The Soul Who Sins Shall Die

18 The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you[a] mean (A)by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, (B)‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge’? (C)As I live, declares the Lord God, (D)this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: (E)the soul who sins shall die.

“If a man is righteous and does (F)what is just and right— if he (G)does not eat upon the mountains or (H)lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, (I)does not defile his neighbor's wife (J)or approach (K)a woman in her time of menstrual impurity, (L)does not oppress anyone, but (M)restores to the debtor his pledge, (N)commits no robbery, (O)gives his bread to the hungry (P)and covers the naked with a garment, (Q)does not lend at interest (R)or take any profit,[b] withholds his hand from injustice, (S)executes true justice between man and man, (T)walks in my statutes, and keeps my rules by acting faithfully—he is righteous; (U)he shall surely live, declares the Lord God.

10 “If he fathers a son who is violent, (V)a shedder of blood, who does any of these things 11 (though he himself did none of these things), (W)who even eats upon the mountains, (X)defiles his neighbor's wife, 12 oppresses the poor and needy, (Y)commits robbery, (Z)does not restore the pledge, (AA)lifts up his eyes to the idols, (AB)commits abomination, 13 (AC)lends at interest, and takes profit; shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations; he shall surely die; (AD)his blood shall be upon himself.

14 “Now suppose this man fathers a son who sees all the sins that his father has done; he sees, and does not do likewise: 15 he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor's wife, 16 does not oppress anyone, (AE)exacts no pledge, (AF)commits no robbery, (AG)but gives his bread to the hungry (AH)and covers the naked with a garment, 17 withholds his hand from iniquity,[c] takes no interest or profit, obeys my rules, (AI)and walks in my statutes; he shall not die for his father's iniquity; (AJ)he shall surely live. 18 As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what is not good among his people, (AK)behold, he shall die for his iniquity.

19 “Yet you say, (AL)‘Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done (AM)what is just and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, (AN)he shall surely live. 20 (AO)The soul who sins shall die. (AP)The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. (AQ)The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, (AR)and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.

21 (AS)“But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does (AT)what is just and right, (AU)he shall surely live; he shall not die. 22 (AV)None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live. 23 (AW)Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? 24 (AX)But when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? (AY)None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for (AZ)the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die.

25 (BA)“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just? 26 (BB)When a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice, he shall die for it; for the injustice that he has done he shall die. 27 Again, (BC)when a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his life. 28 Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions that he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ O house of Israel, are my ways not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?

30 “Therefore (BD)I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord God. (BE)Repent and turn from all your transgressions, (BF)lest iniquity be your ruin.[d] 31 (BG)Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and (BH)make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! (BI)Why will you die, O house of Israel? 32 (BJ)For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; (BK)so turn, and live.”

A Lament for the Princes of Israel

19 And you, (BL)take up a lamentation for the princes of Israel, and say:

What was your mother? (BM)A lioness!
    Among lions she crouched;
in the midst of young lions
    she reared her cubs.
And she brought up one of her cubs;
    (BN)he became a young lion,
(BO)and he learned to catch prey;
    he devoured men.
The nations heard about him;
    (BP)he was caught in their pit,
(BQ)and they brought him with hooks
    to the land of Egypt.
When she saw that she waited in vain,
    that her hope was lost,
(BR)she took another of her cubs
    and made him a young lion.
He prowled among the lions;
    he became a young lion,
and he learned to catch prey;
    he devoured men,
and seized[e] their widows.
    He laid waste their cities,
and the land was appalled and all who were in it
    at the sound of his roaring.
(BS)Then the nations set against him
    from provinces on every side;
(BT)they spread their net over him;
    (BU)he was taken in their pit.
With hooks (BV)they put him in a cage[f]
    and (BW)brought him to the king of Babylon;
    they brought him into custody,
that his voice should no more be heard
    on (BX)the mountains of Israel.

10 Your mother was (BY)like a vine in a vineyard[g]
    planted by the water,
(BZ)fruitful and full of branches
    (CA)by reason of abundant water.
11 Its strong stems became
    rulers' scepters;
it towered aloft
    among the thick boughs;[h]
it was seen in its height
    with the mass of its branches.
12 But the vine was plucked up in fury,
    cast down to the ground;
(CB)the east wind dried up its fruit;
    they were stripped off and withered.
As for its strong stem,
    fire consumed it.
13 (CC)Now it is planted in the wilderness,
    in a dry and thirsty land.
14 (CD)And fire has gone out from the stem of its shoots,
    has consumed its fruit,
(CE)so that there remains in it no strong stem,
    no scepter for ruling.

This is (CF)a lamentation and has become a lamentation.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 18:2 The Hebrew for you is plural
  2. Ezekiel 18:8 That is, profit that comes from charging interest to the poor; also verses 13, 17 (compare Leviticus 25:36)
  3. Ezekiel 18:17 Septuagint; Hebrew from the poor
  4. Ezekiel 18:30 Or lest iniquity be your stumbling block
  5. Ezekiel 19:7 Hebrew knew
  6. Ezekiel 19:9 Or in a wooden collar
  7. Ezekiel 19:10 Some Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts in your blood
  8. Ezekiel 19:11 Or the clouds

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) 20 The one who sins is the one who will die.(AF) The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them.(AG)

21 “But if(AH) a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees(AI) and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die.(AJ) 22 None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live.(AK) 23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased(AL) when they turn from their ways and live?(AM)

24 “But if a righteous person turns(AN) from their righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked person does, will they live? None of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness(AO) they are guilty of and because of the sins they have committed, they will die.(AP)

25 “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’(AQ) Hear, you Israelites: Is my way unjust?(AR) 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.(AS) 28 Because they consider all the offenses they have committed and turn away from them, that person will surely live; they will not die.(AT) 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!(AU) Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall.(AV) 31 Rid(AW) yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart(AX) and a new spirit. Why(AY) will you die, people of Israel?(AZ) 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent(BA) and live!(BB)

A Lament Over Israel’s Princes

19 “Take up a lament(BC) concerning the princes(BD) of Israel and say:

“‘What a lioness(BE) was your mother
    among the lions!
She lay down among them
    and reared her cubs.(BF)
She brought up one of her cubs,
    and he became a strong lion.
He learned to tear the prey
    and he became a man-eater.
The nations heard about him,
    and he was trapped in their pit.
They led him with hooks(BG)
    to the land of Egypt.(BH)

“‘When she saw her hope unfulfilled,
    her expectation gone,
she took another of her cubs(BI)
    and made him a strong lion.(BJ)
He prowled among the lions,
    for he was now a strong lion.
He learned to tear the prey
    and he became a man-eater.(BK)
He broke down[b] their strongholds
    and devastated(BL) their towns.
The land and all who were in it
    were terrified by his roaring.
Then the nations(BM) came against him,
    those from regions round about.
They spread their net(BN) for him,
    and he was trapped in their pit.(BO)
With hooks(BP) they pulled him into a cage
    and brought him to the king of Babylon.(BQ)
They put him in prison,
    so his roar(BR) was heard no longer
    on the mountains of Israel.(BS)

10 “‘Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard[c](BT)
    planted by the water;(BU)
it was fruitful and full of branches
    because of abundant water.(BV)
11 Its branches were strong,
    fit for a ruler’s scepter.
It towered high
    above the thick foliage,
conspicuous for its height
    and for its many branches.(BW)
12 But it was uprooted(BX) in fury
    and thrown to the ground.
The east wind(BY) made it shrivel,
    it was stripped of its fruit;
its strong branches withered
    and fire consumed them.(BZ)
13 Now it is planted in the desert,(CA)
    in a dry and thirsty land.(CB)
14 Fire spread from one of its main[d] branches
    and consumed(CC) its fruit.
No strong branch is left on it
    fit for a ruler’s scepter.’(CD)

“This is a lament(CE) and is to be used as a lament.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 18:10 Or things to a brother
  2. Ezekiel 19:7 Targum (see Septuagint); Hebrew He knew
  3. Ezekiel 19:10 Two Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts your blood
  4. Ezekiel 19:14 Or from under its

The Earthly Holy Place

Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and (A)an earthly place of holiness. For (B)a tent[a] was prepared, the first section, in which were (C)the lampstand and (D)the table and (E)the bread of the Presence.[b] It is called the Holy Place. Behind (F)the second curtain was a second section[c] called the Most Holy Place, having the golden (G)altar of incense and (H)the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was (I)a golden urn holding the manna, and (J)Aaron's staff that budded, and (K)the tablets of the covenant. Above it were (L)the cherubim of glory overshadowing (M)the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

These preparations having thus been made, (N)the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, but into the second only (O)the high priest goes, and he but (P)once a year, and not without taking blood, (Q)which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. By this the Holy Spirit indicates that (R)the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing (which is symbolic for the present age).[d] According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered (S)that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, 10 but deal only with (T)food and drink and (U)various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 9:2 Or tabernacle; also verses 11, 21
  2. Hebrews 9:2 Greek the presentation of the loaves
  3. Hebrews 9:3 Greek tent; also verses 6, 8
  4. Hebrews 9:9 Or which is symbolic for the age then present

Worship in the Earthly Tabernacle

Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary.(A) A tabernacle(B) was set up. In its first room were the lampstand(C) and the table(D) with its consecrated bread;(E) this was called the Holy Place.(F) Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place,(G) which had the golden altar of incense(H) and the gold-covered ark of the covenant.(I) This ark contained the gold jar of manna,(J) Aaron’s staff that had budded,(K) and the stone tablets of the covenant.(L) Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory,(M) overshadowing the atonement cover.(N) But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.

When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly(O) into the outer room to carry on their ministry. But only the high priest entered(P) the inner room,(Q) and that only once a year,(R) and never without blood,(S) which he offered for himself(T) and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.(U) The Holy Spirit was showing(V) by this that the way(W) into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning. This is an illustration(X) for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered(Y) were not able to clear the conscience(Z) of the worshiper. 10 They are only a matter of food(AA) and drink(AB) and various ceremonial washings(AC)—external regulations(AD) applying until the time of the new order.

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32 They (A)angered him at the waters of Meribah,
    and it went ill with Moses on their account,
33 for they (B)made his spirit bitter,[a]
    and he (C)spoke rashly with his lips.

34 They did not (D)destroy the peoples,
    (E)as the Lord commanded them,
35 but they (F)mixed with the nations
    and learned to do as they did.
36 They served their idols,
    which became (G)a snare to them.
37 They (H)sacrificed their sons
    and their daughters to (I)the demons;
38 they poured out innocent blood,
    the blood of their sons and daughters,
whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,
    and the land was (J)polluted with blood.
39 Thus they (K)became unclean by their acts,
    and (L)played the whore in their deeds.

40 Then (M)the anger of the Lord was kindled against (N)his people,
    and he abhorred his (O)heritage;
41 he (P)gave them into the hand of the nations,
    so that those who hated them ruled over them.
42 Their enemies (Q)oppressed them,
    and they were brought into subjection under their power.
43 (R)Many times he delivered them,
    but they were rebellious in their (S)purposes
    and were (T)brought low through their iniquity.

44 Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress,
    when he (U)heard their cry.
45 For their sake he (V)remembered his covenant,
    and (W)relented according to (X)the abundance of his steadfast love.
46 He caused them to be (Y)pitied
    by all those who held them captive.

47 (Z)Save us, O Lord our God,
    and (AA)gather us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
    and glory in your praise.

48 (AB)Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting!
(AC)And let all the people say, “Amen!”
    (AD)Praise the Lord!

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 106:33 Or they rebelled against God's Spirit

32 By the waters of Meribah(A) they angered the Lord,
    and trouble came to Moses because of them;
33 for they rebelled(B) against the Spirit(C) of God,
    and rash words came from Moses’ lips.[a](D)

34 They did not destroy(E) the peoples
    as the Lord had commanded(F) them,
35 but they mingled(G) with the nations
    and adopted their customs.
36 They worshiped their idols,(H)
    which became a snare(I) to them.
37 They sacrificed their sons(J)
    and their daughters to false gods.(K)
38 They shed innocent blood,
    the blood of their sons(L) and daughters,
whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,
    and the land was desecrated by their blood.
39 They defiled themselves(M) by what they did;
    by their deeds they prostituted(N) themselves.

40 Therefore the Lord was angry(O) with his people
    and abhorred his inheritance.(P)
41 He gave them into the hands(Q) of the nations,
    and their foes ruled over them.
42 Their enemies oppressed(R) them
    and subjected them to their power.
43 Many times he delivered them,(S)
    but they were bent on rebellion(T)
    and they wasted away in their sin.
44 Yet he took note of their distress
    when he heard their cry;(U)
45 for their sake he remembered his covenant(V)
    and out of his great love(W) he relented.(X)
46 He caused all who held them captive
    to show them mercy.(Y)

47 Save us,(Z) Lord our God,
    and gather us(AA) from the nations,
that we may give thanks(AB) to your holy name(AC)
    and glory in your praise.

48 Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting.

Let all the people say, “Amen!”(AD)

Praise the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 106:33 Or against his spirit, / and rash words came from his lips

10 Do not forsake your friend and (A)your father's friend,
    and do not go to your brother's house in the day of your calamity.
(B)Better is a neighbor who is near
    than a brother who is far away.

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10 Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family,
    and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster(A) strikes you—
    better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.

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