The Prophet Ezekiel

⭑ Unlocked Literal Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 18 -

The word of Yahweh came to me again and said,

“What do you mean, you who use this proverb concerning the land of Israel and say, ‘Fathers eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are made blunt?’

As I live-this is Lord Yahweh’s declaration-there will certainly no longer be any occasion for you to use this proverb in Israel.

Behold! Every life belongs to me-the life of the father as well as the life of the son belongs to me! The soul who sins is the one who will die!

Suppose that a man is righteous and carries out justice and righteousness.

Suppose that he has not eaten on the mountains, that he has not lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, and that he has not defiled his neighbor’s wife, nor approached a woman during her monthly period.

Suppose that he has not oppressed anyone but instead has returned a pledge to its debtor. Suppose that he has not taken what was stolen, but instead gives his food to the hungry, and that he covers the naked with clothes.

Then suppose that he does not charge any interest for loans, nor gains too much profit. Suppose that he carries out justice and establishes faithfulness between people.

Suppose that he walks in my statutes and keeps my decrees to act faithfully. Then the promise for this righteous man is this: He will surely live!-this is Lord Yahweh’s declaration.

But suppose that he has a violent son who sheds blood and does any of these things to a brother,

even though his father did not do any of these things. Suppose that he eats on the mountains and he defiles his neighbor’s wife.

Suppose that he oppresses the poor and needy, and that he seizes and robs and does not return a pledge. Suppose that he lifts up his eyes to the idols or commits disgusting actions.

Suppose that he lends charging interest or gains too much profit. Should he live? He will not live! He has done all these disgusting actions. He will surely die, and his blood will be on him.

But behold! Suppose that he bears a son who sees all the sins that his father has committed. Suppose that he himself fears God and does not do such things.

Suppose that he does not eat on the mountains. Suppose that he does not lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, nor does he defile his neighbor’s wife.

Suppose that he does not oppress anyone, seize a pledge, or take stolen things, but instead gives his food to the hungry and covers the naked with clothes.

Suppose that he draws his hand back from the poor and does not take interest or gains too much profit. Suppose that he carries out my decrees and walks according to my statutes. Then he will not die for his father’s sin; he will surely live!

His father, since he oppressed others by extortion and robbed his brother, and did what is not good among his people-behold, he will die in his iniquity.

But you say, ‘Why does the son not bear the iniquity of his father?’ Because the son carries out justice and righteousness and keeps all my statutes; he does them. He will surely live!

The one who sins, he will die. A son will not bear his father’s iniquity, and a father will not bear his son’s iniquity. The righteousness of the one who acts rightly will be on himself, and the wickedness of the wicked person will be on himself.

But if the wicked turns away from all his sins that he has done, and keeps all my statutes and performs justice and righteousness, then he will certainly live and not die.

All the transgressions that he has committed will not be called to mind against him. He will live by the righteousness that he practices.

Do I greatly rejoice over the death of the wicked-this is Lord Yahweh’s declaration-and not in his turning away from his way so that he may live?

But if the righteous person turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity and practices abominations like all the abominations that the wicked person does, then will he live? All the righteousness that he had done will not be called to mind when he betrays me in his treason. So he will die in the sins that he commits.

But you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair!’ Listen, house of Israel! Are my ways unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair?

When the righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity and dies because of them, then he will die in the iniquity that he has done.

But when a wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has done and performs justice and righteousness, then he will preserve his life.

For he has seen and turned away from all the transgressions that he had done. He will live life; he will not die.

But the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair!’ How is my way not fair, house of Israel? How is your way not unfair?

Therefore, I will judge each man among you according to his ways, house of Israel!-this is Lord Yahweh’s declaration. Repent and turn away from all your transgressions so that they will not be stumbling blocks of iniquity against you.

Throw away from off yourselves all of the transgressions that you have committed; make a new heart and a new spirit for yourselves. For why should you die, house of Israel?

For I do not rejoice in the death of the one who dies-this is Lord Yahweh’s declaration-so repent and live!”

The LORD’s word came to me again, saying,

“What do you mean, that 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’?

“As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “you shall not use this proverb any more in Israel.

Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine. The soul who sins, he shall die.

“But if a man is just, and does that which is lawful and right,

and has not eaten on the mountains, hasn’t lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hasn’t defiled his neighbor’s wife, hasn’t come near a woman in her impurity,

and has not wronged any, but has restored to the debtor his pledge, has taken nothing by robbery, has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment;

he who hasn’t lent to them with interest, hasn’t taken any increase from them, who has withdrawn his hand from iniquity, has executed true justice between man and man,

has walked in my statutes, and has kept my ordinances, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live,” says the Lord GOD.

“If he fathers a son who is a robber who sheds blood, and who does any one of these things,

or who does not do any of those things but has eaten at the mountain shrines and defiled his neighbor’s wife,

has wronged the poor and needy, has taken by robbery, has not restored the pledge, and has lifted up his eyes to the idols, has committed abomination,

has lent with interest, and has taken increase from the poor, shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations. He shall surely die. His blood will be on him.

“Now, behold, if he fathers a son who sees all his father’s sins which he has done, and fears, and doesn’t do likewise,

who hasn’t eaten on the mountains, hasn’t lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hasn’t defiled his neighbor’s wife,

hasn’t wronged any, hasn’t taken anything to pledge, hasn’t taken by robbery, but has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment;

who has withdrawn his hand from the poor, who hasn’t received interest or increase, has executed my ordinances, has walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father. He shall surely live.

As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, robbed his brother, and did that which is not good among his people, behold, he will die in his iniquity.

“Yet you say, ‘Why doesn’t the son bear the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done that which is lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes, and has done them, he will surely live.

The soul who sins, he shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be on him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on him.

“But if the wicked turns from all his sins that he has committed, and keeps all my statutes, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live. He shall not die.

None of his transgressions that he has committed will be remembered against him. In his righteousness that he has done, he shall live.

Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked?” says the Lord GOD, “and not rather that he should return from his way, and live?

“But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, should he live? None of his righteous deeds that he has done will be remembered. In his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them he shall die.

“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not equal.’ Hear now, house of Israel: Is my way not equal? Aren’t your ways unequal?

When the righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and dies in it, then he dies in his iniquity that he has done.

Again, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he will save his soul alive.

Because he considers, and turns away from all his transgressions that he has committed, he shall surely live. He shall not die.

Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ House of Israel, aren’t my ways fair? Aren’t your ways unfair?

“Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, everyone according to his ways,” says the Lord GOD. “Return, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions, so iniquity will not be your ruin.

Cast away from you all your transgressions in which you have transgressed; and make yourself a new heart and a new spirit. For why will you die, house of Israel?

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