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word of the Lord came to me: 2 “What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel:
‘The fathers eat sour grapes,
and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?
3 “As I live,” says the Lord God, “you will no longer use this proverb in Israel. 4 Behold, every living soul belongs to Me. The life of the father together with the life of the son—both belong to Me. The person who sins is the one who will die.
5 “Now suppose a man is righteous,
and he does what is lawful and right.
6 He does not eat at the mountain shrines,
nor does he lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel.
He does not defile his neighbour’s wife,
nor does he will approach a woman during her menstrual impurity.
7 He does not oppress anyone,
but returns what he took in pledge for a loan.
He does not commit robbery,
but gives his bread to the hungry,
and covers the naked with clothing.
8 He does not lend at usury
or takes profit from a loan,
but keeps his hand from wrongdoing,
and carries out true justice between man and man.
9 He follows My statutes,
and faithfully keeps My ordinances.
That man is righteous;
he will surely live,”
says the Lord God.
10 “But suppose he has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these things to another, 11 though the father has done none of them:
“He eats at the mountain shrines,
and defiles his neighbour’s wife.
12 He oppresses the poor and needy,
he commits robbery,
and he does not return what he took in pledge for a loan.
He lifts up his eyes to the idols,
and commits abominations.
13 He lends at interest or for profit.
“Should such a man live then? He will not live! Since he has committed such abominations, he will surely die. His blood will be on his own head.
14 “But suppose he has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do likewise.
15 “He does not eat at the mountain shrines,
nor does he lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel,
nor does he defile his neighbour’s wife.
16 He does not oppress anyone,
nor does he require a pledge for a loan.
He does not commit robbery,
but gives his bread to the hungry,
and covers the naked with clothing.
17 He withholds his hand from harming the poor,
not taking usury or profit for a loan.
He keeps My ordinances and walks in My statutes.
“He will not die for the iniquity of his father; he will surely live. 18 As for his father, because he practised extortion, robbed his brother, and did what was wrong among his people, he will die for his iniquity.
19 “Yet you say, ‘Why shouldn’t the son share the guilt of the father?’ Since the son has done what is just and right, and has been careful to keep all My statutes, he will surely live. 20 The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor the father share the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous man will be accounted to him, and the wickedness of the wicked man will be accounted to him.
21 “But if a wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. 22 None of the transgressions he has committed will be remembered against him. Because of the righteousness which he has done, he will live. 23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked?” says the Lord God. “Rather, am I not pleased when he turns from his ways and lives?
24 “But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity and does the same abominations that the wicked man does, will he live? None of the righteousness he has practiced will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, he will die.
25 “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair’. Hear now, O house of Israel: Is it My way that is unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair? 26 When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and practices iniquity, he will die for this. It is for the iniquity he has practised that he will die. 27 But when a wicked man turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will preserve his life. 28 Because he considered all the transgressions he has committed and turned away from them, he will surely live; he will not die. 29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is unfair’. Is it not My ways that are fair, O house of Israel, and your ways that are unfair?
30 “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each one of you according to his ways,” says the Lord God. “Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not bring your ruin. 31 Cast away from you all the transgressions you have committed, and get for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone,” says the Lord God. “Repent, therefore, and you will live!”