Eze 18 | Noyes | STEP | The word of Jehovah came to me again, saying:

‏ Ezekiel 18

1 The word of Jehovah came to me again, saying: 2 What mean ye, that ye 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, saith the Lord Jehovah, ye 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 sinneth, it shall die. 5 But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right; 6 if he eat not upon the mountains, and lift not up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, and defile not his neighbor’s wife, and come not near a woman during her uncleanness; 7 if he oppress not any, if he restore to the debtor his pledge, spoil none by violence, give his bread to the hungry, and cover the naked with a garment; 8 if he give not forth upon usury, and take not increase; if he withdraw his hand from iniquity, and give true judgment between man and man; 9 if he walk in my statutes and keep my commandments, to deal uprightly,—he is just; he shall surely live, saith the Lord Jehovah. 10 But if he have a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth to his brother any of these things, 11 and doeth not all those duties, but eateth upon the mountains, and defileth his neighbor’s wife, 12 oppresseth the poor and needy, spoileth by violence, restoreth not the pledge, lifteth up his eyes to idols, and committeth abomination, 13 giveth forth upon usury, and taketh increase, shall he live? No! he shall not live. He hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him. 14 Yet lo, if he have a son that seeth all the sins which his father committed, that seeth them and doeth not such like, 15 that eateth not upon the mountains, nor lifteth up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, nor defileth his neighbor’s wife, 16 nor oppresseth any, nor taketh a pledge, nor spoileth by violence, but giveth his food to the hungry, and covereth the naked with a garment, 17 keepeth back his hand from the poor, and taketh no usury or increase, keepeth my commandments, and walketh 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, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, he shall die for his iniquity. 19 Yet say ye, "Why? Doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father?" When the son doeth that which is lawful and right, keepeth all my statutes and doeth them, he shall surely live. 20 The soul that sinneth, 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 which he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 22 None of his transgressions which he hath committed shall be remembered unto him; for his righteousness, which he hath done, he shall live. 23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die, saith the Lord Jehovah, and not that he should turn from his ways and live? 24 But when the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations which the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; for his trespass which he hath trespassed, and for his sin which he hath sinned, for them shall he die. 25 Yet ye say, "The way of the Lord is not right." Hear now, O house of Israel! "Is not my way right?" Is it not your ways that are not right? 26 When a righteous man turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and on this account dieth, for his iniquity which he hath done doth he die. 27 And when the wicked man turneth from his iniquity which he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. 28 Because he considereth and turneth from all his transgressions which he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 29 Yet saith the house of Israel, "The way of the Lord is not right." O house of Israel, are not my ways right? Is it not your ways that are not right? 30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord Jehovah. Turn ye, turn yourselves from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not be your ruin. 31 Cast away from you all your transgressions which ye have committed, and make you a new heart, and a new spirit! For why will ye die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord Jehovah. Wherefore turn yourselves and live!