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People Will Die Because of Their Own Sins

18 A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, “You people have a proverb about the land of Israel. What do you mean by it? It says,

“ ‘The parents eat sour grapes.
    But the children have a bitter taste in their mouths.’

“You will not use that proverb in Israel anymore,” announces the Lord and King. “And that is just as sure as I am alive. Everyone belongs to me. Parents and children alike belong to me. A person will die because of their own sins.

“Suppose there is a godly man
    who does what is fair and right.
And he does not eat at the mountain temples.
    He does not worship the statues of Israel’s gods.
He does not sleep with another man’s wife.
    He does not have sex with his own wife
    during her monthly period.
He does not treat anyone badly.
    Instead, he always returns things he takes
    to make sure loans are paid back.
He does not steal.
    Instead, he gives his food to hungry people.
    He provides clothes for those who are naked.
He does not charge interest when he lends money to them.
    He does not make money from them.
    He keeps himself from doing what is wrong.
    He judges cases fairly.
He obeys my rules.
    He is faithful in keeping my laws.
He always does what is right.
    You can be sure he will live,”
    announces the Lord and King.

10 “But suppose he has a mean son who harms other people. The son commits murder. Or he does some other things that are wrong. 11 Suppose he does these things even though his father never did.

“Suppose the son eats at the mountain temples.
    And he sleeps with another man’s wife.
12 He treats poor and needy people badly.
    He steals.
He does not pay back what he owes.
    He worships statues of gods.
He does other things I hate.
13     He charges interest when he lends money to poor people. He makes money from them.

Will a man like that live? He will not! He must be put to death. And what happens to him will be his own fault. He did many things I hate.

14 “But suppose this son has a son of his own. And the son sees all the sins his father commits. He sees them, but he does not do them.

15 “Suppose he does not eat at the mountain temples.
    And he does not worship the statues of Israel’s gods.
    He does not sleep with another man’s wife.
16 He does not treat anyone badly.
    He does not make people give him something
    to prove they will pay back what they owe him.
He does not steal.
    Instead, he gives his food to hungry people.
    He provides clothes for those who are naked.
17 He keeps himself from committing sins.
    He does not charge interest when he lends money to poor people.
    He does not make money from them.
    He keeps my laws and obeys my rules.

He will not die because of his father’s sin. You can be sure he will live. 18 But his father will die because of his own sin. He got rich by cheating others. He robbed his relatives. He also did what was wrong among his people.

19 “But you still ask, ‘Is the son guilty along with his father?’ No! The son did what was fair and right. He was careful to obey all my rules. So you can be sure he will live.

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The One Who Sins Will Die

18 The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel:

“‘The parents eat sour grapes,
    and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?(A)

“As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, you will no longer quote this proverb(B) in Israel. For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins(C) is the one who will die.(D)

“Suppose there is a righteous man
    who does what is just and right.
He does not eat at the mountain(E) shrines
    or look to the idols(F) of Israel.
He does not defile his neighbor’s wife
    or have sexual relations with a woman during her period.(G)
He does not oppress(H) anyone,
    but returns what he took in pledge(I) for a loan.
He does not commit robbery(J)
    but gives his food to the hungry(K)
    and provides clothing for the naked.(L)
He does not lend to them at interest
    or take a profit from them.(M)
He withholds his hand from doing wrong
    and judges fairly(N) between two parties.
He follows my decrees(O)
    and faithfully keeps my laws.
That man is righteous;(P)
    he will surely live,(Q)
declares the Sovereign Lord.

10 “Suppose he has a violent son, who sheds blood(R) or does any of these other things[a] 11 (though the father has done none of them):

“He eats at the mountain shrines.(S)
He defiles his neighbor’s wife.
12 He oppresses the poor(T) and needy.
He commits robbery.
He does not return what he took in pledge.(U)
He looks to the idols.
He does detestable things.(V)
13 He lends at interest and takes a profit.(W)

Will such a man live? He will not! Because he has done all these detestable things, he is to be put to death; his blood will be on his own head.(X)

14 “But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things:(Y)

15 “He does not eat at the mountain shrines(Z)
    or look to the idols(AA) of Israel.
He does not defile his neighbor’s wife.
16 He does not oppress anyone
    or require a pledge for a loan.
He does not commit robbery
    but gives his food to the hungry(AB)
    and provides clothing for the naked.(AC)
17 He withholds his hand from mistreating the poor
    and takes no interest or profit from them.
He keeps my laws(AD) and follows my decrees.

He will not die for his father’s sin; he will surely live. 18 But his father will die for his own sin, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was wrong among his people.

19 “Yet you ask, ‘Why does the son not share the guilt of his father?’ Since the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live.(AE)

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 18:10 Or things to a brother