The One Who Sins Will Die

18 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel:

³ “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, you will no longer quote this proverb^(B) in Israel. ⁴ 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)

²⁵ “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’^(A) Hear, you Israelites: Is my way unjust?^(B) Is it not your ways that are unjust? ²⁶ If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin, they will die for it; because of the sin they have committed they will die. ²⁷ 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.^{(C) 28} Because they consider all the offenses they have committed and turn away from them, that person will surely live; they will not die.^{(D) 29} Yet the Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are my ways unjust, people of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?

³⁰ “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent!^(E) Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall.^{(F) 31} Rid^(G) yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart^(H) and a new spirit. Why^(I) will you die, people of Israel?^{(J) 32} For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent^(K) and live!^(L)

² Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.^(A)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

³ I thank my God every time I remember you.^{(B) 4} In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray^(C) with joy ⁵ because of your partnership^(D) in the gospel from the first day^(E) until now, ⁶ being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion^(F) until the day of Christ Jesus.^(G)

⁷ It is right^(H) for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart^(I) and, whether I am in chains^(J) or defending^(K) and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. ⁸ God can testify^(L) how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

⁹ And this is my prayer: that your love^(M) may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,^{(N) 10} so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,^{(O) 11} filled with the fruit of righteousness^(P) that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

The Parable of the Two Sons

²⁸ “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’^(A)

²⁹ “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

³⁰ “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.

³¹ “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”

“The first,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors^(B) and the prostitutes^(C) are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. ³² For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness,^(D) and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors^(E) and the prostitutes^(F) did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent^(G) and believe him.