| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1The word of the LORD came to me again, saying, | 1Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, |
| 2“What do you mean when you 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 fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the teeth of the children are set on edge’? |
| 3“As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “you shall no longer use this proverb in Israel. | 3As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. |
| 4“Behold, 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. | 4Behold, every soul belongs to Me; both father and son are Mine. The soul who sins is the one who will die. |
| 5But if a man is just And does what is lawful and right; | 5Now suppose a man is righteous and does what is just and right: |
| 6If he has not eaten on the mountains, Nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, Nor defiled his neighbor’s wife, Nor approached a woman during her impurity; | 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. |
| 7If he has not oppressed anyone, But has restored to the debtor his pledge; Has robbed no one by violence, But has given his bread to the hungry And covered the naked with clothing; | 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. |
| 8If he has not exacted usury Nor taken any increase, But has withdrawn his hand from iniquity And executed true judgment between man and man; | 8He does not engage in usury or take excess interest, but he withholds his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between men. |
| 9If he has walked in My statutes And kept My judgments faithfully— He is just; He shall surely live!” Says the Lord GOD. | 9He follows My statutes and faithfully keeps My ordinances. That man is righteous; surely he will live, declares the Lord GOD. |
| 10“If he begets a son who is a robber Or a shedder of blood, Who does any of these things | 10Now suppose that man has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these things, |
| 11And does none of those duties, But has eaten on the mountains Or defiled his neighbor’s wife; | 11though the father has done none of them: Indeed, the son eats at the mountain and defiles his neighbor’s wife. |
| 12If he has oppressed the poor and needy, Robbed by violence, Not restored the pledge, Lifted his eyes to the idols, Or committed abomination; | 12He oppresses the poor and needy; he commits robbery and does not restore a pledge. He lifts his eyes to idols; he commits abominations. |
| 13If he has exacted usury Or taken increase— Shall he then live? He shall not live! If he has done any of these abominations, He shall surely die; His blood shall be upon him. | 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. |
| 14“If, however, he begets a son Who sees all the sins which his father has done, And considers but does not do likewise; | 14Now suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father has committed, considers them, and does not do likewise: |
| 15Who has not eaten on the mountains, Nor lifted his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, Nor defiled his neighbor’s wife; | 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. |
| 16Has not oppressed anyone, Nor withheld a pledge, Nor robbed by violence, But has given his bread to the hungry And covered the naked with clothing; | 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. |
| 17Who has withdrawn his hand from the poor And not received usury or increase, But has executed My judgments And walked in My statutes— He shall not die for the iniquity of his father; He shall surely live! | 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. |
| 18“As for his father, Because he cruelly oppressed, Robbed his brother by violence, And did what is not good among his people, Behold, he shall die for his iniquity. | 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. |
| 19“Yet you say, ‘Why should the son not bear the guilt of the father?’ Because the son has done what is lawful and right, and has kept all My statutes and observed them, he shall surely live. | 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. |
| 20The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. | 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. |
| 21“But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. | 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. |
| 22None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall live. | 22None of the transgressions he has committed will be held against him. Because of the righteousness he has practiced, he will live. |
| 23Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord GOD, “and not that he should turn from his ways and 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? |
| 24“But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die. | 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. |
| 25“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ Hear now, O house of Israel, is it not My way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair? | 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? |
| 26When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and dies in it, it is because of the iniquity which he has done that he dies. | 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. |
| 27Again, when a wicked man turns away from the wickedness which he committed, and does what is lawful and right, he preserves himself alive. | 27But if a wicked man turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life. |
| 28Because he considers and turns away from all the transgressions which he committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. | 28Because he considered and turned from all the transgressions he had committed, he will surely live; he will not die. |
| 29Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ O house of Israel, is it not My ways which are fair, and your ways which are not fair? | 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? |
| 30“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,” says the Lord GOD. “Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. | 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. |
| 31Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? | 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? |
| 32For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord GOD. “Therefore turn and live!” | 32For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent and live! |
|
