| Berean Study Bible | New International Version |
| 1Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, | 1The word of the LORD came to me: |
| 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’? | 2"What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: "'The parents eat sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge'? |
| 3As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. | 3"As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. |
| 4Behold, every soul belongs to Me; both father and son are Mine. The soul who sins is the one who will die. | 4For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child--both alike belong to me. The one who sins is the one who will die. |
| 5Now suppose a man is righteous and does what is just and right: | 5"Suppose there is a righteous man who does what is just and right. |
| 6He 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. | 6He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor's wife or have sexual relations with a woman during her period. |
| 7He 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. | 7He does not oppress anyone, but returns what he took in pledge for a loan. He does not commit robbery but gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked. |
| 8He does not engage in usury or take excess interest, but he withholds his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between men. | 8He does not lend to them at interest or take a profit from them. He withholds his hand from doing wrong and judges fairly between two parties. |
| 9He follows My statutes and faithfully keeps My ordinances. That man is righteous; surely he will live, declares the Lord GOD. | 9He follows my decrees and faithfully keeps my laws. That man is righteous; he will surely live, declares the Sovereign LORD. |
| 10Now suppose that man has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these things, | 10"Suppose he has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these other things |
| 11though the father has done none of them: Indeed, the son eats at the mountain and defiles his neighbor’s wife. | 11(though the father has done none of them): "He eats at the mountain shrines. He defiles his neighbor's wife. |
| 12He oppresses the poor and needy; he commits robbery and does not restore a pledge. He lifts his eyes to idols; he commits abominations. | 12He oppresses the poor and needy. He commits robbery. He does not return what he took in pledge. He looks to the idols. He does detestable things. |
| 13He 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. | 13He lends at interest and takes a profit. Will such a man live? He will not! Because he has done all these detestable things, he is to be put to death; his blood will be on his own head. |
| 14Now suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father has committed, considers them, and does not do likewise: | 14"But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things: |
| 15He does not eat at the mountain or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife. | 15"He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor's wife. |
| 16He does not oppress another, or retain a pledge, or commit robbery. He gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing. | 16He does not oppress anyone or require a pledge for a loan. He does not commit robbery but gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked. |
| 17He 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. | 17He withholds his hand from mistreating the poor and takes no interest or profit from them. He keeps my laws and follows my decrees. He will not die for his father's sin; he will surely live. |
| 18As 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. | 18But his father will die for his own sin, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was wrong among his people. |
| 19Yet 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. | 19"Yet you ask, 'Why does the son not share the guilt of his father?' Since the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live. |
| 20The 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. | 20The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them. |
| 21But 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. | 21"But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die. |
| 22None of the transgressions he has committed will be held against him. Because of the righteousness he has practiced, he will live. | 22None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live. |
| 23Do 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? | 23Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live? |
| 24But 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. | 24"But if a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked person does, will they live? None of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness they are guilty of and because of the sins they have committed, they will die. |
| 25Yet 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? | 25"Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' Hear, you Israelites: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust? |
| 26If 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. | 26If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin, they will die for it; because of the sin they have committed they will die. |
| 27But if a wicked man turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life. | 27But if a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just and right, they will save their life. |
| 28Because he considered and turned from all the transgressions he had committed, he will surely live; he will not die. | 28Because they consider all the offenses they have committed and turn away from them, that person will surely live; they will not die. |
| 29Yet 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? | 29Yet the Israelites say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' Are my ways unjust, people of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust? |
| 30Therefore, 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. | 30"Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. |
| 31Cast 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? | 31Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? |
| 32For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent and live! | 32For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live! |
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