Ezekiel
18:1 The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying,
18:2 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?
18:3 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to
use this proverb in Israel.
18:4 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.
18:5 But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,
18:6 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,
18:7 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;
18:8 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increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true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,
18:9 Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly;
he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD.
18:10 If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth
the like to any one of these things,
18:11 And that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the
mountains, and defiled his neighbour's wife,
18:12 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,
18:13 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.
18:14 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,
18:15 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,
18:16 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,
18:17 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.
18:18 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.
18:19 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.
18:20 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.
18:21 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.
18:22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be
mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall
live.
18:23 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?
18:24 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.
18:25 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?
18:26 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.
18:27 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.
18:28 Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions
that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
18:29 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?
18:30 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.
18:31 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?
18:32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord
GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.
