Those Who Sin Will Die
1 The Lord said:
2 Ezekiel, I hear the people of Israel using the old saying,
“Sour grapes eaten by parents
leave a sour taste in the mouths
of their children.”
3 Now tell them that I am the Lord God, and as surely as I live, that saying will no longer be used in Israel. 4 The lives of all people belong to me—parents as well as children. However, only those who sin will be put to death.
5 Suppose there is a truly good man who always does what is fair and right. 6 He refuses to eat meat sacrificed to foreign gods at local shrines or to worship Israel's idols. He doesn't have sex with someone else's wife or with a woman having her monthly period. 7 He never cheats or robs anyone and always returns anything taken as security for a loan; he gives food and clothes to the poor 8 and doesn't charge interest when lending money. He refuses to do anything evil; he is fair to everyone 9 and faithfully obeys my laws and teachings. This man is good, and I promise he will live.
10 But suppose this good man has an evil son who is violent and commits sins 11 his father never did. He eats meat at local shrines, has sex with someone else's wife, 12 cheats the poor, and robs people. He keeps what is given to him as security for a loan. He worships idols, does disgusting things, 13 and charges high interest when lending money. An evil man like that will certainly not live. He is the one who has done these horrible sins, so it's his own fault that he will be put to death.
14 But suppose this evil man has a son who sees his father do these things and refuses to act like him. 15 He doesn't eat meat at local shrines or worship Israel's idols, and he doesn't have sex with someone else's wife. 16 He never cheats or robs anyone and doesn't even demand security for a loan. He gives food and clothes to the poor 17 and refuses to do anything evil or to charge interest. And he obeys all my laws and teachings. Such a man will live. His own father sinned, but this good man will not be put to death for the sins of his father. 18 It is his father who will die for cheating and robbing and doing evil.
19 You may wonder why a son isn't punished for the sins of his father. It is because the son does what is right and obeys my laws. 20 Only those who sin will be put to death. Children won't suffer for the sins of their parents, and parents won't suffer for the sins of their children. Good people will be rewarded for what they do, and evil people will be punished for what they do.
21 Suppose wicked people stop sinning and start obeying my laws and doing right. They won't be put to death. 22 All their sins will be forgiven, and they will live because they did right. 23 I, the Lord God, don't like to see wicked people die. I had much rather see them turn back from their sins and live.
24 But when good people start sinning and doing disgusting things, will they live? No! All their good deeds will be forgotten, and they will be put to death because of their sins.
25 You people of Israel accuse me of being unfair! But listen—I'm not unfair; you are! 26 If good people start doing evil, they must be put to death, because they have sinned. 27 And if wicked people start doing right, they will save themselves from punishment. 28 They will think about what they've done and stop sinning, and so they won't be put to death. 29 But you still say that I am unfair. You are the ones who have done wrong and are unfair!
30 I will judge each of you for what you've done. So stop sinning, or else you will certainly be punished. 31 Give up your evil ways and start thinking pure thoughts. And be faithful to me! Do you really want to be put to death for your sins? 32 I, the Lord God, don't want to see that happen to anyone. So stop sinning and live!
1 The worde of the Lord came vnto me againe, saying, 2 What meane ye that ye speake this prouerbe, concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers haue eaten sowre grapes, and the childrens teeth are set on edge? 3 As I liue, sayth the Lord God, ye shall vse this prouerbe no more in Israel. 4 Beholde, all soules are mine, both the soule of the father, and also the soule of the sonne are mine: the soule that sinneth, it shall die. 5 But if a man be iust, and doe that which is lawfull, and right, 6 And hath not eaten vpon the mountaines, neither hath lift vp his eyes to the idoles of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbours wife, neither hath lyen with a menstruous woman, 7 Neither hath oppressed any, but hath restored the pledge to his dettour: he that hath spoyled none by violence, but hath giuen his bread to the hungry, and hath couered the naked with a garment, 8 And hath not giuen foorth vpon vsurie, neither hath taken any increase, but hath withdrawen his hand from iniquitie, and hath executed true iudgement betweene man and man, 9 And hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my iudgements to deale truely, he is iust, he shall surely liue, sayth the Lord God. 10 If he beget a sonne, that is a thiefe, or a sheader of blood, if he do any one of these things, 11 Though he doe not all these things, but either hath eaten vpon the mountaines, or defiled his neighbours wife, 12 Or hath oppressed the poore and needy, or hath spoyled by violence, or hath not restored the pledge, or hath lift vp his eyes vnto the idoles, or hath committed abomination, 13 Or hath giuen forth vpon vsurie, or hath taken increase, shall he liue? he shall not liue: seeing he hath done all these abominations, he shall die the death, and his blood shall be vpon him. 14 But if he beget a sonne, that seeth all his fathers sinnes, which he hath done, and feareth, neither doeth such like, 15 That hath not eaten vpon the mountaines, neither hath lift vp his eyes to the idols of ye house of Israel, nor hath defiled his neighbours wife, 16 Neither hath oppressed any, nor hath withholden the pledge, neither hath spoyled by violence, but hath giuen his bread to the hungry, and hath couered the naked with a garment, 17 Neither hath withdrawen his hand from the afflicted, nor receiued vsurie nor increase, but hath executed my iudgements, and hath walked in my statutes, he shall not die in the iniquitie of his father, but he shall surely liue. 18 His father, because he cruelly oppressed and spoyled his brother by violence, and hath not done good among his people, loe, euen he dyeth in his iniquitie. 19 Yet say ye, Wherefore shall not the sonne beare the iniquitie of the father? because ye sonne hath executed iudgement and iustice, and hath kept all my statutes, and done them, he shall surely liue, 20 The same soule that sinneth, shall die: the sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the father, neither shall the father beare the iniquitie of the sonne, but the righteousnes of the righteous shall be vpon him, and the wickednesse of the wicked shall be vpon him selfe. 21 But if the wicked will returne from all his sinnes that he hath committed, and keepe all my statutes, and doe that which is lawfull and right, he shall surely liue, and shall not die. 22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned vnto him, but in his righteousnes that he hath done, he shall liue. 23 Haue I any desire that the wicked should die, sayth the Lord God? or shall he not liue, if he returne from his wayes? 24 But if the righteous turne away from his righteousnes, and commit iniquitie, and doe according to all the abominations, that the wicked man doeth, shall he liue? all his righteousnes that he hath done, shall not be mentioned: but in his transgression that he hath committed, and in his sinne that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. 25 Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equall: heare now, O house of Israel. Is not my way equall? or are not your wayes vnequall? 26 For when a righteous man turneth away from his righteousnes, and committeth iniquitie, he shall euen die for the same, he shall euen die for his iniquitie, that he hath done. 27 Againe when the wicked turneth away from his wickednes that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawfull and right, he shall saue his soule aliue. 28 Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that hee hath committed, he shall surely liue and shall not die. 29 Yet saith ye house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equall. O house of Israel, are not my wayes equall? or are not your wayes vnequall? 30 Therefore I will iudge you, O house of Israel, euery one according to his wayes, sayth the Lord God: returne therefore and cause others to turne away from all your transgressions: so iniquitie shall not be your destruction. 31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye haue transgressed, and make you a newe heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? 32 For I desire not the death of him that dyeth, sayth the Lord God: cause therefore one another to returne, and liue ye.