Ezekiel 18
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1This message came to me from the LORD: 1Then another message came to me from the LORD:
2"Why do you cite this proverb when you talk about Israel's land: 'The fathers eat sour grapes but it's their children's teeth that have become numb.' 2“Why do you quote this proverb concerning the land of Israel: ‘The parents have eaten sour grapes, but their children’s mouths pucker at the taste’?
3As long as I live," declares the LORD, "you won't use this proverb about Israel anymore. 3As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, you will not quote this proverb anymore in Israel.
4Look! Every living soul belongs to me—the father's as well as the son's. So pay attention! The person who keeps on sinning is going to die."4For all people are mine to judge—both parents and children alike. And this is my rule: The person who sins is the one who will die.
5"If a person is righteous, and practices what's lawful and right, 5“Suppose a certain man is righteous and does what is just and right.
6if he doesn't eat at mountain shrines, and doesn't look to the idols that have been erected in Israel's house, if he doesn't defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her time of menstrual separation, 6He does not feast in the mountains before Israel’s idols or worship them. He does not commit adultery or have intercourse with a woman during her menstrual period.
7if he doesn't oppress anyone, but instead returns the debtor's security for his debt, if he doesn't rob anyone, but instead shares his food with the hungry and gives clothes to those who are naked, 7He is a merciful creditor, not keeping the items given as security by poor debtors. He does not rob the poor but instead gives food to the hungry and provides clothes for the needy.
8if he doesn't lend with usury or exact interest, but instead refuses to participate in what is unjust, if he administers true justice between people,8He grants loans without interest, stays away from injustice, is honest and fair when judging others,
9if he lives his life consistent with my statutes and keeps my ordinances by practicing what's true, then he's righteous and will certainly live," declares the Lord GOD.9and faithfully obeys my decrees and regulations. Anyone who does these things is just and will surely live, says the Sovereign LORD.
10"Now suppose that person produces a son who's violent, a murderer, and practices any of these things, 10“But suppose that man has a son who grows up to be a robber or murderer and refuses to do what is right.
11even though the father hasn't done any of these things. The son who eats at mountain shrines, defiles his neighbor's wife, 11And that son does all the evil things his father would never do—he worships idols on the mountains, commits adultery,
12oppresses the afflicted and the poor, robs others, doesn't return security for a debt, looks to idols, does detestable things, 12oppresses the poor and helpless, steals from debtors by refusing to let them redeem their security, worships idols, commits detestable sins,
13loans with usury, and exacts interest; will he live? He certainly will not! He has done all these detestable practices. He will certainly die, and his guilt will be his own fault." 13and lends money at excessive interest. Should such a sinful person live? No! He must die and must take full blame.
14"Now suppose that he produced a son who practiced all of his father's sins, but then that son began to fear me and stopped doing all of these things. 14“But suppose that sinful son, in turn, has a son who sees his father’s wickedness and decides against that kind of life.
15That is, suppose he doesn't eat at the mountain shrines, doesn't look to the idols of Israel's house, doesn't defile his neighbor's wife, 15This son refuses to worship idols on the mountains and does not commit adultery.
16doesn't oppress anyone, doesn't take possession of a debtor's pledge, or doesn't steal, but instead shares his food with the hungry, gives clothes to those who are naked, 16He does not exploit the poor, but instead is fair to debtors and does not rob them. He gives food to the hungry and provides clothes for the needy.
17doesn't refuse to help the afflicted, or refuses to loan with usury or exact interest, but instead follows my ordinances and lives his life consistent with my statutes. He won't die because of his father's sin, will he? No! He'll certainly live. 17He helps the poor, does not lend money at interest, and obeys all my regulations and decrees. Such a person will not die because of his father’s sins; he will surely live.
18As for his father, watch out! If he wrongfully oppressed or robbed his brother and did what wasn't good among his people, he'll die because of his own sin."18But the father will die for his many sins—for being cruel, robbing people, and doing what was clearly wrong among his people.
19"Yet you keep asking, 'Why wouldn't the son bear the punishment of his father's sin?' Because the son has done what was lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes and obeyed them, he's certainly going to live. 19“‘What?’ you ask. ‘Doesn’t the child pay for the parent’s sins?’ No! For if the child does what is just and right and keeps my decrees, that child will surely live.
20The soul who sins dies. The son won't bear the punishment of his father's sin and the father won't bear the punishment of his son's sin. The righteous deeds of that righteous person will be attributed to him, while the wicked deeds of the wicked person will be charged against him. 20The person who sins is the one who will die. The child will not be punished for the parent’s sins, and the parent will not be punished for the child’s sins. Righteous people will be rewarded for their own righteous behavior, and wicked people will be punished for their own wickedness.
21But if the wicked person turns from all his sins, which he did and keeps my statutes, then he'll live. He won't die. 21But if wicked people turn away from all their sins and begin to obey my decrees and do what is just and right, they will surely live and not die.
22None of the transgressions that he had committed will be held against him. Because of the righteous deeds that he had done, he'll live.22All their past sins will be forgotten, and they will live because of the righteous things they have done.
23"I don't take delight in the death of the wicked, do I?" asks the Lord GOD. "Shouldn't I rather delight when he turns from his wicked ways and lives? 23“Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign LORD. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live.
24But when the righteous person abandons his righteous deeds and commits evil, detestable practices, as wicked people do, he won't live, will he? None of the righteous acts that he had done will be remembered. He'll die in his treacherous unfaithfulness and sins that he had committed."24However, if righteous people turn from their righteous behavior and start doing sinful things and act like other sinners, should they be allowed to live? No, of course not! All their righteous acts will be forgotten, and they will die for their sins.
25"Yet you keep saying, 'The LORD isn't being consistent with his standards.' Pay attention, you house of Israel: Is my behavior really inconsistent with my standards? Isn't it your behavior that isn't just?25“Yet you say, ‘The Lord isn’t doing what’s right!’ Listen to me, O people of Israel. Am I the one not doing what’s right, or is it you?
26"When a righteous person turns from his righteous deeds and does evil, he'll die because of that evil. He'll die because of his unrighteous acts that he committed. 26When righteous people turn from their righteous behavior and start doing sinful things, they will die for it. Yes, they will die because of their sinful deeds.
27When a wicked person quits his wicked behavior and does what's just and right, he'll be enabled to live.27And if wicked people turn from their wickedness, obey the law, and do what is just and right, they will save their lives.
28Because he reconsidered his transgression and turned away from everything that he had been doing, he'll certainly live and not die. 28They will live because they thought it over and decided to turn from their sins. Such people will not die.
29Yet Israel's house keeps saying, 'The LORD isn't being consistent with his standards.' Is it my behavior that's inconsistent with my standards? Is it not your behavior that's inconsistent with my standards?" 29And yet the people of Israel keep saying, ‘The Lord isn’t doing what’s right!’ O people of Israel, it is you who are not doing what’s right, not I.
30"Therefore, Israel, I'm going to judge you according to the behavior of each and every one of you," declares the Lord GOD. "So repent and turn from all your sins so that sin won't keep on being a stumbling block for you. 30“Therefore, I will judge each of you, O people of Israel, according to your actions, says the Sovereign LORD. Repent, and turn from your sins. Don’t let them destroy you!
31Stop your transgressing—the deeds by which you've rebelled—and then make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, you house of Israel? 31Put all your rebellion behind you, and find yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O people of Israel?
32I don't take pleasure in the death of anyone who dies," declares the LORD. "So repent, so you may live!"32I don’t want you to die, says the Sovereign LORD. Turn back and live!
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
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Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Ezekiel 17
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