The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Ezekiel 18
1 Yahweh’s word came to me again, saying,
2 “What do you mean, that you use this
proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying,
‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes,
and the children’s teeth are set on
edge’?
3 “As I live,” says the Lord Yahweh, “you
shall not use this proverb any more 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 who sins, he shall die.
5 “But if a man is just, and does
that which is lawful and right,
6 and has not eaten on the mountains,
hasn’t lifted up his eyes to the idols of
the house of Israel, hasn’t defiled his neighbor’s wife,
hasn’t come near a woman in her impurity,
7 and has not wronged any,
but has restored to the debtor his
pledge, has taken nothing by robbery,
has given his bread to the hungry,
and has covered the naked with a garment;
8 he who hasn’t lent to them with interest,
hasn’t taken any increase from them,
who has withdrawn his hand from iniquity,
has executed true justice between
man and man,
9 has walked in my statutes,
and has kept my ordinances,
to deal truly; he is just,
he shall surely live,” says the Lord Yahweh.
10 “If he fathers a son who is a robber
who sheds blood, and who does any one of
these things,
11 or who does not do any of those things
but has eaten at the mountain shrines
and defiled his neighbor’s wife,
12 has wronged the poor and needy,
has taken by robbery,
has not restored the pledge,
and has lifted up his eyes to the idols,
has committed abomination,
13 has lent with interest,
and has taken increase from the poor,
shall he then live? He shall not live. He
has done all these abominations. He shall
surely die. His blood will be on him.
14 “Now, behold, if he fathers a son who
sees all his father’s sins which he has done,
and fears, and doesn’t do likewise,
15 who hasn’t eaten on the mountains,
hasn’t lifted up his eyes to the idols of
the house of Israel, hasn’t defiled his
neighbor’s wife,
16 hasn’t wronged any,
hasn’t taken anything to pledge,
hasn’t taken by robbery,
but has given his bread to the hungry,
and has covered the naked with a garment;
17 who has withdrawn his hand from the
poor, who hasn’t received interest or increase,
has executed my ordinances, has
walked in my statutes; he shall not die for
the iniquity of his father. He shall surely live.
18 As for his father, because he cruelly
oppressed, robbed his brother, and did
that which is not good among his people,
behold, he will die in his iniquity.\
19 “Yet you say, ‘Why doesn’t the son bear
the iniquity of the father?’ When the son
has done that which is lawful and right,
and has kept all my statutes, and has done
them, he will surely live.
20 The soul who sins, he shall die. The
son shall not bear the iniquity ofthe father,
neither shall the father bear the iniquity of
the son. The righteousness ofthe righteous
shall be on him, and the wickedness of the
wicked shall be on him.
21 “But if the wicked turns from all his
sins that he has committed, and keeps all
my statutes, and does that which is lawful
and right, he shall surely live. He shall not
die.
22 None of his transgressions that he has
committed will be remembered against
him. In his righteousness that he has done,
he shall live.
23 Have I any pleasure in the death of the
wicked?” says the Lord Yahweh, “and not
rather that he should return from his way,
and live?
24 “But when the righteous turns away
from his righteousness, and commits iniquity,
and does according to all the abominations
that the wicked man does, should he live?
None of his righteous deeds that
he has done will be remembered. In his
trespass that he has trespassed, and in his
sin that he has sinned, in them he shall die.
25 “Yet you say, ‘The way ofthe Lord isnot
equal.’ Hear now, house of Israel: Is my
way not equal? Aren’t your ways unequal?
26 When the righteous man turns away
from his righteousness, and commits iniquity,
and dies in it, then he dies in his
iniquity that he has done.
27 Again, when the wicked man turns
away fromhis wickedness thathehas committed,
and does that which is lawful and
right, he will save his soul alive.
28 Because he considers, and turns away
from all his transgressions that he has
committed, he shall surely live. He shall
not die.
29 Yetthe house ofIsrael says, ‘The way of
the Lord is not fair.’ House of Israel, aren’t
my ways fair? Aren’t your ways unfair?
30 “Therefore I will judge you, house of
Israel, everyone according to his ways,”
says the Lord Yahweh. “Return, and turn
yourselves fromall your transgressions, so
iniquity will not be your ruin.
31 Cast away from you all your transgressions
in which you have transgressed;
and make yourself a new heart and a new
spirit. For why will you die, house of
Israel?
32 For I have no pleasure in the death
of him who dies,” says the Lord Yahweh.
“Therefore turn yourselves, and live!