Change to an Old Proverb

1The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying,

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

3As I live, says the Lord GOD, you shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.

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

5But if a man is just, and does that which is lawful and right,

6And has not eaten upon the mountains, neither has lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither has defiled his neighbor's wife, neither has come near a woman during her impurity,

7And has not oppressed any, but has restored to the debtor his pledge, has robbed none by violence, has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment;

8He that has not lent money for interest, neither has taken any increase, that has withdrawn his hand from iniquity, has executed true justice between man and man,

9Has walked in my statutes, and has kept my judgments faithfully; he is just, he shall surely live, says the Lord GOD.

10If he begets a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that does any one of these things,

11And that does not any of those duties, but even has eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbor's wife,

12Has oppressed the poor and needy, has robbed by violence, has not restored the pledge, and has lifted up his eyes to the idols, has committed abomination,

13Has lent money for interest, and has taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he has done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.

14Now, lo, if he begets a son, that sees all his father's sins which he has done, and considers, and does not the same,

15That has not eaten upon the mountains, neither has lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, has not defiled his neighbor's wife,

16Neither has oppressed any, has not withheld the pledge, neither has robbed by violence, but has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment,

17That has withheld his hand from the poor, that has not received from money interest nor increase, has executed my judgments, has walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.

18As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, robbed his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity.

The Soul That Sins Shall Die

19Yet say you, Why? does not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son has done that which is lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes, and has done them, he shall surely live.

20The soul that sins, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

21But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he has committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

22All his transgressions that he has committed, they shall not be remembered against him: in his righteousness that he has done he shall live.

23Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? says the Lord GOD: and not that he should turn from his ways, and live?

24But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All his righteousness that he has done shall not be remembered: in his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them shall he die.

25Yet you say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?

26When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and dies in them; for his iniquity that he has done shall he die.

27Again, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.

28Because he considers, and turns away from all his transgressions that he has committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

29Yet says the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?

30Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, says the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.

31Cast away from you all your transgressions, by which you have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will you die, O house of Israel?

32For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dies, says the Lord GOD: therefore turn yourselves, and live.