| Berean Study Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, | 1Then another message came to me from the LORD: |
| 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“Why do you quote this proverb concerning the land of Israel: ‘The parents have eaten sour grapes, but their children’s mouths pucker at the taste’? |
| 3As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. | 3As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, you will not quote this proverb anymore 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 all people are mine to judge—both parents and children alike. And this is my rule: The person who sins is the one who will die. |
| 5Now suppose a man is righteous and does what is just and right: | 5“Suppose a certain man is righteous and 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 feast in the mountains before Israel’s idols or worship them. He does not commit adultery or have intercourse with a woman during her menstrual 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 is a merciful creditor, not keeping the items given as security by poor debtors. He does not rob the poor but instead gives food to the hungry and provides clothes for the needy. |
| 8He does not engage in usury or take excess interest, but he withholds his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between men. | 8He grants loans without interest, stays away from injustice, is honest and fair when judging others, |
| 9He follows My statutes and faithfully keeps My ordinances. That man is righteous; surely he will live, declares the Lord GOD. | 9and faithfully obeys my decrees and regulations. Anyone who does these things is just and will surely live, says the Sovereign LORD. |
| 10Now suppose that man has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these things, | 10“But suppose that man has a son who grows up to be a robber or murderer and refuses to do what is right. |
| 11though the father has done none of them: Indeed, the son eats at the mountain and defiles his neighbor’s wife. | 11And that son does all the evil things his father would never do—he worships idols on the mountains, commits adultery, |
| 12He oppresses the poor and needy; he commits robbery and does not restore a pledge. He lifts his eyes to idols; he commits abominations. | 12oppresses the poor and helpless, steals from debtors by refusing to let them redeem their security, worships idols, commits detestable sins, |
| 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. | 13and lends money at excessive interest. Should such a sinful person live? No! He must die and must take full blame. |
| 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 that sinful son, in turn, has a son who sees his father’s wickedness and decides against that kind of life. |
| 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. | 15This son refuses to worship idols on the mountains and does not commit adultery. |
| 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 exploit the poor, but instead is fair to debtors and does not rob them. He gives food to the hungry and provides clothes for the needy. |
| 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 helps the poor, does not lend money at interest, and obeys all my regulations and decrees. Such a person will not die because of his father’s sins; 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 the father will die for his many sins—for being cruel, robbing people, and doing what was clearly 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“‘What?’ you ask. ‘Doesn’t the child pay for the parent’s sins?’ No! For if the child does what is just and right and keeps my decrees, that child 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 person who sins is the one who will die. The child will not be punished for the parent’s sins, and the parent will not be punished for the child’s sins. Righteous people will be rewarded for their own righteous behavior, and wicked people will be punished for their own wickedness. |
| 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. | 21But if wicked people turn away from all their sins and begin to obey my decrees and do what is just and right, they will surely live and not die. |
| 22None of the transgressions he has committed will be held against him. Because of the righteousness he has practiced, he will live. | 22All their past sins will be forgotten, and they will live because of the righteous things they have done. |
| 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? | 23“Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign LORD. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked 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. | 24However, if righteous people turn from their righteous behavior and start doing sinful things and act like other sinners, should they be allowed to live? No, of course not! All their righteous acts will be forgotten, and they will die for their sins. |
| 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 Lord isn’t doing what’s right!’ Listen to me, O people of Israel. Am I the one not doing what’s right, or is it you? |
| 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. | 26When righteous people turn from their righteous behavior and start doing sinful things, they will die for it. Yes, they will die because of their sinful deeds. |
| 27But if a wicked man turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life. | 27And if wicked people turn from their wickedness, obey the law, and do what is just and right, they will save their lives. |
| 28Because he considered and turned from all the transgressions he had committed, he will surely live; he will not die. | 28They will live because they thought it over and decided to turn from their sins. Such people 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? | 29And yet the people of Israel keep saying, ‘The Lord isn’t doing what’s right!’ O people of Israel, it is you who are not doing what’s right, not I. |
| 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, I will judge each of you, O people of Israel, according to your actions, says the Sovereign LORD. Repent, and turn from your sins. Don’t let them destroy you! |
| 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? | 31Put all your rebellion behind you, and find yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O people of Israel? |
| 32For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent and live! | 32I don’t want you to die, says the Sovereign LORD. Turn back and live! |
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