Ezekiel 18

2The fathers have eaten a sour grape and the children’s teeth are set on edge.

3As I live, saith the Lord, This parable shall no more be used by Israel,

4for all souls are Mine. As the soul of the father so also the soul of the son is Mine. The soul that sinneth, it shall die.

5But the man who shall be just, who executeth judgment and justice,

6who eateth not upon the mountains, nor lifteth up his eyes to the desires of the house of Israel, and defileth not his neighbour’s wife, nor approacheth a woman in a state of menstruation;

7who shall oppress no man; shall restore the pledge of a debtor and not be guilty of rapine; who shall deal out his bread to the hungry, and clothe the naked,

8and not lend his money on interest nor take usury, and shall turn away his hand from injustice and execute righteous judgment between man and man,

9and hath walked in My statutes, and kept My judgments to do them. Such a one is righteous,—he shall live, saith the Lord.

11who hath not walked in the way of his righteous father but hath eaten on the mountains and defiled his neighbour’s wife;

12hath oppressed the poor and needy, and been guilty of rapine; hath not restored a pledge and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols; hath done injustice,

13lent on interest and taken usury,—he shall not live. He hath committed all these iniquities. He shall surely die. His blood shall be upon him.

15hath not eaten upon the mountains, nor fixed his eyes on the desires of the house of Israel; nor defiled his neighbour’s wife,

16nor oppressed any man, nor taken a pledge; nor been guilty of rapine—

17hath dealt out his bread to the hungry and clothed the naked, and turned away his hand from injustice; hath neither lent on interest nor take usury; hath practised justice and walked in My statutes;

18he shall not die for the iniquities of his father. He shall live. But as for his father, if he be guilty of rapine and oppression, he hath done wrong in the midst of My people, and for his iniquities he shall die.

20But the soul which sinneth shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of his father; nor shall the father bear the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and upon the iniquitous shall be his iniquity.

21But if the unrighteous man will turn from all the unrighteous acts which he hath done, and will keep all My commandments, and practise righteousness and mercy; he shall surely live and not die.

22None of the transgressions which he committed shall be remembered; for the righteousness which he hath exercised, he shall live.

24But when a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity according to all the iniquities which the wicked hath done, none of the righteous acts which he hath done shall be remembered. For the sins which he hath committed, even for these he shall die.

25Yet you have said, The way of the Lord is not straight. Hear now, all ye house of Israel, Is not My way straight? Is it not your way which is not straight?

26When the righteous turneth from his righteousness and committeth a crime, for the crime he committeth he should die—for it he shall die.

27And when a wicked man turneth from his wickedness which he committed, and shall practise justice and righteousness, he hath saved his soul.

28He hath turned away from all his wicked acts which he committed; he shall surely live; he shall not die.

30I will judge you, saith the Lord, O house of Israel, each one according to his way. Be converted and turn from all your acts of wickedness, and they shall not bring upon you the punishment of iniquity.

31Cast away from you all your impious acts; which you have impiously committed against Me; and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Now why do you die, O house of Israel,

32since I desire not the death of him who dieth? saith the Lord.