Ezekiel 18
1. 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 fathers 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, 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. And hath not eaten * upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up * his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel,neither hath defiled * his neighbour's wife, neither hath come near * to a menstruous woman,
7. And hath not oppressed * any, but hath restored * to the debtor his pledge,hath spoiled * none by violence, hath given * his bread to the hungry, and hath covered * the naked with a garment;
8. He that hath not given forth * upon usury, neither hath taken * any increase,that hath withdrawn * his hand from iniquity, hath executed * true judgment between man and man,
9. Hath walked * in my statutes, and hath kept * my judgments, to deal * truly; he is just, he shall surely * live * , saith * the Lord GOD.
10. If he beget * a son that is a robber, a 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 defiled * 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 committed * abomination,
13. 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 * his 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; 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, even he shall die * in his iniquity.
19. Yet say * ye, Why? doth 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 * . 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 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. All his transgressions that he hath committed * , they shall not be mentioned * unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done * he shall live * .
23. 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 when 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 * ? All 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 * , 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. When 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, when 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. Therefore I will judge * you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith * the Lord GOD. Repent * , and turn * yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
31. Cast away * from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed * ; 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 GOD: wherefore turn * yourselves, and live * ye.
