| King James Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying, | 1The word of the LORD came to me: " |
| 2What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge? | 2What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel: The fathers eat sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge? |
| 3As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel. | 3As I live"--this is the declaration of the Lord GOD--"you will no longer use this proverb in Israel. |
| 4Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. | 4Look, every life belongs to Me. The life of the father is like the life of the son--both belong to Me. The person who sins is the one who will die." |
| 5But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right, | 5Now suppose a man is righteous and does what is just and right: |
| 6And hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour's wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman, | 6He does not eat at the mountain shrines or raise his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor's wife or come near a woman during her menstrual impurity. |
| 7And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment; | 7He doesn't oppress anyone but returns his collateral to the debtor. He does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing. |
| 8He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man, | 8He doesn't lend at interest or for profit but keeps his hand from wrongdoing and carries out true justice between men. |
| 9Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD. | 9He follows My statutes and keeps My ordinances, acting faithfully. Such a person is righteous; he will certainly live." This is the declaration of the Lord GOD." |
| 10If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth the like to any one of these things, | 10Now suppose the man has a violent son, who sheds blood and does any of these things, |
| 11And that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour's wife, | 11though the father has done none of them. Indeed, when the son eats at the mountain shrines and defiles his neighbor's wife, |
| 12Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination, | 12and when he oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, and does not return collateral, and when he raises his eyes to the idols, commits detestable acts, |
| 13Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him. | 13and lends at interest or for profit, will he live? He will not live! Since he has committed all these detestable acts, he will certainly die. His blood will be on him." |
| 14Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father's sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like, | 14Now suppose he has a son who sees all the sins his father has committed, and though he sees them, he does not do likewise. |
| 15That hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbour's wife, | 15He does not eat at the mountain shrines or raise his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor's wife. |
| 16Neither hath oppressed any, hath not withholden the pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment, | 16He doesn't oppress anyone, hold collateral, or commit robbery. He gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing. |
| 17That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live. | 17He keeps his hand from harming the poor, not taking interest or profit on a loan. He practices My ordinances and follows My statutes. Such a person will not die for his father's iniquity. He will certainly live." |
| 18As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity. | 18As for his father, he will die for his own iniquity because he practiced fraud, robbed his brother, and did what was wrong among his people. |
| 19Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live. | 19But you may ask, 'Why doesn't the son suffer punishment for the father's iniquity?' Since the son has done what is just and right, carefully observing all My statutes, he will certainly live. |
| 20The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. | 20The person who sins is the one who will die. A son won't suffer punishment for the father's iniquity, and a father won't suffer punishment for the son's iniquity. The righteousness of the righteous person will be on him, and the wickedness of the wicked person will be on him." |
| 21But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. | 21Now if the wicked person turns from all the sins he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is just and right, he will certainly live; he will not die. |
| 22All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. | 22None of the transgressions he has committed will be held against him. He will live because of the righteousness he has practiced. |
| 23Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live? | 23Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked?" This is the declaration of the Lord GOD. "Instead, don't I take pleasure when he turns from his ways and lives? |
| 24But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. | 24But when a righteous person turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, committing the same detestable acts that the wicked do, will he live? None of the righteous acts he did will be remembered. He will die because of the treachery he has engaged in and the sin he has committed." |
| 25Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal? | 25But you say, 'The Lord's way isn't fair.' Now listen, house of Israel: Is it My way that is unfair? Instead, isn't it your ways that are unfair? |
| 26When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. | 26When a righteous person turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, he will die for this. He will die because of the iniquity he has practiced. |
| 27Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. | 27But if a wicked person turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will preserve his life. |
| 28Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. | 28He will certainly live because he thought it over and turned from all the transgressions he had committed; he will not die. |
| 29Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal? | 29But the house of Israel says, 'The Lord's way isn't fair.' Is it My ways that are unfair, house of Israel? Instead, isn't it your ways that are unfair?" |
| 30Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. | 30Therefore, house of Israel, I will judge each one of you according to his ways." This is the declaration of the Lord GOD. "Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so they will not be a stumbling block that causes your punishment. |
| 31Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? | 31Throw off all the transgressions you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, house of Israel? |
| 32For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye. | 32For I take no pleasure in anyone's death." This is the declaration of the Lord GOD. "So repent and live!" |
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