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!
犯罪者必滅亡
1耶和華對我說： 2「你們談論以色列地時為什麼說『父親吃了酸葡萄，兒子的牙酸倒了』這句俗語呢？ 3主耶和華說，我憑我的永恆起誓，你們在以色列必不再用這句俗語。 4因為所有的生命都屬於我，父和子都屬於我。誰犯罪，誰死亡。
5「倘若有義人秉公行義， 6不在山上的廟宇裡吃祭物，不拜以色列人的偶像，不玷污別人的妻子，不親近經期中的婦女； 7不欺壓人，反而退還債戶的抵押品；不搶奪財物，反而給饑餓的人食物吃，給赤身露體的人衣服穿； 8不放債取利，不犯罪作惡，反而公平待人， 9遵守我的律例，切實遵行我的典章——這樣的人是義人，必能活著。這是主耶和華說的。
10「倘若這人生的兒子兇殘暴戾，嗜殺成性，無惡不作， 11常在山上的廟宇吃祭偶像之物，玷污別人的妻子， 12欺壓貧窮困苦的人，搶奪財物，扣留債戶的抵押品，祭拜偶像，行可憎之事， 13放債取利，這樣的人還能活著嗎？他必不能活。他多行可憎之事，必自取滅亡，自害己命。
14「倘若這不肖子有一個好兒子，他看見父親的所作所為，不願步父親的後塵。 15他不在山上吃祭偶像之物，不拜以色列人的偶像，不玷污別人的妻子， 16不欺壓他人，不扣留抵押品，不搶奪財物，反而給饑餓的人食物吃，給赤身露體的人衣服穿， 17不壓榨貧窮的人，不放債取利，反而遵守我的典章，順從我的律例，這人必不因父親的罪惡而死亡，他必活著。 18他父親因肆意欺詐，掠奪同胞，多行不義，必死於自己的罪惡。
19「你們會問，『兒子為什麼不用承擔父親的罪惡呢？』這是因為兒子秉公行義，謹遵我的律例，所以他必活著。 20誰犯罪，誰死亡，兒子不用承擔父親的罪惡，父親也不用承擔兒子的罪惡。義人的義必歸自己，惡人的惡也必歸自己。
21「惡人若肯改邪歸正，遵守我的律例，秉公行義，就必活著，不致死亡。 22他犯的一切罪過不會被追究，他必因行事正直而活著。 23主耶和華說，我難道喜歡惡人死亡嗎？我豈不是更願他們改邪歸正並活著嗎？ 24義人若棄善行惡，與惡人同流合污，這人豈能活著？他從前的義行不會被記念，他必因自己的背信和罪惡而死亡。
25「你們說，『主行事不公平。』以色列人啊，你們聽著，是我行事不公平呢？還是你們行事不公平呢？ 26義人若離義行惡，必因惡行而死。 27惡人若改邪歸正、秉公行義，必保全性命。 28因為他醒悟過來，改邪歸正，必能活著，不致死亡。 29以色列人卻說，『主行事不公平！』以色列人啊，是我行事不公平呢？還是你們行事不公平呢？
30「所以主耶和華說，『以色列人啊，我必按你們各人的行為審判你們。你們要悔改，改邪歸正，免得死在罪中。 31你們要離棄從前所有的罪惡，洗心革面。以色列人啊！你們何必走向滅亡呢？』 32主耶和華說，『我斷不喜歡任何人死亡，你們要悔改，便得存活。』」
