犯罪者必灭亡
1耶和华对我说： 2“你们以色列人为什么说‘父亲吃了酸葡萄，儿子的牙酸倒了’这句俗语呢？ 3主耶和华说，我凭我的永恒起誓，你们在以色列必不再用这句话。 4因为所有的生命都属于我，父和子都属于我。谁犯罪，谁死亡。
5“倘若有义人秉公行义， 6不在山上的庙宇里吃祭物，不拜以色列的偶像，不玷污别人的妻子，不亲近经期中的妇女； 7不欺压人，反而退还债户的抵押品；不抢夺财物，反而给饥饿的人食物吃，给赤身露体的人衣服穿； 8不放债取利，不犯罪作恶，反而公平待人， 9遵守我的律例，顺从我的典章——这样的义人必能活着。这是主耶和华说的。
10“倘若这人生了一个不肖子，凶残暴戾，杀人抢劫，无恶不作， 11常在庙宇吃祭偶像之物，玷污别人的妻子， 12欺压贫穷困苦的人，抢夺财物，扣留债户的抵押品，祭拜偶像，犯罪作恶， 13放债取利，这样的人还能活着吗？他必不能活。他作恶多端，必自取灭亡，抵偿自己的血债。
14“倘若这不肖子有一个好儿子，他看见父亲的所作所为，不愿步父亲的后尘。 15他不肯在山上吃祭偶像之物，不拜以色列人的偶像，不玷污别人的妻子， 16不欺压他人，不扣留抵押品，不抢夺财物，反而给饥饿的人食物吃，给赤身露体的人衣服穿， 17不压榨贫穷的人，不放债取利，反而遵守我的典章，顺从我的律例，这人必不因父亲的罪恶而死亡，他必活着。 18他父亲因肆意欺诈，掠夺同胞，多行不义，必自招灭亡。
19“你们会问，‘儿子为什么不用承担父亲的罪恶呢？’这是因为儿子秉公行义，谨遵我的律例，所以他必活着。 20谁犯罪，谁死亡，儿子不用承担父亲的罪恶，父亲也不用承担儿子的罪恶。义人必有善报，恶人必有恶报。
21“恶人若肯痛改前非，遵守我的律例，秉公行义，就必活着，不致死亡。 22我必不追究他以前所犯的一切罪行，他必因行事正直而活着。 23主耶和华说，我难道喜欢恶人死亡吗？我岂不是更愿他们痛改前非并活着吗？ 24义人若弃善行恶，与恶人同流合污，这人岂能活着？他从前的义行不会被记念，他必因自己的背信和罪恶而灭亡。
25“你们说，主这样做不公平。以色列人啊，你们听着，是我的做法不公平呢？还是你们的做法不公平呢？ 26倘若义人离义行恶，他必因犯罪而死。 27倘若恶人离恶行义，他必救回自己的性命。 28因为他醒悟过来，痛改前非，必能活着，不致死亡。 29以色列人却说，‘主这样做不公平！’以色列人啊，是我的做法不公平呢？还是你们的做法不公平呢？
30“所以主耶和华说，‘以色列人啊，我必按你们各人的行为审判你们。你们要悔改，痛改前非，使你们不致死在罪恶中。 31你们要离弃从前所有的罪恶，洗心革面。以色列人啊！你们何必走向灭亡呢？’ 32主耶和华说，‘我断不喜欢任何人死亡，你们要悔改，以便存活。’”
The One Who Sins Will Die
1The word of the Lord came to me: 2“What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel:
“ ‘The parents eat 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. 4For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins is the one who will die.
5“Suppose there is a righteous man
who does what is just and right.
6He does not eat at the mountain shrines
or look to the idols of Israel.
He does not defile his neighbor’s wife
or have sexual relations with a woman during her period.
7He does not oppress anyone,
but returns what he took in pledge for a loan.
He does not commit robbery
but gives his food to the hungry
and provides clothing for the naked.
8He does not lend to them at interest
or take a profit from them.
He withholds his hand from doing wrong
and judges fairly between two parties.
9He follows my decrees
and faithfully keeps my laws.
That man is righteous;
he will surely live,
declares the Sovereign Lord.
10“Suppose he has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these other things18:10 Or things to a brother 11(though the father has done none of them):
“He eats at the mountain shrines.
He defiles his neighbor’s wife.
12He oppresses the poor and needy.
He commits robbery.
He does not return what he took in pledge.
He looks to the idols.
He does detestable things.
13He lends at interest and takes a profit.
Will such a man live? He will not! Because he has done all these detestable things, he is to be put to death; his blood will be on his own head.
14“But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things:
15“He does not eat at the mountain shrines
or look to the idols of Israel.
He does not defile his neighbor’s wife.
16He does not oppress anyone
or require a pledge for a loan.
He does not commit robbery
but gives his food to the hungry
and provides clothing for the naked.
17He withholds his hand from mistreating the poor
and takes no interest or profit from them.
He keeps my laws and follows my decrees.
He will not die for his father’s sin; he will surely live. 18But his father will die for his own sin, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was wrong among his people.
19“Yet you ask, ‘Why does the son not share the guilt of his father?’ Since the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live. 20The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them.
21“But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die. 22None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live. 23Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. 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 and does the same detestable things the wicked person does, will they live? None of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness they are guilty of and because of the sins they have committed, they will die.
25“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear, you Israelites: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust? 26If 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. 27But if a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just and right, they will save their life. 28Because they consider all the offenses they have committed and turn away from them, that person will surely live; they will not die. 29Yet the Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are my ways unjust, people of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?
30“Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. 31Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? 32For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!
