Beginning
18 The Lord gave this message to me: 2 ‘You say this proverb about Israel: “The fathers have eaten bitter fruit, but it causes their children's teeth to hurt.” Why do you say that?[a] 3 Now I, the Lord God, tell you this: You will no longer say that proverb in Israel! 4 Everyone who lives belong to me. I have authority over the life of the father and over the life of the son. It is the people who do wrong things who will die because of their sins.
5 There may be a truly good man who does what is right and fair. 6 He does not go up the mountains and eat the food of idols. He does not pray to the idols that other Israelites worship. He does not have sex with another man's wife. He does not have sex with a woman when she is unclean. 7 He is not cruel to other people. When he lends money to someone, he gives back anything that he has taken as a guarantee. He does not take things that belong to other people. He gives food to hungry people. He gives clothes to poor people. 8 He does not lend money to someone and then ask to receive more money back. He refuses to do anything that is wrong. He helps people in a way that is right and fair. 9 He faithfully obeys my laws and my rules.
A man like that is righteous. He will continue to live. That is what the Almighty Lord says.
10 But that man may have a son who is cruel and violent. He may kill other people. He may do those bad things that his father never did. 11 He may go up the mountains and eat the food of idols. He might have sex with another man's wife. 12 He might be cruel to people who are poor and weak. He might take things that belong to other people. He might not give back things that he took as a guarantee. He prays to idols. He does disgusting things. 13 When he lends money to people, he wants them to pay back a lot more money to him.
A man like that will not continue to live! He will certainly die, because he himself has done all these disgusting things. He is guilty, so he himself must die as his punishment.
14 But this wicked man might have a son himself. The son sees all the sins that his father has done. He thinks about them. Then he decides that he will not live as his father has lived. 15 He does not go up the mountains to eat the food of idols. He does not pray to the idols that other Israelites worship. He does not have sex with another man's wife. 16 He is not cruel to anyone. He does not keep anything that he has taken from someone as a guarantee. He does not rob other people. But he gives food to hungry people. He gives clothes to poor people. 17 He refuses to do anything that is wrong. When he lends money to people, he does not take more back money back from them. He obeys my rules and my laws.
This man will certainly continue to live. He will not die because of his father's sins. 18 But his father will die as punishment for his own sins. He cheated people. He robbed people. He did evil things among his own people. So he will die because of his own sins.
19 You should not say, “Surely the son should receive punishment because of his father's sins.” If the son does what is good and right, and he obeys my laws and my rules, he will continue to live. 20 It is the person who does wrong things who will die. A son will not receive punishment because of his father's sins. And a father will not receive punishment because of his son's sins. Righteous people will receive the good things that they deserve for the good things that they have done. But wicked people will receive the punishment that they deserve for the wicked things that they have done.
21 But a wicked person might turn away from the sins that he has been doing. He might decide to obey my laws and do things that are right and good. If he does that, he will certainly continue to live. He will not die as his punishment. 22 I would no longer say that he is guilty because of the sins that he has done. Instead, he will continue to live, because he has done things that are right. 23 It does not make me happy when a wicked person dies. I want wicked people to stop doing wicked things. Then I am happy because they will continue to live. That is what the Almighty Lord says.
24 A righteous person may stop doing things that are good and right. He may start to do the same disgusting things that wicked people do. Then he will not continue to live. I will not remember any of the good things that he did. Instead, I will punish him because of the sins that he has done. He has not been faithful to me, so he will die.
25 But you say, “The Lord is not doing what is right!” So listen to me, Israel's people. It is you who are not doing what is right! It is not me! 26 If a righteous person stops doing good things and he does bad things instead, he will die. Yes, he will die because of the wrong things that he has done. 27 And if a wicked person stops doing wicked things and he does things that are right, he will continue to live. 28 That wicked person realized that he was doing bad things. So he turned away from his sins. Because of that he will certainly continue to live. He will not die. 29 But you, Israel's people, say, “The Lord is not doing what is right!” Do you really think that is true? No, you are the people who do not do what is right, you Israelites!
30 The Almighty Lord says this to you, Israel's people: I will judge each of you as you deserve for the way that you live. So change how you live! Turn away from all the wicked things that you do. Then your sins will not finally destroy you. 31 Stop doing all the sins that you have been doing. Instead, think with new thoughts. Live with a new spirit inside you.[b] You do not need to die, Israel's people! 32 It does not make me happy when anyone has to die. Turn away from your sins so that you continue to live! That is what the Almighty Lord says.’
19 ‘Sing this sad funeral song for the leaders of Israel.
2 Say this:
“Your mother was like a great lion among the other lions.
She lay among strong young lions.
She helped her children to grow safely.
3 She taught one of her children to catch animals for food.
As he grew, he started to eat people.
4 The people of other nations heard about him.
They dug a hole and they caught him in their trap.
They put hooks in him and they took him to Egypt.
5 His mother waited for him to return home.
He did not come and she stopped hoping for him.
She helped another of her sons to become a strong young lion.
6 He grew to be strong among the other lions.
He learned to catch wild animals and to eat them.
He also learned to eat people.
7 He attacked their strong buildings and he destroyed their cities.
When he roared, the noise frightened everyone in the land.
8 Men from other nations near there came to attack him.
They threw a net over him.
They caught him in their trap.
9 They tied hooks around his neck.
They took him to the king of Babylon.
There they put him in prison to stop him roaring.
The people on the hills of Israel could not hear his voice any longer.
10 Your mother was like a vine that was growing near a stream.
It grew well because there was plenty of water there.
It made many branches and it had a lot of fruit.
11 Its branches became big and strong.
They were strong enough to make a ruler's stick of authority.
The vine grew taller than all the other trees around it.
Everyone could see that it was very tall and strong.
12 But the Lord became angry with that vine.
He pulled up its roots and he threw it down to the ground.
The east wind made it dry and destroyed its fruit.
Its strong branches broke and they became useless.
Fire destroyed them.
13 Now that vine is growing in a desert.
It is in a hot, dry place where there is no water.
14 Fire started to burn its strongest branch.
From there the fire destroyed its other branches and its fruit.
No strong branch remained in the vine.
Now there was nothing to make a ruler's stick of authority.”
This is a funeral song. It tells a very sad story.’
20 On the tenth day of the fifth month some of Israel's leaders came to me.[c] That was in the seventh year that we had been prisoners in Babylon. The leaders sat in front of me. They wanted me to ask for a message from the Lord.
2 Then the Lord gave this message to me: 3 ‘Son of man, speak to the leaders of Israel. Tell them, “This is what the Almighty Lord says: You say that you want a message from me. I promise you this, as surely as I live: I will not allow you to come to me like that.”
4 Son of man, you must warn them. Are you ready to do that? Make them remember all the disgusting things that their ancestors did.
5 Say to them, “This is what the Almighty Lord says: On the day that I chose Israel's people to belong to me, I made a promise to all Jacob's descendants.[d] In the land of Egypt, I showed them who I am. I promised them, ‘I am the Lord your God.’ 6 On that day, I promised them that I would bring them out of Egypt. I promised to take them to a land that I had chosen for them. That land would give them plenty of good food and drink, enough for everyone. It was more beautiful than any other land. 7 I said to them, ‘You must each destroy the disgusting idols that you worship. Those are the idols of Egypt and they cause you to be unclean. Remember that I am the Lord your God.’
8 But your ancestors did not obey me. They refused to listen to me. None of them destroyed their disgusting idols. They continued to worship the idols of Egypt. So I decided to show them that I was very angry. I said that I would punish them there in Egypt. 9 But I did not want the people of other nations to insult my name. I had promised Israel's people that I would bring them out of Egypt. The nations near where the Israelites were living knew this. 10 So I brought my people out of Egypt. I led them into the wilderness. 11 I gave them my laws and my commands. Anyone who obeyed them would enjoy a good life.[e] 12 I also gave them Sabbath days when they would rest. It would help them to remember that they belong to me. They would know that I, the Lord, have made them my holy people.
13 But when Israel's people were in the wilderness, they turned against me. They did not obey my laws or my commands. (But anyone who did obey them would enjoy a good life.) They did not obey my rules for Sabbath days. So I was very angry with them. I decided to destroy them there in the wilderness. 14 But I did not want the people of other nations to insult my name. They had seen me bring Israel's people out of Egypt. 15 So I made a strong promise to my people in the wilderness. I said that I would not take them to the land that I had chosen for them. It was a very beautiful land with plenty of food and drink for everyone. 16 I refused to take them there because they had not obeyed my laws and my commands. They did not obey my rules for Sabbath says. Instead, they liked to worship their idols. 17 But I chose to be kind to them. I did not completely destroy them in the wilderness.
18 I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Do not live in the bad way that your fathers did. Do not obey their rules. Do not worship their idols and make yourselves unclean. 19 Remember that I am the Lord your God. So be careful to obey my laws and my commands. 20 Make Sabbath days special to show that you belong to me. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’
21 But their children also turned against me. They were not careful to obey my laws and my commands. (But anyone who obeyed them would enjoy a good life.) They did not obey my rules about Sabbath days. So I was very angry with them. I was ready to destroy them there in the wilderness. 22 But I did not want the people of other nations to insult my name. They had seen me bring Israel's people out of Egypt. So I could not destroy my people. 23 There in the wilderness I made a strong promise to them. I promised to send them to many different places where they would live among other nations. 24 This was because they had not obeyed my laws and my commands. They had not obeyed my rules about Sabbath days. Instead, they worshipped the same idols that their ancestors worshipped. 25 So I let them obey rules that were not good. They were laws that would not help them to enjoy a good life. 26 I let them make themselves unclean because of the offerings that they made. They burned their firstborn children in fire as sacrifices. I did that to make them afraid. I wanted them to know that I am the Lord.”
27 So, son of man, you must speak to Israel's people. Tell them, “This is what the Almighty Lord says: Your ancestors insulted me when they did not serve me faithfully. 28 I took them to the land which I had promised to give to them. But when they were there, they continued to offer sacrifices to idols. They did this on every high hill or under every green tree that they saw! They burned sweet incense and they poured out wine as offerings in all those places. That made me very angry. 29 I asked them, ‘Why do you go to these high places?’ ” (That is why people still call them “high places”.)
30 So say this to Israel's people. “This is what the Almighty Lord says: Will you continue to make yourselves unclean in the way that your ancestors did? You are not faithful to me. Instead, you worship disgusting idols. 31 You make yourselves unclean when you offer sacrifices to your idols. You burn your sons in fire as offerings. You still continue to do that! So should I allow you to come to me for help? I promise you this, as surely as I live: I will not allow you to come to me! That is what the Almighty Lord says.
32 You think, ‘We want to live like the people of other nations and clans. They worship idols that are made from wood and stone.’ But these thoughts will never happen. 33 The Almighty Lord says, I promise you this, as surely as I live: I will use my great power and authority to rule you as your King. You will know how angry I am! 34 I will bring you back from the nations where I sent you to live. I will bring you back from all those different places. I will use my great power to do this and you will know that I am very angry with you. 35 I will bring you to a wilderness with other nations all around it. I will meet with you there and I will show that you are guilty. 36 I judged your fathers in the wilderness when they came out of Egypt. I will punish you in the same way. That is what the Almighty Lord says.
37 I will count you one by one, as a shepherd counts his sheep. I will cause you to obey the rules of my covenant with you. 38 I will remove from among you those who refuse to obey me. I will bring them out from the country where they have been living. But they will not go into the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
39 Israel's people, this is what the Almighty Lord says to you: Now, every one of you, go to serve your idols! But after that, you will listen to me. You will no longer insult my holy name. You will no longer give gifts to your idols. 40 All of Israel's people will serve me on my holy mountain, Israel's great mountain. There I will accept them as my people. That is what the Almighty Lord says. I will receive your offerings, your gifts and all your holy sacrifices. 41 I will bring you home from the nations and all the places where you have been living. Then I will welcome you, like sweet incense that pleases me. When I am among you, I will show all the other nations that I am holy. 42 I will bring you into the land of Israel. That is the land that I promised to give to your ancestors. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 43 You will remember all the wrong things that you did which made you unclean. You will be ashamed of yourselves because of all the evil things that you have done. 44 At that time, I will help you. I will not punish you as you deserve for your wicked and evil acts. Instead, I will do things that bring honour to my name. Then, Israel's people, you will know that I am the Lord. That is what the Almighty Lord says.” ’
A message about the south of Israel
45 The Lord gave this message to me: 46 ‘Son of man, look towards the south. Speak my message to the people there. Warn the forests in the dry land of the south. 47 Say to those forests, “Listen to this message from the Lord. This is what the Almighty Lord says: Listen! I will start a fire to burn you. The fire will destroy all the green trees and all the dry trees. Nobody will be able to stop that fire. From the dry land in the south, all the way to the north, the fire will burn everything. 48 Everyone will see that I, the Lord, started the fire. Nobody will be able to stop it burning.” ’[f]
49 Then I said, ‘Almighty Lord, “The people are already saying that my stories make them confused.” ’
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