Ezekiel 18:1-19

Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition

18 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: What is the meaning?

² That you use among you this parable as a proverb in the land of Israel, saying: The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the teeth of the children are set on edge.

³ As I live, saith the Lord God, this parable shall be no more to you a proverb in Israel.

⁴ Behold all souls are mine: as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, the same shall die.

⁵ And if a man be just, and do judgment and justice,

⁶ And hath not eaten upon the mountains, nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel: and hath not defiled his neighbour's wife, nor come near to a menstruous woman:

⁷ And hath not wronged any man: but hath restored the pledge to the debtor, hath taken nothing away by violence: hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment:

⁸ Hath not lent upon usury, nor taken any increase: hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, and hath executed true judgment between man and man:

⁹ Hath walked in my commandments, and kept my judgments, to do truth: he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord God.

¹⁰ And if he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that hath done some one of these things:

¹¹ Though he doth not all these things, but that eateth upon the mountains, and that defileth his neighbour's wife:

¹² That grieveth the needy and the poor, that taketh away by violence, that restoreth not the pledge, and that lifteth up his eyes to idols, that committeth abomination:

¹³ That giveth upon usury, and that taketh an increase: shall such a one live? he shall not live. Seeing he hath done all these detestable things, he shall surely die, his blood shall be upon him.

¹⁴ But if he beget a son, who, seeing all his father's sins, which he hath done, is afraid, and shall not do the like to them:

¹⁵ That hath not eaten upon the mountains, nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, and hath not defiled his neighbour's wife:

¹⁶ And hath not grieved any man, nor withholden the pledge, nor taken away with violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and covered the naked with a garment:

¹⁷ That hath turned away his hand from injuring the poor, hath not taken usury and increase, but hath executed my judgments, and hath walked in my commandments: this man shall not die for the iniquity of his father, but living he shall live.

¹⁸ As for his father, because he oppressed and offered violence to his brother, and wrought evil in the midst of his people, behold he is dead in his own iniquity.

¹⁹ And you say: Why hath not the son borne the iniquity of his father? Verily, because the son hath wrought judgment and justice, hath kept all my commandments, and done them, living, he shall live.