Ezekiel 18

The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying, ² What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The ^afathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge? ³ As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel. ⁴ Behold, ^dball souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: ^cthe soul that sinneth, it shall die.

⁵ But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right, ^{6 f}And hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath ^gdefiled his neighbour's wife, neither hath come near to ^ea menstruous woman, ⁷ And hath not ^hoppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his ⁱpledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath ^jgiven his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment; ⁸ He that hath not given forth upon ^kusury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, ^lhath executed true judgment between man and man, ⁹ Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is ^omjust, he shall surely ⁿlive, saith the Lord GOD.

¹⁰ If he beget a son that is a robber, ^pa 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 hath eaten upon the mountains, and ^qdefiled his neighbour's wife, ¹² Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath ^rcommitted abomination, ^{13 s}Hath 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; his 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 considereth, and doeth not such like, ¹⁵ That hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbour's wife, ¹⁶ Neither hath oppressed any, hath not withholden the pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence, but hath given ^this bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment, ¹⁷ That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; ^uhe 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, even ^vhe shall die in his iniquity.

¹⁹ Yet say ye, Why? ^wdoth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live. ²⁰ The soul that sinneth, it shall die. ^zThe son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: ^xthe righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, ^yand the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. ²¹ But ^aif the wicked will turn from all his sins that 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 c}All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: ^bin his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. ^{23 d}Have 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 ^fwhen 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? ^eAll his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.

²⁵ Yet ye say, ^hThe way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not ^igmy way equal? are not your ways unequal? ²⁶ When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; ^jfor 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 doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. ²⁸ Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that 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 equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?

^{30 l}Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. ^mRepent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. ^{31 n}Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a ^onew heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? ³² For ^pI have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.

Ezekiel 19