Ezekiel 18
The LORD declares that the soul that sins shall die — each person bears their own iniquity. A righteous man who turns to wickedness will die; a wicked man who repents and does what is right will live. The LORD takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked but calls all to repent and live.
| v | King James Version | Modern English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying, | The word of the LORD came to me: |
| 2 | What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge? | "What do You mean by using this proverb in the land of Israel: 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge'?" |
| 3 | As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel. | "As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, You will no longer use this proverb in Israel." |
| 4 | Behold, 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. | "Every soul belongs to Me — the soul of the father and the soul of the son alike. The soul that sins is the one who will die." |
| 5 | But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right, | "Suppose a man is righteous and does what is just and right." |
| 6 | And hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour's wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman, | "He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of Israel. He does not defile His neighbor's wife or sleep with a woman during her period." |
| 7 | And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment; | "He does not oppress anyone but returns what a borrower pledged. He does not commit robbery but gives His food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked." |
| 8 | He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man, | "He does not lend money at interest or take a profit. He keeps His hand from wrongdoing and judges fairly between man and man." |
| 9 | Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD. | "He follows My decrees and keeps My laws faithfully. That man is righteous. He will surely live, declares the Lord GOD." |
| 10 | If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth the like to any one of these things, | "But suppose this man has a violent son who sheds blood and does any of these things —" |
| 11 | And that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour's wife, | "though the father did not do any of them. The son eats at the mountain shrines, defiles his neighbor's wife," |
| 12 | Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination, | "oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not return what he took as a pledge, looks to idols, and does detestable things." |
| 13 | Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him. | "He lends at interest and takes a profit. Will such a man live? He will not! Because he has done all these detestable things, he will surely die. His blood will be on his own head." |
| 14 | Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father's sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like, | "But suppose this violent son has a son who sees all the sins his father committed, and though he sees them, he does not do such things." |
| 15 | That hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbour's wife, | "He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor's wife." |
| 16 | Neither hath oppressed any, hath not withholden the pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment, | "He does not oppress anyone or hold back any pledge. He does not commit robbery but gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked." |
| 17 | That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live. | "He withholds his hand from sin and takes no interest or profit. He keeps My laws and follows My decrees. He will not die for his father's iniquity. He will surely live." |
| 18 | As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, behold, even he shall die in his iniquity. | "But his father will die for his own iniquity, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what was wrong among his people." |
| 19 | Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live. | "Yet you say, 'Why? Does not the son bear the iniquity of the father?' When the son has done what is lawful and right, and has kept all My statutes and done them, he will surely live. |
| 20 | The soul that sinneth, it 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 upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. | The soul that sins, it 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 upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. |
| 21 | But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. | "But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins and keeps all My decrees, doing what is just and right — he will surely live. He will not die." |
| 22 | All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. | "None of the offenses he has committed will be counted against him. Because of the righteous things he has done, he will live." |
| 23 | Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live? | "Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Lord GOD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?" |
| 24 | But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. | "But if a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits iniquity, doing all the abominations the wicked person does, will they live? None of the righteous things they have done will be remembered. In their trespass that they have trespassed and in their sin that they have sinned, they will die." |
| 25 | Yet ye say, The way of the LORD is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal? | "Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair.' Hear me, house of Israel: Is My way unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair?" |
| 26 | When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. | "If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin, they die for it. They die because of the sin they have committed." |
| 27 | Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. | "But if a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just and right, they will save their life." |
| 28 | Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. | "Because they considered all the offenses they had committed and turned away from them, they will surely live. They will not die." |
| 29 | Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal? | "Yet the house of Israel says, 'The way of the Lord is not fair.' Are My ways unfair, house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unfair?" |
| 30 | Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. | "Therefore I will judge You, house of Israel, each one according to his own ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent! Turn away from all Your offenses. Then iniquity will not be Your downfall." |
| 31 | Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? | "Rid yourselves of all the offenses You have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will You die, house of Israel?" |
| 32 | For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye. | "For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and live!" |