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The Justice of a Righteous God
Then another message came to me from the LORD:
Then another message came to me from the LORD:
A False Proverb Refuted
The word of the Lord came to me again, saying,
The word of the Lord came to me again, saying,
“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’?
“What do you mean when 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’?
‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes,
And the children’s teeth are set on edge’?
As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, you will not quote this proverb anymore in Israel.
“As I live,” says the Lord God, “you shall no longer use this proverb in Israel.
For 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.
“Behold, all souls are Mine;
The soul of the father
As well as the soul of the son is Mine;
The soul who sins shall die.
The soul of the father
As well as the soul of the son is Mine;
The soul who sins shall die.
“Suppose a certain man is righteous and does what is just and right.
But if a man is just
And does what is lawful and right;
And does what is lawful and right;
He 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.
If he has not oppressed anyone,
But has restored to the debtor his pledge;
Has robbed no one by violence,
But has given his bread to the hungry
And covered the naked with clothing;
But has restored to the debtor his pledge;
Has robbed no one by violence,
But has given his bread to the hungry
And covered the naked with clothing;
He grants loans without interest, stays away from injustice, is honest and fair when judging others,
and faithfully obeys my decrees and regulations. Anyone who does these things is just and will surely live, says the Sovereign LORD.
If he has walked in My statutes
And kept My judgments faithfully —
He is just;
He shall surely live!”
Says the Lord God.
And kept My judgments faithfully —
He is just;
He shall surely live!”
Says the Lord God.
“But suppose that man has a son who grows up to be a robber or murderer and refuses to do what is right.
“If he begets a son who is a robber
Or a shedder of blood,
Who does any of these things
Or a shedder of blood,
Who does any of these things
And that son does all the evil things his father would never do — he worships idols on the mountains, commits adultery,
oppresses the poor and helpless, steals from debtors by refusing to let them redeem their security, worships idols, commits detestable sins,
If he has oppressed the poor and needy,
Robbed by violence,
Not restored the pledge,
Lifted his eyes to the idols,
Or committed abomination;
Robbed by violence,
Not restored the pledge,
Lifted his eyes to the idols,
Or committed abomination;
and lends money at excessive interest. Should such a sinful person live? No! He must die and must take full blame.
If he has exacted usury
Or taken increase —
Shall he then live?
He shall not live!
If he has done any of these abominations,
He shall surely die;
His blood shall be upon him.
Or taken increase —
Shall he then live?
He shall not live!
If he has done any of these abominations,
He shall surely die;
His blood shall be upon him.
“But suppose that sinful son, in turn, has a son who sees his father’s wickedness and decides against that kind of life.
“If, however, he begets a son
Who sees all the sins which his father has done,
And considers but does not do likewise;
Who sees all the sins which his father has done,
And considers but does not do likewise;
This son refuses to worship idols on the mountains and does not commit adultery.
He 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.
Has not oppressed anyone,
Nor withheld a pledge,
Nor robbed by violence,
But has given his bread to the hungry
And covered the naked with clothing;
Nor withheld a pledge,
Nor robbed by violence,
But has given his bread to the hungry
And covered the naked with clothing;
But the father will die for his many sins — for being cruel, robbing people, and doing what was clearly wrong among his people.
“As for his father,
Because he cruelly oppressed,
Robbed his brother by violence,
And did what is not good among his people,
Behold, he shall die for his iniquity.
Because he cruelly oppressed,
Robbed his brother by violence,
And did what is not good among his people,
Behold, he shall die for his iniquity.
“‘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.
Turn and Live
“Yet you say, ‘Why should the son not bear the guilt of the father?’ Because the son has done what is lawful and right, and has kept all My statutes and observed them, he shall surely live.
“Yet you say, ‘Why should the son not bear the guilt of the father?’ Because the son has done what is lawful and right, and has kept all My statutes and observed them, he shall surely live.
The 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.
The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.
But 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.
“But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die.
All their past sins will be forgotten, and they will live because of the righteous things they have done.
None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall live.
“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.
Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord God, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live?
However, 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.
“But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die.
“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?
“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ Hear now, O house of Israel, is it not My way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair?
When 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.
When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and dies in it, it is because of the iniquity which he has done that he dies.
And if wicked people turn from their wickedness, obey the law, and do what is just and right, they will save their lives.
Again, when a wicked man turns away from the wickedness which he committed, and does what is lawful and right, he preserves himself alive.
They will live because they thought it over and decided to turn from their sins. Such people will not die.
Because he considers and turns away from all the transgressions which he committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die.
And 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.
Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ O house of Israel, is it not My ways which are fair, and your ways which are not fair?
“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!
“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,” says the Lord God. “Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin.
Put all your rebellion behind you, and find yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O people of Israel?
Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel?