Ezekiel Chapter 18
The Soul That Sins Will Die
18:1A message from the LORD came to me:
2 “What do you mean by the proverb about Israel,
‘The parents ate sour grapes,
and the children’s mouths puckered’?
3 As I live, you won’t be using that proverb in Israel anymore. 4 Every soul belongs to me, the parent’s as well as the children’s. The soul that sins is the one that dies.
5“If a man practices goodness,
6 doesn’t eat at the mountain shrines or
look up to the idols in Israel,
defile his neighbor’s wife or
approach a woman during her period;
7if he doesn’t oppress anybody, but
restores the debtor’s pledge;
if he doesn’t steal,
but feeds the hungry and clothes the naked,
8 if he doesn’t lend money with interest,
if he keeps from sinning and
carries out true goodness between people,
9 if he follows my statutes and ordinances to deal faithfully—
he’s good; he’ll live.”
Ezek 18:1-9
10“If he has a violent son that
sheds blood and
does any of those sins to a brother 11 (though the father didn’t
do any of them himself)—
eats at the mountain shrines and
defiles his neighbor’s wife,
12 oppresses the poor and needy,
steals,
doesn’t return a pledge, but
looks up to idols and
commits disgusting acts,
13 lends money with interest—
will he live? No! He’s committed detestable acts;
put him to death. His blood will be on himself.
Ezek 18:10-13
14“If he has a son that’s seen his father’s sins and doesn’t do them—
15 if he doesn’t eat at the mountain shrines or
look up to idols in Israel or
defile his neighbor’s wife,
16 if he doesn’t oppress anybody or
keep a pledge or steal,
but gives bread to the hungry and clothes to the naked,
17 refuses to hurt the poor,
doesn’t charge interest,
but carries out my ordinances and follows my statutes—
he won’t die for his father’s sins; he’ll live.
Ezek 18:14-17
18Because the father practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what wasn’t good, he’ll die for his own sins.
19 “Yet you say, ‘Why shouldn’t a child take the punishment for a parent’s sins?’ When children practice goodness and observe my statutes, they’ll live. 20 The one that sins is the one that dies. An offspring won’t take the punishment for a parent’s sins or vice versa. A person’s goodness or sinfulness applies to the one that does it.
Ezek 18:18-20
21 “If sinful people quit sinning, keep my statutes, and practice goodness, they’ll live. 22 The sins they’ve committed I won’t hold against them. Because they’re practicing goodness now, they’ll live. 23 Do I get any satisfaction out of seeing a sinner die,” the Lord GOD says, “instead of turning from sin and living?
24 “But when good people turn away from their goodness, and do what sinful people do, will they live? I won’t consider their good deeds before; they’ll die for the treachery they’re committing now. 25 Yet you say the LORD’s way’s not right. Listen, Israel! Aren’t your ways the ones that aren’t right? 26 When good people turn away from their goodness, they’ll die in their sin. 27 When sinful people quit sinning and practice what’s right, they’ll save their life. 28 They’ll live because they thought it over and turned away from their sin. 29 But Israel says, ‘The LORD’s way isn’t right.’ Aren’t my ways right, Israel? Aren’t your ways the ones that aren’t?
Ezek 18:21-29
30 “So I’ll judge you, Israel, each person by their own behavior. Repent and quit sinning so your sins won’t make you stumble. 31 Get rid of them. Make a new heart and spirit for yourselves! Why die, Israel? 32 I don’t get any satisfaction out of seeing somebody die. So repent and live.”
Ezek 18:30-32