Chapter 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 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 mine The soul of the father as well as the Soul of the son is mine The soul who sins shall die But if a man is just and does what is Lawful and right If he has not eaten on the mountains nor Lifted up his eyes to the idols of the House of Israel Nor defiled his neighbor's wife Nor approached a woman during her Impurity If he has not oppressed anyone but has Restored to the debtor his pledge Has robbed No One by violence but has Given his bread to the hungry and Covered the naked with clothing If he has not exacted usury nor taken Any increase but has withdrawn his hand From iniquity And executed true judgment between man And man If he has walked in my statutes and kept
My judgments Faithfully He is just He shall surely live says the Lord God If he begets a son who is a robber or a Shedder of blood who does any of these Things and does none of those duties but Has eaten on the mountains or defiled His neighbor's wife If he has oppressed the poor and needy Robbed by violence not restored the Pledge lifted his eyes to the idols or Committed abomination If he has exacted usury or take an Increase Shall he then live He shall not live If he has done any of these Abominations He shall surely die His blood shall be upon him If however he begets a son who sees all The sins which his father has done and Considers but does not do likewise Who has not eaten on the mountains nor Lifted his eyes to the idols of the House of Israel nor defiled his Neighbor's wife 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a Pledge nor robbed by violence but has Given his bread to the hungry and Covered the naked with clothing Who has withdrawn his hand from the poor And not received usury or increase but Has executed my judgments and walked in My statutes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 As for his father Because he cruelly oppressed robbed his Brother by violence and did what is not Good among his people Behold he shall die for his iniquity Yet you say why should the Sun 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 The soul who sins shall die The son shall not bear the guilt of the Father nor the father bear the guilt of The son The righteousness of the righteous shall Be upon himself And the wickedness of the wicked shall Be upon himself But 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 None of the transgressions which he has Committed shall be remembered against Him Because of the righteousness which he Has done he shall live 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 But 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 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 Yet you say the way of the Lord is not Fair Here now o House of Israel is it not my Way which is fair and your ways which Are not fair 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 Again when a wicked man turns away from The wickedness which he committed and Does what is lawful and right He preserves himself alive Because he considers and turns away from All the transgressions which he Committed he shall surely live Shall not die 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
Therefore I will judge you o House of Israel Everyone according to his ways says the Lord God Repent and turn from all your Transgressions So that iniquity will not be your ruin Cast away from you all the Transgressions which you have committed And get yourselves a new heart and a new Spirit For why should you die o House of Israel For I have no pleasure in the death of One who dies Says the Lord God Therefore turn and live