Holman Christian Standard Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1The word of the LORD came to me: "

1Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

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?

2"What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, 'The fathers eat the sour grapes, But the children's teeth are set on edge '?

3As I live"--this is the declaration of the Lord GOD--"you will no longer use this proverb in Israel.

3"As I live," declares the Lord GOD, "you are surely not going to use this proverb in Israel anymore.

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."

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 will die.

5Now suppose a man is righteous and does what is just and right:

5"But if a man is righteous and practices justice and righteousness,

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.

6and does not eat at the mountain shrines or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period--

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.

7if a man does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing,

8He doesn't lend at interest or for profit but keeps his hand from wrongdoing and carries out true justice between men.

8if he does not lend money on interest or take increase, if he keeps his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between man and man,

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."

9if he walks in My statutes and My ordinances so as to deal faithfully-- he is righteous and will surely live," declares the Lord GOD.

10Now suppose the man has a violent son, who sheds blood and does any of these things,

10"Then he may have a violent son who sheds blood and who does any of these things to a brother

11though the father has done none of them. Indeed, when the son eats at the mountain shrines and defiles his neighbor's wife,

11(though he himself did not do any of these things), that is, he even eats at the mountain shrines, and defiles his neighbor's wife,

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,

12oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore a pledge, but lifts up his eyes to the idols and commits abomination,

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."

13he lends money on interest and takes increase; will he live? He will not live! He has committed all these abominations, he will surely be put to death; his blood will be on his own head.

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.

14"Now behold, he has a son who has observed all his father's sins which he committed, and observing does not do likewise.

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.

15"He does not eat at the mountain shrines or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor's wife,

16He doesn't oppress anyone, hold collateral, or commit robbery. He gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing.

16or oppress anyone, or retain a pledge, or commit robbery, but he gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing,

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."

17he keeps his hand from the poor, does not take interest or increase, but executes My ordinances, and walks in My statutes; he will not die for his father's iniquity, he will surely live.

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.

18"As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was not good among his people, behold, he will die for his iniquity.

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.

19"Yet you say, 'Why should the son not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity?' When the son has practiced justice and righteousness and has observed all My statutes and done them, he shall surely live.

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."

20"The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.

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.

21"But if the wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed and observes all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall surely live; he shall not die.

22None of the transgressions he has committed will be held against him. He will live because of the righteousness he has practiced.

22"All his transgressions which he has committed will not be remembered against him; because of his righteousness which he has practiced, he will 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?

23"Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked," declares the Lord GOD, "rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?

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."

24"But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and does according to all the abominations that a wicked man does, will he live? All his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered for his treachery which he has committed and his sin which he has committed; for them he will die.

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?

25"Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not right.' Hear now, O house of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right?

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.

26"When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and dies because of it, for his iniquity which he has committed he will die.

27But if a wicked person turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will preserve his life.

27"Again, when a wicked man turns away from his wickedness which he has committed and practices justice and righteousness, he will save his life.

28He will certainly live because he thought it over and turned from all the transgressions he had committed; he will not die.

28"Because he considered and turned away from all his transgressions which he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die.

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?"

29"But the house of Israel says, 'The way of the Lord is not right.' Are My ways not right, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are not right?

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.

30"Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct," declares the Lord GOD. "Repent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you.

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?

31"Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel?

32For I take no pleasure in anyone's death." This is the declaration of the Lord GOD. "So repent and live!"

32"For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies," declares the Lord GOD. "Therefore, repent and live."

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

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