The Soul Who Sins Will Die

1The worde of the Lord came vnto me againe, saying,

2What 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?

3As I liue, sayth the Lord God, ye shall vse this prouerbe no more in Israel. 4Beholde, 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.

5But if a man be iust, and doe that which is lawfull, and right, 6And 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, 7Neither 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, 8And 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, 9And hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my iudgements to deale truely, he is iust, he shall surely liue, sayth the Lord God.

10If he beget a sonne, that is a thiefe, or a sheader of blood, if he do any one of these things, 11Though he doe not all these things, but either hath eaten vpon the mountaines, or defiled his neighbours wife, 12Or 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, 13Or hath giuen forth vpon vsurie, or hath taken increase, shal he liue? he shal not liue: seeing he hath done all these abominations, he shal die the death, and his blood shall be vpon him.

14But if he beget a sonne, that seeth all his fathers sinnes, which he hath done, and feareth, neither doeth such like, 15That 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, 16Neither 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, 17Neither 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 shal surely liue. 18His 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.

19Yet say ye, Wherefore shall not the sonne beare the iniquitie of the father? because ye sonne hath executed iudgement & iustice, and hath kept all my statutes, and done them, he shal surely liue, 20The same soule that sinneth, shal 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.

21But if the wicked will returne from all his sinnes that he hath committed, and keepe all my statutes, and doe that which is lawfull & right, he shall surely liue, and shall not die. 22All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shal not be mentioned vnto him, but in his righteousnes that he hath done, he shall liue. 23Haue I any desire that the wicked should die, sayth the Lord God? or shall he not liue, if he returne from his wayes?

24But if the righteous turne away from his righteousnes, & 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 shal he die. 25Yet ye say, The way of the Lorde is not equall: heare now, O house of Israel. Is not my way equall? or are not your wayes vnequall? 26For when a righteous man turneth away from his righteousnes, and committeth iniquitie, he shall euen die for the same, he shal euen die for his iniquitie, that he hath done. 27Againe when the wicked turneth away from his wickednes that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawfull and right, he shal saue his soule aliue. 28Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that hee hath committed, he shall surely liue and shall not die. 29Yet 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?

30Therefore 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. 31Cast 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? 32For I desire not the death of him that dyeth, sayth the Lord God: cause therefore one another to returne, and liue ye.