New King James Version

New Living Translation

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

1Then another message came to me from the LORD:

2“What do you mean when 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’?

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’?

3“As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “you shall no longer use this proverb in Israel.

3As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, you will not quote this proverb anymore in Israel.

4“Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall 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.

5But if a man is just And does what is lawful and right;

5“Suppose a certain man is righteous and does what is just and right.

6If he has not eaten on the mountains, Nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, Nor defiled his neighbor’s wife, Nor approached a woman during her impurity;

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 has not oppressed anyone, But has restored to the debtor his pledge; Has robbed no one by violence, But has given his bread to the hungry And covered the naked with clothing;

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8If he has not exacted usury Nor taken any increase, But has withdrawn his hand from iniquity And executed true judgment between man and man;

8He grants loans without interest, stays away from injustice, is honest and fair when judging others,

9If he has walked in My statutes And kept My judgments faithfully— He is just; He shall surely live!” Says 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“If he begets a son who is a robber Or a shedder of blood, Who does 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.

11And does none of those duties, But has eaten on the mountains Or defiled 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,

12If he has oppressed the poor and needy, Robbed by violence, Not restored the pledge, Lifted his eyes to the idols, Or committed abomination;

12oppresses the poor and helpless, steals from debtors by refusing to let them redeem their security, worships idols, commits detestable sins,

13If he has exacted usury Or taken increase— Shall he then live? He shall not live! If he has done any of these abominations, He shall surely die; His blood shall be upon him.

13and lends money at excessive interest. Should such a sinful person live? No! He must die and must take full blame.

14“If, however, he begets a son Who sees all the sins which his father has done, And considers but does not do likewise;

14“But suppose that sinful son, in turn, has a son who sees his father’s wickedness and decides against that kind of life.

15Who has not eaten on the mountains, Nor lifted his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, Nor defiled his neighbor’s wife;

15This son refuses to worship idols on the mountains and does not commit adultery.

16Has not oppressed anyone, Nor withheld a pledge, Nor robbed by violence, But has given his bread to the hungry And covered the naked with clothing;

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.

17Who has withdrawn his hand from the poor And not received usury or increase, But has executed My judgments And walked in My statutes— He shall not die for the iniquity of his father; He shall surely 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.

18“As for his father, Because he cruelly oppressed, Robbed his brother by violence, And did what is not good among his people, Behold, he shall die for his iniquity.

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 say, ‘Why should the son not bear the guilt of the father?’ Because the son has done what is lawful and right, and has kept all My statutes and observed them, he shall surely 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 shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.

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.

21“But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not 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 which he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall live.

22All their past sins will be forgotten, and they will live because of the righteous things they have done.

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

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.

24“But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die.

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 say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ Hear now, O house of Israel, is it not My way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair?

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?

26When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and dies in it, it is because of the iniquity which he has done that he dies.

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.

27Again, when a wicked man turns away from the wickedness which he committed, and does what is lawful and right, he preserves himself alive.

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 considers and turns away from all the transgressions which he committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die.

28They will live because they thought it over and decided to turn from their sins. Such people will not die.

29Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ O house of Israel, is it not My ways which are fair, and your ways which are not fair?

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

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!

31Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O 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?

32For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord GOD. “Therefore turn and live!”

32I don’t want you to die, says the Sovereign LORD. Turn back and live!

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

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.