| King James Bible | New International Version |
| 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? | 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, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb 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; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it 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. |
| 5But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right, | 5"Suppose there is a righteous man who 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 look to the idols of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor's wife or have sexual relations with a woman during her period. |
| 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 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| 8He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man, | 8He does not lend to them at interest or take a profit from them.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. |
| 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 decrees and faithfully keeps my laws. That man is righteous; he will surely live, declares the Sovereign LORD. |
| 10If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth the like to any one of these things, | 10"Suppose he has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these other things |
| 11And that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour's wife, | 11(though the father has done none of them): "He eats at the mountain shrines. He 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, | 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. |
| 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. | 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, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father's sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like, | 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: |
| 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, | 15"He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols 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 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. |
| 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 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 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. | 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 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. | 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 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 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 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. | 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. |
| 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 offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live. |
| 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? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live? |
| 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. | 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 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? | 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 man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he 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 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 away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just and right, they will save their life. |
| 28Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath 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 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? | 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 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. | 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 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? | 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 him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye. | 32For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live! |
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