| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1The word of the LORD came to me: | 1The word of the LORD came to me: |
| 2“What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth 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 I live, declares the Lord GOD, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. | 3"As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. |
| 4Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall 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. |
| 5“If 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. |
| 6if he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman in her time of menstrual impurity, | 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. |
| 7does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, commits no robbery, gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment, | 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. |
| 8does not lend at interest or take any profit, withholds his hand from injustice, executes true justice between man and man, | 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. |
| 9walks in my statutes, and keeps my rules by acting faithfully—he is righteous; he shall surely 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. |
| 10“If he fathers a son who is violent, a shedder of blood, who does any of these things | 10"Suppose he has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these other things |
| 11(though he himself did none of these things), who even eats upon the mountains, 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. |
| 12oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore the pledge, lifts up his eyes to the idols, commits abomination, | 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. |
| 13lends at interest, and takes profit; shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon himself. | 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. |
| 14“Now suppose this man fathers a son who sees all the sins that his father has done; he sees, 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 upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, 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. |
| 16does not oppress anyone, exacts no pledge, commits no robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment, | 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. |
| 17withholds his hand from iniquity, takes no interest or profit, obeys my rules, and walks in my statutes; he shall not die for his father’s iniquity; he shall 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, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what is not good among his people, behold, he shall die for his iniquity. | 18But his father will die for his own sin, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was wrong among his people. |
| 19“Yet you say, ‘Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done what is just and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall 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 shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. | 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. |
| 21“But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall 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 that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live. | 22None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live. |
| 23Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way 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 when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall 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. |
| 25“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just? | 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? |
| 26When a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice, he shall die for it; for the injustice that he has done he shall die. | 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. |
| 27Again, when a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall 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 away from all the transgressions that he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall 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.’ O house of Israel, are my ways not just? Is it not your ways that are not just? | 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? |
| 30“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. | 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 you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will 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 have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live.” | 32For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live! |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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