Eze 18 | NASB1995 | STEP | Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying ,

Ezekiel 18

God Deals Justly with Individuals

1 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 ^a“What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, ‘ ^bThe fathers eat the sour grapes,
But the children’s teeth ^{▼▼ Lit become dull}are set on edge’?

3 “As I live,” declares the Lord ^{▼▼ Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord , and so throughout the ch}God, “you are surely not going to use this proverb in Israel anymore. 4 “Behold, ^eall ^{▼▼ Or lives}souls are Mine; the ^{▼▼ Or life}soul of the father as well as the ^{▼▼ Or life}soul of the son is Mine. The ^{▼▼ Or person}soul who ^jsins will die.

5 “But if a man is righteous and practices justice and righteousness, 6 and does not ^keat at the mountain shrines or ^llift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or ^mdefile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period— 7 if a man does not oppress anyone, but ⁿrestores to the debtor his pledge, ^odoes not commit robbery, but ^pgives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing, 8 if he does not lend money on ^qinterest or take ^rincrease, if he keeps his hand from iniquity and ^sexecutes true justice between man and man, 9 if he walks in ^tMy statutes and My ordinances so as to deal faithfully— ^uhe is righteous and will surely ^vlive,” declares the Lord God.

10 “Then he may ^{▼▼ Lit beget}have a violent son who sheds blood and who does any of these things to a brother 11 (though he himself did not do any of these things), that is, he even eats at the mountain shrines, and ^xdefiles his neighbor’s wife, 12 oppresses the ^ypoor and needy, ^zcommits robbery, does not restore a pledge, but lifts up his eyes to the idols and ^aacommits abomination, 13 he ^ablends money on interest and takes increase; will he live? He will not live! He has committed all these abominations, he will surely be put to death; his ^acblood will be ^{▼▼ Lit on him}on his own head.

14 “Now behold, he ^{▼▼ Lit begets}has a son who has observed all his father’s sins which he committed, and ^afobserving does not do likewise. 15 “He does not eat at the mountain shrines or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor’s wife, 16 or oppress anyone, or retain a pledge, or commit robbery, but he ^aggives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing, 17 he keeps his hand from ^{▼▼ So M.T.; Gr reads iniquity as in v 8}the poor, does not take interest or increase, but executes My ordinances, and walks in My statutes; ^aihe will not die for his father’s iniquity, he will surely live. 18 “As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was not good among his people, behold, he will die for his iniquity.

19 “Yet you say, ‘ ^ajWhy should the son not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity?’ When the son has practiced ^akjustice and righteousness and has observed all My statutes and done them, he shall surely live. 20 “The person who ^alsins will die. The ^amson will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the ^anrighteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.

21 “But if the ^aowicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed and observes all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 22 ^ap“All his transgressions which he has committed will not be remembered against him; because of his ^aqrighteousness which he has practiced, he will live. 23 ^ar“Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord God, ^{▼▼ Lit is it not}“rather than that he should ^atturn from his ways and live?

24 “But when a righteous man ^auturns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and does according to all the abominations that a wicked man does, will he live? ^avAll his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered for his ^awtreachery which he has committed and his sin which he has committed; for them he will die. 25 “Yet you say, ‘ ^axThe way of the Lord is not right.’ Hear now, O house of Israel! Is ^ayMy way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right? 26 “When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and dies because of it, for his iniquity which he has committed he will die. 27 “Again, when a wicked man turns away ^azfrom his wickedness which he has committed and practices justice and righteousness, he will save his life. 28 “Because he considered and turned away from all his transgressions which he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 29 “But the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ Are My ways not right, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are not right?

30 “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct,” declares the Lord God. ^ba“Repent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you. 31 ^bb“Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a ^bcnew heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel? 32 “For I have ^bdno pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “Therefore, repent and live.”