18 The word of the Lord came unto me again, saying, 2 What mean ye, that aye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, bThe fathers have eaten sour grapes, band the children’s teeth are set on edge? 3 cAs I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall not have occasion any more to use athis proverb in Israel. 4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: dthe soul that sinneth, it shall die.

5 But if a man be just, and do †ethat which is lawful and right, 6 And hath not featen upon the mountains, neither ghath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hhath defiled his neighbour’s wife, neither ihath come near to ka menstruous woman, 7 And hath not loppressed any, but mhath restored to the debtor his pledge, nhath spoiled none by violence, ohath given his bread to the hungry, and ophath covered the naked with a garment; 8 qHe that hath not given forth upon rusury, neither qhath taken any sincrease, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, thath executed true judgment between man and man, 9 uHath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, vhe shall surely live, saith the Lord God.

10 If he beget a son that is a ||robber, wa shedder of blood, and ||that doeth the like to any one of these things, 11 And that doeth not any of those duties, but even fhath eaten upon the mountains, and hdefiled his neighbour’s wife, 12 lxHath oppressed the poor and needy, nxhath spoiled by violence, hath not mrestored the pledge, and ghath lifted up his eyes to the idols, xxhath committed abomination, 13 qHath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; yhis †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 yyconsidereth, and doeth not such like, 15 That fhath not eaten upon the mountains, neither ghath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hhath not defiled his neighbour’s wife, 16 Neither lhath oppressed any, †mhath not withholden the pledge, neither nhath spoiled by violence, but ohath given his bread to the hungry, and ohath covered the naked with a garment, 17 That zhath taken off his hand from the poor, qthat hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, uhath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, vhe shall surely live. 18 As for his father, because ahe cruelly oppressed, anspoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even bhe shall die in his iniquity.

19 Yet say ye, Why? cdoth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done dthat which is lawful and right, and ddhath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, ehe shall surely live. 20 fThe soul that sinneth, it shall die. gThe son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: hthe righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and hithe wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. 21 But kif the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and ddkeep all my statutes, and ddo that which is lawful and right, ehe shall surely live, he shall not die. 22 lAll his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. 23 mHave I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?

24 But nwhen 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? noAll his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in phis trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. 25 qYet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal? 26 nWhen a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. 27 Again, kwhen the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and ddoeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. 28 Because he rconsidereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, ehe shall surely live, he shall not die. 29 qYet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?

30 Therefore I swill judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord God. tRepent, and turn ||uyourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your vruin. 31 wCast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you xa new heart and a new spirit: yfor why will ye die, O house of Israel? 32 For zI have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn ||uyourselves, and live ye.