Chapter 18

The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying,²

What mean ye, that ye use⁶ this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying,² The fathers have eaten⁴ sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?⁴

[As] I live, saith⁷ the Lord GOD, ye shall not have [occasion] any more to use² this proverb in Israel.

Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth,⁶ it shall die.⁴

But if a man be just, and do¹ that which is lawful and right,

[And] hath not eaten¹ upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up¹ his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled¹⁴ his neighbour's wife, neither hath come near⁴ to a menstruous woman,

And hath not oppressed⁵⁵ any, [but] hath restored⁵⁵ to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled⁴ none by violence, hath given⁴ his bread to the hungry, and hath covered¹⁷ the naked with a garment;

He [that] hath not given⁴ forth upon usury, neither hath taken⁴ any increase, [that] hath withdrawn⁵⁵ his hand from iniquity, hath executed⁴ true judgment between man and man,

Hath walked¹⁷ in my statutes, and hath kept¹ my judgments, to deal² truly; he [is] just, he shall surely² live,⁴ saith⁷ the Lord GOD.

If he beget⁵² a son [that is] a robber, a shedder⁶ of blood, and [that] doeth¹ the like to [any] one of these [things],

And that doeth¹ not any of those [duties], but even hath eaten¹ upon the mountains, and defiled¹⁴ his neighbour's wife,

Hath oppressed⁵² the poor and needy, hath spoiled¹ by violence, hath not restored⁵⁵ the pledge, and hath lifted up¹ his eyes to the idols, hath committed¹ abomination,

Hath given¹ forth upon usury, and hath taken¹ increase: shall he then live?¹ he shall not live:⁴ he hath done¹ all these abominations; he shall surely² die;⁹³ his blood shall be upon him.

Now, lo, [if] he beget⁵² a son, that seeth⁴ all his father's sins which he hath done,¹ and considereth,⁴ and doeth⁴ not such like,

[That] hath not eaten¹ upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up¹ his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled¹⁴ his neighbour's wife,

Neither hath oppressed⁵² any, hath not withholden¹ the pledge, neither hath spoiled¹ by violence, [but] hath given¹ his bread to the hungry, and hath covered¹⁴ the naked with a garment,

[That] hath taken off⁵² his hand from the poor, [that] hath not received¹ usury nor increase, hath executed¹ my judgments, hath walked¹ in my statutes; he shall not die⁴ for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely² live.⁴

[As for] his father, because he cruelly oppressed,¹ spoiled¹ his brother by violence, and did¹ [that] which [is] not good among his people, lo, even he shall die⁵ in his iniquity.

Yet say¹ ye, Why? doth not the son bear¹ the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done¹ that which is lawful and right, [and] hath kept¹ all my statutes, and hath done⁴ them, he shall surely² live.⁴

The soul that sinneth,⁶ it shall die.⁴ The son shall not bear⁴ the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear⁴ the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

But if the wicked will turn⁴ from all his sins that he hath committed,¹ and keep¹ all my statutes, and do¹ that which is lawful and right, he shall surely² live,⁴ he shall not die.⁴

All his transgressions that he hath committed,¹ they shall not be mentioned¹¹ unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done¹ he shall live.⁴

Have I any pleasure⁴ at all² that the wicked should die? saith⁷ the Lord GOD: [and] not that he should return² from his ways, and live?¹

But when the righteous turneth away² from his righteousness, and committeth¹ iniquity, [and] doeth⁴ according to all the abominations that the wicked [man] doeth,¹ shall he live?¹ All his righteousness that he hath done¹ shall not be mentioned:¹¹ in his trespass that he hath trespassed,¹ and in his sin that he hath sinned,¹ in them shall he die.⁴

Yet ye say,¹ The way of the Lord is not equal.¹¹ Hear³ now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal?¹¹ are not your ways unequal?¹¹

When a righteous [man] turneth away² from his righteousness, and committeth¹ iniquity, and dieth¹ in them; for his iniquity that he hath done¹ shall he die.⁴

Again, when the wicked [man] turneth away² from his wickedness that he hath committed,¹ and doeth⁴ that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.¹⁷

Because he considereth,⁴ and turneth away⁴ from all his transgressions that he hath committed,¹ he shall surely² live,⁴ he shall not die.⁴

Yet saith¹ the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal.¹¹ O house of Israel, are not my ways equal?¹¹ are not your ways unequal?¹¹

Therefore I will judge⁴ you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith⁷ the Lord GOD. Repent,³ and turn⁵⁴ [yourselves] from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.

Cast away⁵⁴ from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed;¹ and make³ you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die,⁴ O house of Israel?

For I have no pleasure⁴ in the death of him that dieth,⁵ saith⁷ the Lord GOD: wherefore turn⁵⁴ [yourselves], and live³ ye.