Ezekiel:18

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* The word of the LORD came to me again , saying , * What mean you , that you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel , saying , The fathers have eaten sour grapes , and the children ' teeth are set on edge ? * As I live , said the Lord GOD , you shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel . * 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 . * But if a man be just , and do that which is lawful and right , * And has not eaten on the mountains , neither has lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel , neither has defiled his neighbor ' wife , neither has come near to a menstruous woman , * 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covered the naked with a garment ; * He that has not given forth on usury , neither has taken any increase , that has withdrawn his hand from iniquity , has executed true judgment between man and man , * Has walked in my statutes , and has kept my judgments , to deal truly ; he is just , he shall surely live , said the Lord GOD . * If he beget a son that is a robber , a shedder of blood , and that does the like to any one of these things , * And that does not any of those duties , but even has eaten on the mountains , and defiled his neighbor ' wife , * 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 , * Has given forth on 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 on him . * Now , see , if he beget a son , that sees all his father ' sins which he has done , and considers , and does not such like , * That has not eaten on the mountains , neither has lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel , has not defiled his neighbor ' wife , * Neither has oppressed any , has not withheld the pledge , neither has spoiled by violence , but has given his bread to the hungry , and has covered the naked with a garment , * That has taken off his hand from the poor , that has not received usury nor increase , has executed my judgments , has walked in my statutes ; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father , he shall surely live . * As for his father , because he cruelly oppressed , spoiled his brother by violence , and did that which is not good among his people , see , even he shall die in his iniquity . * 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 . * 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 on him , and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on him . * 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 . * All his transgressions that he has committed , they shall not be mentioned to him : in his righteousness that he has done he shall live . * Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die ? said the Lord GOD : and not that he should return from his ways , and live ? * 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 . * 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 ? * 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 . * 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 . * Because he considers , and turns away from all his transgressions that he has committed , he shall surely live , he shall not die . * Yet said 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 ? * Therefore I will judge you , O house of Israel , every one according to his ways , said the Lord GOD . Repent , and turn yourselves from all your transgressions ; so iniquity shall not be your ruin . * 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 ? * For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dies , said the Lord GOD : why turn yourselves , and live you .

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