (though he himself did not do any of these things), that is, he even eats at the mountain shrines, and adefiles his neighbor’s wife,

12 oppresses the apoor and needy, bcommits robbery, does not restore a pledge, but lifts up his eyes to the idols and ccommits abomination,

13 he alends money on interest and takes increase; will he live? He will not live! He has committed all these abominations, he will surely be put to death; his bblood will be 1on his own head.

14 “Now behold, he 1has a son who has observed all his father’s sins which he committed, and aobserving does not do likewise.

15 “He does not eat at the mountain shrines or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor’s wife,

16 or oppress anyone, or retain a pledge, or commit robbery, but he agives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing,

17 he keeps his hand from 1the poor, does not take interest or increase, but executes My ordinances, and walks in My statutes; ahe will not die for his father’s iniquity, he will surely live.

18 “As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was not good among his people, behold, he will die for his iniquity.

19 “Yet you say, ‘aWhy should the son not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity?’ When the son has practiced bjustice and righteousness and has observed all My statutes and done them, he shall surely live.

20 “The person who asins will die. The bson will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the crighteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.

21 “But if the awicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed and observes all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall surely live; he shall not die.

22 “aAll his transgressions which he has committed will not be remembered against him; because of his brighteousness which he has practiced, he will live.

23 “aDo I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord God, “1rather than that he should bturn from his ways and live?

24 “But when a righteous man aturns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and does according to all the abominations that a wicked man does, will he live? bAll his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered for his ctreachery which he has committed and his sin which he has committed; for them he will die.

25 “Yet you say, ‘aThe way of the Lord is not right.’ Hear now, O house of Israel! Is bMy way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right?

26 “When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and dies because of it, for his iniquity which he has committed he will die.

27 “Again, when a wicked man turns away afrom his wickedness which he has committed and practices justice and righteousness, he will save his life.

28 “Because he considered and turned away from all his transgressions which he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die.

29 “But the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ Are My ways not right, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are not right?

30 “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct,” declares the Lord God. “aRepent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you.

31 “aCast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a bnew heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel?

32 “For I have ano pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “Therefore, repent and live.”