Eze 18 | NASB2020 | 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 “ ^aWhat do you people mean by using this proverb about the land of Israel, saying,

‘ ^bThe fathers eat sour grapes,
^{▼▼Lit I.e., the children suffer for the fathers’ sins}But it is the children’s teeth that have become blunt’?
3 As I live,” declares the Lord ^{▼▼Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch}God, “you certainly are 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 if he does not ^keat at the mountain shrines or ^lraise 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 and 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 and if he does not ^{▼▼Lit give}lend money at ^rinterest or take ^{▼▼Or usury, and so throughout the ch; i.e., on other kinds of loans
,} ^tinterest, if he keeps his hand from injustice and ^uexecutes true justice between one person and another, 9 if he walks in ^vMy statutes and keeps My ordinances so as to deal faithfully-- ^whe is righteous and will certainly ^xlive,” declares the Lord God.

10 “However, he may father a violent son who sheds blood, and does any one 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 ^ydefiles his neighbor’s wife, 12 oppresses the ^zpoor and needy, ^aacommits robbery, does not restore a pledge, but raises his eyes to the idols and ^abcommits abomination, 13 ^aclends money at interest and takes ^{▼▼I.e., on other kinds of loans}interest; will he live? He will not live! He has committed all these abominations, he shall certainly be put to death; his ^aeblood will be on himself.

14 “Now behold, he has fathered a son who saw all his father’s sins which he committed, but he has ^afseen them and does not do likewise. 15 He does not eat at the mountain shrines or raise his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel; he has not defiled his neighbor’s wife, 16 nor oppressed anyone, nor retained a pledge, nor committed robbery; instead, he ^aggives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing, 17 he keeps his hand from ^{▼▼As in MT; LXX injustice}the poor, does not take any kind of interest on loans, but executes My ordinances, and walks in My statutes; ^aihe will not die for his father’s guilt, he will certainly 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 guilt.

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

21 “But if the ^aowicked person turns from all his sins which he has committed and keeps all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall certainly live; he shall not die. 22 ^apAll his offenses which he has committed will not be remembered against him; because of his ^aqrighteousness which he has practiced, he will live. 23 ^arDo I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord God, “ ^{▼▼Lit is it not}rather than that he would ^atturn from his ways and live?

24 “But when a righteous person ^auturns away from his righteousness, commits injustice and does according to all the abominations that the wicked person 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, house of Israel! Is ^ayMy way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right? 26 When a righteous person turns away from his righteousness, commits injustice and dies because of it, for his injustice which he has committed he dies. 27 But when a wicked person turns away ^azfrom his wickedness which he has committed and practices justice and righteousness, he will save his life. 28 Since he understood and turned away from all his offenses which he had committed, he shall certainly 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, house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are not right?

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