Ezekiel 18
NASB
Ezek 18:1
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Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Ezek 18:2
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"What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, `The fathers eat the sour grapes, But the children's teeth are set on edge'?
Ezek 18:3
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~"As I live," declares the Lord GOD, "you are surely not going to use this proverb in Israel anymore.
Ezek 18:4
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~"Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die.
Ezek 18:5
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"But if a man is righteous and practices justice and righteousness,
Ezek 18:6
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and does not eat at the mountain {shrines} or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period--
Ezek 18:7
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if a man does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, does not commit robbery, {but} gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing,
Ezek 18:8
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if he does not lend {money} on interest or take increase, {if} he keeps his hand from iniquity {and} executes true justice between man and man,
Ezek 18:9
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{if} he walks in My statutes and My ordinances so as to deal faithfully--he is righteous {and} will surely live," declares the Lord GOD.
Ezek 18:10
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"Then he may have a violent son who sheds blood and who does any of these things to a brother
Ezek 18:11
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(though he himself did not do any of these things), that is, he even eats at the mountain {shrines,} and defiles his neighbor's wife,
Ezek 18:12
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oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore a pledge, but lifts up his eyes to the idols {and} commits abomination,
Ezek 18:13
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he lends {money} on interest and takes increase; will he live? He will not live! He has committed all these abominations, he will surely be put to death; his blood will be on his own head.
Ezek 18:14
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"Now behold, he has a son who has observed all his father's sins which he committed, and observing does not do likewise.
Ezek 18:15
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~"He does not eat at the mountain {shrines} or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor's wife,
Ezek 18:16
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or oppress anyone, or retain a pledge, or commit robbery, {but} he gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing,
Ezek 18:17
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he keeps his hand from the poor, does not take interest or increase, {but} executes My ordinances, and walks in My statutes; he will not die for his father's iniquity, he will surely live.
Ezek 18:18
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~"As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed {his} brother and did what was not good among his people, behold, he will die for his iniquity.
Ezek 18:19
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"Yet you say, `Why should the son not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity?' When the son has practiced justice and righteousness and has observed all My statutes and done them, he shall surely live.
Ezek 18:20
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~"The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.
Ezek 18:21
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"But if the wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed and observes all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall surely live; he shall not die.
Ezek 18:22
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~"All his transgressions which he has committed will not be remembered against him; because of his righteousness which he has practiced, he will live.
Ezek 18:23
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~"Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked," declares the Lord GOD, "rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?
Ezek 18:24
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"But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and does according to all the abominations that a wicked man does, will he live? All his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered for his treachery which he has committed and his sin which he has committed; for them he will die.
Ezek 18:25
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~"Yet you say, `The way of the Lord is not right.' Hear now, O house of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right?
Ezek 18:26
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~"When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and dies because of it, for his iniquity which he has committed he will die.
Ezek 18:27
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~"Again, when a wicked man turns away from his wickedness which he has committed and practices justice and righteousness, he will save his life.
Ezek 18:28
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~"Because he considered and turned away from all his transgressions which he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die.
Ezek 18:29
Ezek 18:30
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"Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct," declares the Lord GOD. "Repent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you.
Ezek 18:31
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~"Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel?
Ezek 18:32
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~"For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies," declares the Lord GOD. "Therefore, repent and live."
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