Ezekiel 18 – New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

God Deals Justly with Individuals

1 Then the word ^H1697 of the LORD ^H3068 came ^H1961 to me, saying ^H559,

2 “What ^H4100 do you people mean by using ^H4911 this ^H2088 proverb ^H4912 about ^H5921 the land ^H127 of Israel ^H3478, saying ^H559,

‘The fathers ^H1 eat ^H398 sour ^H1155 grapes ^H1155,

[fn]But it is the children’s ^H1121 teeth ^H8127 that have become ^H6949 blunt ^H6949’?

3 As I live ^H2416,” declares ^H5002 the Lord ^H136 [fn]GOD ^H3068, “you certainly ^H518 are not going to use ^H4911 this ^H2088 proverb ^H4912 in Israel ^H3478 anymore ^H5750. 4 Behold ^H2005, all ^H3605 [fn]souls ^H5315 are Mine; the [fn]soul ^H5315 of the father ^H1 as well as the [fn]soul ^H5315 of the son ^H1121 is Mine. The [fn]soul ^H5315 who sins ^H2398 will die ^H4191.

5 “But if ^H3588 a man ^H376 is righteous ^H6662 and practices ^H6213 justice ^H4941 and righteousness ^H6666, 6 if he does not eat ^H398 at the mountain ^H2022 shrines or raise ^H5375 his eyes ^H5869 to the idols ^H1544 of the house ^H1004 of Israel ^H3478, or defile ^H2930 his neighbor’s ^H7453 wife ^H802 or approach ^H7126 a woman ^H802 during her menstrual ^H5079 period ^H5079— 7 and if a man ^H376 does not oppress ^H3238 anyone, but restores ^H7725 to the debtor ^H2326 his pledge ^H2258, does not commit ^H1497 robbery ^H1500, but gives ^H5414 his bread ^H3899 to the hungry ^H7457 and covers ^H3680 the naked ^H5903 with clothing ^H899, 8 and if he does not [fn]lend ^H5414 money at interest ^H5392 or take ^H3947 [fn]interest ^H8636, if he keeps ^H7725 his hand ^H3027 from injustice ^H5766 and executes ^H6213 true ^H571 justice ^H4941 between ^H996 one ^H376 person ^H376 and another ^H376, 9 if he walks ^H1980 in My statutes ^H2708 and keeps ^H8104 My ordinances ^H4941 so as to deal ^H6213 faithfully ^H571—he is righteous ^H6662 and will certainly ^H2421 live ^H2421,” declares ^H5002 the Lord ^H136 GOD ^H3068.

10 “However, he may father ^H3205 a violent ^H6530 son ^H1121 who sheds ^H8210 blood ^H1818, and does ^H6213 any ^H4480 one ^H259 of these ^H428 things ^H428 to a brother ^H251 11 (though he himself ^H1931 did not do ^H6213 any ^H3605 of these ^H428 things ^H428), that is, he even ^H1571 eats ^H398 at the mountain ^H2022 shrines, and defiles ^H2930 his neighbor’s ^H7453 wife ^H802, 12 oppresses ^H3238 the poor ^H6041 and needy ^H34, commits ^H1497 robbery ^H1500, does not restore ^H7725 a pledge ^H2258, but raises ^H5375 his eyes ^H5869 to the idols ^H1544 and commits ^H6213 abomination ^H8441, 13 lends ^H5414 money at interest ^H5392 and takes ^H3947 [fn]interest ^H8636; will he live ^H2421? He will not live ^H2421! He has committed ^H6213 all ^H3605 these ^H428 abominations ^H8441, he shall certainly ^H4191 be put ^H4191 to ^H4191 death ^H4191; his blood ^H1818 will be on himself.

14 “Now behold ^H2009, he has fathered ^H3205 a son ^H1121 who saw ^H7200 all ^H3605 his father’s ^H1 sins ^H2403 which ^H834 he committed ^H6213, but he has seen ^H7200 them and does not do ^H6213 likewise ^H2004. 15 He does not eat ^H398 at the mountain ^H2022 shrines or raise ^H5375 his eyes ^H5869 to the idols ^H1544 of the house ^H1004 of Israel ^H3478; he has not defiled ^H2930 his neighbor’s ^H7453 wife ^H802, 16 nor oppressed ^H3238 anyone ^H376, nor retained ^H2254 a pledge ^H2258, nor committed ^H1497 robbery ^H1500; instead, he gives ^H5414 his bread ^H3899 to the hungry ^H7457 and covers ^H3680 the naked ^H5903 with clothing ^H899, 17 he keeps ^H7725 his hand ^H3027 from [fn]the poor ^H6041, does not take ^H3947 any kind of interest ^H5392 H8636 on loans, but executes ^H6213 My ordinances ^H4941, and walks ^H1980 in My statutes ^H2708; he will not die ^H4191 for his father’s ^H1 guilt ^H5771, he will certainly ^H2421 live ^H2421. 18 As for his father ^H1, because ^H3588 he practiced ^H6231 extortion ^H6233, robbed ^H1497 his brother ^H251, and did ^H6213 what ^H834 was not good ^H2896 among ^H8432 his people ^H5971, behold ^H2009, he will die ^H4191 for his guilt ^H5771.

19 “Yet you say ^H559, ‘Why ^H4069 should the son ^H1121 not suffer ^H5375 the punishment for the father’s ^H1 guilt ^H5771?’ When the son ^H1121 has practiced ^H6213 justice ^H4941 and righteousness ^H6666 and has kept ^H8104 all ^H3605 My statutes ^H2708 and done ^H6213 them, he shall certainly ^H2421 live ^H2421. 20 The person ^H5315 who sins ^H2398 will die ^H4191. A son ^H1121 will not suffer ^H5375 the punishment for the father’s ^H1 guilt ^H5771, nor ^H3808 will a father ^H1 suffer ^H5375 the punishment for the son’s ^H1121 guilt ^H5771; the righteousness ^H6666 of the righteous ^H6662 will be upon himself, and the wickedness ^H7564 of the wicked ^H7563 will be upon himself.

21 “But if ^H3588 the wicked ^H7563 person ^H7563 turns ^H7725 from all ^H3605 his sins ^H2403 which ^H834 he has committed ^H6213 and keeps ^H8104 all ^H3605 My statutes ^H2708 and practices ^H6213 justice ^H4941 and righteousness ^H6666, he shall certainly ^H2421 live ^H2421; he shall not die ^H4191. 22 All ^H3605 his offenses ^H6588 which ^H834 he has committed ^H6213 will not be remembered ^H2142 against him; because of his righteousness ^H6666 which ^H834 he has practiced ^H6213, he will live ^H2421. 23 Do I take ^H2654 any ^H2654 pleasure ^H2654 in the death ^H4194 of the wicked ^H7563,” declares ^H5002 the Lord ^H136 GOD ^H3068, “[fn]rather ^H3808 than ^H3808 that he would turn ^H7725 from his ways ^H1870 and live ^H2421?

24 “But when a righteous ^H6662 person ^H6662 turns ^H7725 away ^H7725 from his righteousness ^H6666, commits ^H6213 injustice ^H5766 and does ^H6213 according to all ^H3605 the abominations ^H8441 that the wicked ^H7563 person ^H7563 does ^H6213, will he live ^H2421? All ^H3605 his righteous ^H6666 deeds ^H6666 which ^H834 he has done ^H6213 will not be remembered ^H2142 for his treachery ^H4603 H4604 which ^H834 he has committed ^H4603 and his sin ^H2403 which ^H834 he has committed ^H2398; for them he will die ^H4191. 25 Yet you say ^H559, ‘The way ^H1870 of the Lord ^H136 is not right ^H8505.’ Hear ^H8085 now ^H4994, house ^H1004 of Israel ^H3478! Is My way ^H1870 not right ^H8505? Is it not your ways ^H1870 that are not right ^H8505? 26 When a righteous ^H6662 person ^H6662 turns ^H7725 away ^H7725 from his righteousness ^H6666, commits ^H6213 injustice ^H5766 and dies ^H4191 because ^H5921 of it, for his injustice ^H5766 which ^H834 he has committed ^H6213 he dies ^H4191. 27 But when a wicked ^H7563 person ^H7563 turns ^H7725 away ^H7725 from his wickedness ^H7564 which ^H834 he has committed ^H6213 and practices ^H6213 justice ^H4941 and righteousness ^H6666, he will save ^H2421 his life ^H5315. 28 Since he understood ^H7200 and turned ^H7725 away ^H7725 from all ^H3605 his offenses ^H6588 which ^H834 he had committed ^H6213, he shall certainly ^H2421 live ^H2421; he shall not die ^H4191. 29 But the house ^H1004 of Israel ^H3478 says ^H559, ‘The way ^H1870 of the Lord ^H136 is not right ^H8505.’ Are My ways ^H1870 not right ^H8505, house ^H1004 of Israel ^H3478? Is it not your ways ^H1870 that are not right ^H8505?

30 “Therefore ^H3651 I will judge ^H8199 you, house ^H1004 of Israel ^H3478, each ^H376 according to his conduct ^H1870,” declares ^H5002 the Lord ^H136 GOD ^H3068. “Repent ^H7725 and turn ^H7725 away ^H7725 from all ^H3605 your offenses ^H6588, so that wrongdoing ^H5771 does not become ^H1961 a stumbling ^H4383 block ^H4383 to you. 31 Hurl ^H7993 away ^H7993 from you all ^H3605 your offenses ^H6588 which ^H834 you have committed ^H6586 and make ^H6213 yourselves a new ^H2319 heart ^H3820 and a new ^H2319 spirit ^H7307! For why ^H4100 should you die ^H4191, house ^H1004 of Israel ^H3478? 32 For I take ^H2654 no ^H3808 pleasure ^H2654 in the death ^H4194 of anyone who dies ^H4191,” declares ^H5002 the Lord ^H136 GOD ^H3068. “Therefore, repent ^H7725 and live ^H2421!”