Ezekiel 18

God Deals Justly with Individuals

1Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2“1What do you people mean by using this proverb about the land of Israel, saying, ‘2The fathers eat sour grapes, 3But it is the children’s teeth that have become blunt’? 3As I live,” declares the Lord 4God, “you certainly are not going to use this proverb in Israel anymore. 4Behold, 5all 6souls are Mine; the 7soul of the father as well as the 8soul of the son is Mine. The 9soul who 10sins will die.

5“But if a man is righteous and practices justice and righteousness, 6if he does not 11eat at the mountain shrines or 12raise his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or 13defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period-- 7and if a man does not oppress anyone, but 14restores to the debtor his pledge, 15does not commit robbery, but 16gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing, 8and if he does not 17lend money at 18interest or take 1920interest, if he keeps his hand from injustice and 21executes true justice between one person and another, 9if he walks in 22My statutes and keeps My ordinances so as to deal faithfully--23he is righteous and will certainly 24live,” declares the Lord God.

10“However, he may father a violent son who sheds blood, and does any one of these things to a brother 11(though he himself did not do any of these things), that is, he even eats at the mountain shrines, and 25defiles his neighbor’s wife, 12oppresses the 26poor and needy, 27commits robbery, does not restore a pledge, but raises his eyes to the idols and 28commits abomination, 1329lends money at interest and takes 30interest; will he live? He will not live! He has committed all these abominations, he shall certainly be put to death; his 31blood will be on himself.

14“Now behold, he has fathered a son who saw all his father’s sins which he committed, but he has 32seen them and does not do likewise. 15He does not eat at the mountain shrines or raise his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel; he has not defiled his neighbor’s wife, 16nor oppressed anyone, nor retained a pledge, nor committed robbery; instead, he 33gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing, 17he keeps his hand from 34the poor, does not take any kind of interest on loans, but executes My ordinances, and walks in My statutes; 35he will not die for his father’s guilt, he will certainly live. 18As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what was not good among his people, behold, he will die for his guilt.

19“Yet you say, ‘36Why should the son not suffer the punishment for the father’s guilt?’ When the son has practiced 37justice and righteousness and has kept all My statutes and done them, he shall certainly live. 20The person who 38sins will die. A 39son will not suffer the punishment for the father’s guilt, nor will a father suffer the punishment for the son’s guilt; the 40righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.

21“But if the 41wicked person turns from all his sins which he has committed and keeps all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall certainly live; he shall not die. 2242All his offenses which he has committed will not be remembered against him; because of his 43righteousness which he has practiced, he will live. 2344Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord God, “45rather than that he would 46turn from his ways and live?

24“But when a righteous person 47turns away from his righteousness, commits injustice and does according to all the abominations that the wicked person does, will he live? 48All his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered for his 49treachery which he has committed and his sin which he has committed; for them he will die. 25Yet you say, ‘50The way of the Lord is not right.’ Hear now, house of Israel! Is 51My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right? 26When a righteous person turns away from his righteousness, commits injustice and dies because of it, for his injustice which he has committed he dies. 27But when a wicked person turns away 52from his wickedness which he has committed and practices justice and righteousness, he will save his life. 28Since he understood and turned away from all his offenses which he had committed, he shall certainly live; he shall not die. 29But the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ Are My ways not right, house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are not right?

30“Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, each according to his conduct,” declares the Lord God. “53Repent and turn away from all your offenses, so that wrongdoing does not become a stumbling block to you. 3154Hurl away from you all your offenses which you have committed and make yourselves a 55new heart and a new spirit! For why should you die, house of Israel? 32For I take 56no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “Therefore, repent and live!”