Ezekiel
Chapter 18
1 God spoke to me once more, saying,
2 Why do you use this saying about Israel’s land: The parents ate sour grapes, and now their children’s teeth feel rough?
3 God says, as long as I live, you will not use this saying in Israel anymore.
4 Look, every person belongs to me; just as a father’s person is mine, so is a child’s person mine: the person who sins will die.
5 If a person is fair and does what is legal and right,
6 He has not eaten on the mountains, nor looked up to the idols of Israel, nor been with his neighbor’s wife, nor approached a woman during her period.
7 He has not been unkind to others, but has returned the borrower’s collateral, has not robbed anyone by force, has shared his food with the hungry, and has given clothes to those without any.
8 He who has not lent money at interest, nor taken extra for himself, who has avoided doing wrong, and has made fair decisions between people,
9 Has followed my rules and has kept my decisions, acting honestly; he is righteous, he will certainly live, says God.
10 If he has a son who steals, kills, and does any of these bad things,
11 Someone who does none of those duties, but also eats on the mountains and dishonors his neighbor’s wife,
12 Has mistreated the poor and needy, has robbed by force, has not returned what was borrowed, and has looked up to idols, has done terrible things.
13 Lent money for interest or made a profit from it: can he live? He won’t live: he did all these bad things; he will certainly die, and it’s his own fault.
14 Now, look, if he has a son who sees all the sins his father has done, thinks about it, and does not do the same,
15 Has not eaten on the mountains, nor looked up to the idols of Israel, has not dishonored another’s wife,
16 He has not hurt anyone, has not kept anything owed, has not robbed by force, but has given food to the hungry and has clothed those without clothes.
17 He who does not exploit the poor, who does not take interest or profit, who follows my laws and lives by my rules, will not die because of his father’s sins; he will surely live.
18 His father, because he hurt others, robbed his brother by force, and did bad things to his people, will also die for his sins.
19 You ask, “Why doesn’t the son get punished for the father’s sins?” If the son follows what is legal and right, obeys all my rules, and does them, he will certainly live.
20 The person who sins will die. A child won’t be punished for a parent’s wrongs, nor a parent for a child’s. The good person’s goodness will be their own, and the bad person’s badness will be their own.
21 If a bad person stops sinning and follows all God’s laws, doing what is right and fair, they will live and not die.
22 All the wrongs he did will not be brought up to him; by the good things he has done, he will live.
23 Does God take pleasure in the death of the wicked? No, God wants them to turn from their evil ways and live.
24 When someone good stops doing good, does wrong, and acts like a bad person, will they live? All the good they did won’t count anymore. They will die because of their wrongs and sins.
25 But you say, God’s way isn’t fair. Listen, people of Israel; isn’t my way fair? Aren’t your ways unfair?
26 When a good person stops doing right and does wrong, and dies because of it, they will die because of the wrong they have done.
27 When a bad person stops doing wrong and starts doing what is lawful and right, he will save his life.
28 Because he thinks about it and stops doing all the wrong things he did before, he will live and not die.
29 The people of Israel say, “God’s ways are not fair.” O people of Israel, aren’t my ways fair? Aren’t your ways unfair?
30 So, I will judge you, people of Israel, each according to their actions, says God. Turn back and stop all your sins; then they won’t destroy you.
31 Get rid of all the wrong things you have done, and create a new heart and a new spirit for yourself. Why should you die, people of Israel?
32 I don’t want anyone to die, says God. So change your ways and live.