Fluent Translation · Read & Reflect
Ezekiel 18
The sour-grapes proverb
The word of the LORD came to me: “What do you mean by repeating this proverb about the land of Israel: ‘Fathers eat sour grapes, and their children’s teeth are set on edge’? As I live, declares the Lord GOD, you will no longer repeat this proverb in Israel. Every life belongs to me. The father’s life and the son’s life alike belong to me. The person who sins is the one who will die.
A righteous man
“Suppose a man is righteous and practices justice and righteousness. He does not eat on the mountains or lift his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her menstrual uncleanness. He oppresses no one, returns the pledge taken for a debt, and commits no robbery. He gives his bread to the hungry and clothes the naked. He does not lend at interest or take a profit. He keeps his hand from injustice and judges fairly between one person and another. He lives by my statutes and keeps my judgments, acting faithfully. That man is righteous; he will certainly live, declares the Lord GOD.
A violent son
“But suppose he has a violent son who sheds blood and does any of these things, though the father did none of them. The son eats on the mountains and defiles his neighbor’s wife. He oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, and does not return a pledge. He lifts his eyes to idols and commits abominations. He lends at interest and takes a profit. Will he live? He will not live! He has committed all these abominations; he will certainly be put to death. His blood will be on his own head.
A son who turns away
“Now suppose this man has a son who sees all the sins his father has committed, sees them, and does not do the same. He does not eat on the mountains or lift his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife. He oppresses no one, takes no pledge, and commits no robbery. He gives his bread to the hungry and clothes the naked. He keeps his hand from harming the poor, takes no interest or profit, carries out my judgments, and lives by my statutes. He will not die for his father’s guilt; he will certainly live. But his father, who extorted, robbed his brother, and did what was wrong among his people—he will die for his own guilt. “Yet you ask, ‘Why does the son not bear the father’s guilt?’ Because the son has practiced justice and righteousness and kept all my statutes, carrying them out. He will certainly live. The person who sins is the one who will die. A son will not bear his father’s guilt, nor a father his son’s guilt. The righteousness of the righteous will belong to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will belong to them.
Turn back and live
“But if a wicked person turns from all the sins they have committed, keeps all my statutes, and practices justice and righteousness, they will certainly live; they will not die. None of their rebellions will be remembered against them. They will live because of the righteousness they have practiced. Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord GOD? Is it not in their turning from their ways and living? “But if a righteous person turns from righteousness and does wrong, committing all the abominations the wicked commit, will they live? None of their righteous deeds will be remembered. They will die for their unfaithfulness and the sin they have committed. “Yet you say, ‘The Lord’s way is not fair.’ Listen, house of Israel: Is my way unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair? When a righteous person turns from righteousness, does wrong, and dies because of it, they die for the wrong they have done. When a wicked person turns from the wickedness they have practiced and does what is just and right, they preserve their own life. They considered their ways and turned from all the rebellions they had committed. They will certainly live; they will not die. Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The Lord’s way is not fair.’ Are my ways unfair, house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unfair? “Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, each according to your ways, declares the Lord GOD. Turn back! Turn away from all your rebellions, so that guilt will not become your stumbling block. Throw off all the rebellions you have committed. Make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, house of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies, declares the Lord GOD. Turn back and live!”