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Ezekiel

Chapter 18

Summary

Delivers the monumental standard of INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY. it refutes the proverb: 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge'. it declares that 'all souls are Mine' and 'the soul that sins, it shall die'. it outlines three generations of a family to show that each stands or falls by their own righteousness or iniquity. it features the LORD's plea for the wicked to repent, as He has 'no pleasure at all' in the death of the wicked.

1

The word of the LORD came to me again, saying,

2

"What mean you, that 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?'"

3

"As I live," says the Lord GOD, "you shall not have occasion anymore to use this proverb in Israel."

4

"Behold, all souls are Mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is Mine: the soul that sins, it shall die."

5

"But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,"

6

"And has not eaten upon the mountains, neither has lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither has defiled his neighbour's wife, neither has come near to a menstruous woman,"

7

"And has not oppressed any, but has restored to the debtor his pledge, has spoiled none by violence, has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment;"

8

"He that has not given forth upon usury, neither has taken any increase, that has withdrawn his hand from iniquity, has executed true judgement between man and man,"

9

"Has walked in My statutes, and has kept My judgements, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live," says the Lord GOD.

10

"If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that does the like to any one of these things,"

11

"And that does not any of those duties, but even has eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour's wife,"

12

"Has oppressed the poor and needy, has spoiled by violence, has not restored the pledge, and has lifted up his eyes to the idols, has committed abomination,"

13

"Has given forth upon usury, and has taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he has done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him."

14

"And I will bring again the captivity of Egypt, and will cause them to return into the land of Pathros, into the land of their habitation; and they shall be there a base kingdom."

15

"That has not eaten upon the mountains, neither has lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, has not defiled his neighbour's wife,"

16

"Neither has oppressed any, has not withholden the pledge, neither has spoiled by violence, but has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment,"

17

"That has taken off his hand from the poor, that has not received usury nor increase, has executed My judgements, has walked in My statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live."

18

"As 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."

19

"Yet say you, 'Why? does not the son bear the iniquity of the father?' When the son has done that which is lawful and right, and has kept all My statutes, and has done them, he shall surely live."

20

"The soul that sins, 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."

21

"But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he has committed, and keep all My statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die."

22

"All his transgressions that he has committed, they shall not be mentioned to him: in his righteousness that he has done he shall live."

23

"Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?" says the Lord GOD: "and not that he should return from his ways, and live?"

24

"But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All his righteousness that he has done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them shall he die."

25

"Yet you 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?"

26

"When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and dies in them; for his iniquity that he has done shall he die."

27

"Again, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive."

28

"Because he considers, and turns away from all his transgressions that he has committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die."

29

"Yet says 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?"

30

"Wherefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD; 'Are you polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit you whoredom after their abominations?'"

31

"Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby you have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will you die, O house of Israel?"

32

"For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dies," says the Lord GOD: "wherefore turn yourselves, and live you."