Ezekiel 18

The word of the LORD came to me: “Why do you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel: ‘The fathers eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’? As I live, declares the Lord GOD, you will no longer use this proverb in Israel. Every life belongs to me. The life of the father and the life of the son alike belong to me. The person who sins will die. If a man is righteous and practices justice and righteousness, does not eat on the mountains or lift his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period, does not oppress anyone but returns a debtor’s pledge, does not commit robbery, gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing, does not lend at interest or take extra profit, keeps his hand from injustice, and judges faithfully between one person and another, follows my statutes and keeps my ordinances, acting faithfully—he is righteous. He will surely live, declares the Lord GOD. But if he fathers a violent son who sheds blood and does any of these things to a brother, and does none of these righteous deeds, but eats on the mountains and defiles his neighbor’s wife, oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not return a pledge, lifts his eyes to the idols, commits an abomination, lends at interest and takes extra profit, will he live? He will not live! He has committed all these abominations. He will surely be put to death; his blood will be upon him. But if he fathers a son who sees all the sins his father has committed, sees them and does not do likewise, does not eat on the mountains or lift his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife, does not oppress anyone, take a pledge, or commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing, refrains from oppressing the poor, takes no interest or extra profit, carries out my ordinances, and follows my statutes—he will not die for his father’s iniquity. He will surely live. As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what is not good among his people, he will die for his own iniquity. Yet you say, ‘Why does the son not bear his father’s iniquity?’ Because the son has practiced justice and righteousness, kept all my statutes, and carried them out, he will surely live. The person who sins will die. A son will not bear his father’s iniquity, nor will a father bear his son’s iniquity. The righteousness of the righteous will be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon him. But if the wicked man turns from all the sins he has committed, keeps all my statutes, and practices justice and righteousness, he will surely live; he will not die. None of the transgressions he committed will be remembered against him. He will live because of the righteousness he has practiced. Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord GOD? Is it not rather that he turn from his ways and live? But if the righteous man turns from his righteousness and does injustice, committing all the abominations the wicked man commits, will he live? None of the righteous deeds he has done will be remembered. He will die because of the unfaithfulness he committed and the sin he sinned. Yet you say, ‘The Lord’s way is not fair.’ Listen now, house of Israel: Is my way not fair? Is it not your ways that are unfair? When a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does injustice and dies for these things, he dies for the injustice he has done. When a wicked man turns from the wickedness he has committed and practices justice and righteousness, he will preserve his life. Because he considered and turned from all the transgressions he had committed, he will surely live; he will not die. Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The Lord’s way is not fair.’ Are my ways not fair, house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unfair? Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, each according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be a stumbling block to you. Cast away from yourselves all the transgressions you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, house of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies, declares the Lord GOD. So turn and live!”

Rights and attribution