The Soul Who Sins Will Die

¹ Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ² “What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel:

‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes,

and the teeth of the children are set on edge’?

³ As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. ⁴ Behold, every soul belongs to Me; both father and son are Mine. The soul who sins is the one who will die.

⁵ Now suppose a man is righteous and does what is just and right:

⁶ He does not eat at the mountain

or look to the idols of the house of Israel.

He does not defile his neighbor’s wife

or approach a woman during her period.

⁷ He does not oppress another,

but restores the pledge to the debtor.

He does not commit robbery,

but gives his bread to the hungry

and covers the naked with clothing.

⁸ He does not engage in usury

or take excess interest,

but he withholds his hand from iniquity

and executes true justice between men.

⁹ He follows My statutes

and faithfully keeps My ordinances.

That man is righteous;

surely he will live,

declares the Lord GOD.

¹⁰ Now suppose that man has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these things, ¹¹ though the father has done none of them:

Indeed, the son eats at the mountain

and defiles his neighbor’s wife.

¹² He oppresses the poor and needy;

he commits robbery

and does not restore a pledge.

He lifts his eyes to idols;

he commits abominations.

¹³ He engages in usury

and takes excess interest.

Will this son live? He will not! Since he has committed all these abominations,^* he will surely die; his blood will be on his own head.

¹⁴ Now suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father has committed, considers them, and does not do likewise:

¹⁵ He does not eat at the mountain

or look to the idols of the house of Israel.

He does not defile his neighbor’s wife.

¹⁶ He does not oppress another,

or retain a pledge, or commit robbery.

He gives his bread to the hungry

and covers the naked with clothing.

¹⁷ He withholds his hand from harming the poor

and takes no interest or usury.

He keeps My ordinances

and follows My statutes.

Such a man will not die for his father’s iniquity. He will surely live.

¹⁸ As for his father, he will die for his own iniquity, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what was wrong among his people.

¹⁹ Yet you may ask, ‘Why shouldn’t the son bear^* the iniquity of his father?’

Since the son has done what is just and right, carefully observing all My statutes, he will surely live.

²⁰ The soul who sins is the one who will die. A son will not bear the iniquity of his father, and a father will not bear the iniquity of his son. The righteousness of the righteous man will fall upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked man will fall upon him.

²¹ But if the wicked man turns from all the sins he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. ²² None of the transgressions he has committed will be held against him. Because of the righteousness he has practiced, he will live. ²³ Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Lord GOD. Wouldn’t I prefer that he turn from his ways and live?

²⁴ But if a righteous man turns^* from his righteousness and practices iniquity, committing the same abominations^* as the wicked, will he live? None of the righteous acts he did will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness and sin he has committed, he will die.

²⁵ Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’

Hear now, O house of Israel: Is it My way that is unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust?

²⁶ If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, he will die for this. He will die because of the iniquity he has committed.

²⁷ But if a wicked man turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life. ²⁸ Because he considered and turned from all the transgressions he had committed, he will surely live; he will not die.

²⁹ Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’

Are My ways unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?

³⁰ Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that your iniquity will not become your downfall.^{* 31} Cast away from yourselves all the transgressions you have committed, and fashion for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel?

³² For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent and live!