The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel 18 Responsibility is Personal

 The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel 18

Responsibility is Personal

1 The word of the Lord came to me:

2 “What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel: ‘The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?

3 As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel.

4 For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son—the soul who sins is the one who will die.

5 If a person is righteous and does what is just and right,

6 does not eat on the mountains or look to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife or have sexual relations with a woman during her menstrual impurity,

7 Not oppressing anyone, returning the pledge to the debtor, and not stealing, giving his bread to the hungry, and covering the naked with clothing,

8 Not lending his money at interest, and not receiving excessive profit, turning his hand away from injustice, and doing true justice between man and man;

9 Walking in my statutes, and keeping my judgments, to do according to truth, that righteous person shall surely live, says the Lord God.

10 And if he begets a son who is a thief, a shedder of blood, who does any of these things to his brother;

11 And does not perform all those duties, but rather eats on the mountains, and defiles his neighbor's wife;

12 And oppresses the afflicted and needy, commits robbery, does not return the pledge, and lifts up his eyes to idols, commits abomination;

13 And lends at interest, and receives excessive profit, shall he live? He shall not live: All these abominations he has committed, he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.

14 And behold, if he begets a son who sees all the sins that his father has committed, and, seeing them, does not commit similar things;

15 Does not eat on the mountains, nor lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, nor defile his neighbor's wife;

16 And does not oppress anyone, nor withhold the pledge, nor steal, but gives his bread to the hungry, and covers the naked with clothing;

17 Who withholds his hand from the afflicted, does not take excessive usury, does my judgments, and walks in my statutes, that one shall not die for the iniquity of his father; he shall surely live.

18 His father, because he has oppressed, and robbed his brother's goods, and done what was not good in the midst of his people, behold, he shall die for his iniquity.

19 But you say, “Why should the son not bear the iniquity of the father?” Because the son has done what is just and right, and has kept all my statutes and done them, he shall surely live.

20 The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, nor 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.

21 But if the wicked man turns from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die.

22 None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness that he has done he shall live.

23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Lord GOD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?

24 But if a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin, doing all the detestable things that the wicked person does, will they live? None of the righteous acts they have done will be remembered. Because of the sin they have committed and the transgression they have committed, they will die.

25 But you say, “The way of the Lord is not right.” Hear now, O house of Israel: Is not my way right? Are not your ways crooked?

26 When 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.

27 But if a wicked person turns from their wickedness that they have committed and does what is just and right, they will live.

28 Because they consider and turn from all the sins they have committed, they will surely live; they will not die.

 29 Yet the house of Israel says, “The way of the Lord is not right.” Are not my ways right, O house of Israel? Are not your ways crooked?

30 Therefore, I will judge you, O house of Israel, each one according to his ways, declares the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your downfall.

31 Cast away from you all the transgressions you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel?

32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God. Repent and live!