Ezekiel 18

1 Then the word [message from the Lord, divine communication] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] came [existed, came into being] to me, saying [to speak, to command, to proclaim], word study 2 “What [to what extent, in what way] do you people [you, Israel] mean by quoting [using, speaking] this proverb [saying, teaching] about the land [ground, earth] of Israel: ‘The fathers [ancestors, forefathers] have eaten [consumed, devoured] sour grapes [unripe fruit, bitter grapes], and the teeth [sharp edges] of the children [sons, descendants] are set on edge’? word study 3 As surely as I [truly exist, am alive] live, declares the Lord [Adonay, Master] GOD [Yehovah], you will no longer [from this time on, still] quote this [particular, given] proverb [wise saying, teaching] in Israel [the chosen people, Jacob’s descendants]. word study 4 Behold [look, see], every soul [living being, person] belongs to Me; both father [parent, ancestor] and son [child, descendant] are Mine. The soul [person, individual] who sins [misses the mark, disobeys] is the one who will die [perish, face spiritual death]. word study 5 Now suppose a man [a male person, individual] is righteous [just, having God’s nature] and does what is just [lawful, fair] and right [righteousness, virtue]: word study 6 He does not eat [at the pagan shrines] at the mountain [or hilltops] or look [lift up his eyes] to the idols [images, false gods] of the house [family, nation] of Israel. He does not defile [morally corrupt, ceremonially contaminate] his neighbor’s [fellow, companion] wife or approach [come near, have intimacy with] a woman during her period [time of impurity, menstrual cycle]. word study 7 He does not [wrong or oppress] oppress another, but restores [gives back, returns] the pledge [security, guarantee] to the debtor [one who owes a debt]. He does not [take by force, rob] commit robbery [plunder, violence], but gives his bread [food, nourishment] to the hungry [those in need, starving] and covers the naked [without clothing, impoverished] with clothing [a garment, protection]. word study 8 He does not engage in usury [lending at excessive rates] or take excess interest [unjust gain], but he withholds his hand [turns back his strength] from iniquity [moral evil, wrongdoing] and executes true [faithful, righteous] justice [God’s righteous judgment] between men [individuals, humanity]. word study 9 He follows [faithfully obeys] My statutes [divine laws, ordinances] and faithfully keeps [guards, watches over] My ordinances [judgments, precepts]. That man is [truly, justly] righteous [just, upright]; surely he will live [have life, be revived], declares [says, utters] the Lord [Adonay, sovereign God] GOD [Yehovah]. word study 10 Now suppose that man has a violent [destructive] son, who sheds [pours out] blood [the life-giving fluid, symbol of life] or does any of these things [evil actions, sinful behaviors], word study 11 though the father has done none of them: Indeed, the son eats [at the pagan shrines, upon the mountains] at the mountain and defiles [morally contaminates, fouls] his neighbor’s [fellow, companion] wife. word study 12 He oppresses [wronged, exploited] the poor [afflicted, humble] and needy [in need, impoverished]; he commits [takes by] robbery [violence, plunder] and does not restore [give back] a pledge [security, guarantee]. He lifts his eyes [gaze, vision] to idols [images, false gods]; he commits [does, practices] abominations [disgusting things, unclean acts]. word study 13 He engages in usury [lending with excessive interest, taking advantage of others] and takes excess interest [unjust gain, increase]. Will this son live [remain alive, have life]? He will not [certainly not, no]! Since he has committed [done, made] all these abominations [detestable things, disgusting acts], he will surely die [be put to death, suffer the consequences]; his blood [the liquid that flows through the body] will be on his own head [his responsibility, his fault]. word study 14 Now suppose [behold, look] this son [a descendant, a child] has a son [a child, an offspring] who sees [perceives, observes] all [everything, the entirety] the sins [transgressions, guilt] his father [a paternal figure, an ancestor] has committed [done, made], considers [reflects on, ponders] them, and does not [refrains from, avoids] do [make, commit] likewise [in a similar manner, the same way]: word study 15 He does not eat [at the pagan shrines] at the mountain [or hill] or look [lift up his eyes] to the idols [images or objects of worship] of the house [family or nation] of Israel. He does not defile [make unclean or corrupt] his neighbor’s [fellow or companion] wife. word study 16 He does [not oppress or wrong] not oppress another, or retain [security for a debt] a pledge, or commit [take by force] robbery. He gives [provides, shares] his bread [food, sustenance] to the hungry [those in need, famished] and covers [clothes, provides garments for] the naked [without clothing, impoverished] with clothing [a garment, outer covering]. word study 17 He withholds [refrains from, turns away] his hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] from harming [doing evil to, oppressing] the poor [afflicted, humble, or weak] and takes no [does not receive] interest [usury, excessive rates] or usury [unjust gain, increase]. He keeps [faithfully obeys, executes] My ordinances [judgments, laws] and follows [walks in, adheres to] My statutes [commandments, precepts]. Such a man will not [shall not] die [perish, succumb] for his father’s [ancestral, inherited] iniquity [moral evil, sin]. He will surely [certainly, undoubtedly] live [have life, be revived]. word study 18 As for his father [the patriarch, ancestor], he will die [meet his end, perish] for his own iniquity [moral evil, sin], because he practiced [was guilty of, committed] extortion [oppression, cruelty], robbed [plundered, took by force] his brother [relative, fellow man], and did what was wrong [not good, evil] among his people [nation, community]. word study 19 Yet you may ask, ‘Why [for what reason, on what grounds] shouldn’t the son [descendant, child] bear the iniquity [moral evil, sin] of his father [parent, ancestor]?’ Since the son has done what is just [lawful, righteous] and right [virtuous, morally upright], carefully observing [keeping, obeying] all My statutes [ordinances, commandments], he will surely live [have life, be revived]. word study 20 The soul [living being, essence of a person] who sins [misses the mark, goes wrong] is the one who will die [face spiritual death, separation from God]. A son [descendant, child] will not bear [carry, lift] the iniquity [moral evil, sin] of his father [parent, ancestor], and a father [parent, ancestor] will not bear [carry, lift] the iniquity [moral evil, sin] of his son [descendant, child]. The righteousness [justice, virtue] of the righteous [just, upright] man will fall [be placed, rest] upon him, and the wickedness [guilt, wrong actions] of the wicked [morally wrong, bad] man will fall [be placed, rest] upon him. word study 21 But if the wicked [morally wrong, guilty of sin] man turns [to return, repent] from all the sins [guilt, punishment for sin] he has committed, keeps [to obey, protect] all My statutes [ordinances, divine laws], and does [to make, perform] what is just [righteous, fair] and right [virtuous, morally upright], he will surely live [have life, be revived]; he will not [absence of] die [to perish, cease to exist]. word study 22 None [not one, all forgotten] of the transgressions [rebellions, sins] he has committed [done, made] will be held [remembered, mentioned] against him [to his account]. Because of the righteousness [justice, virtue] he has practiced [done, made], he will live [have life, be revived]. word study 23 Do I take any pleasure [delight, joy] in the death [separation from God, eternal punishment] of the wicked [morally wrong, sinful]? declares the Lord [Adonay, Master] GOD [Yehovah]. Wouldn’t I prefer [desire, wish] that he turn [return, repent] from his ways [path, manner of life] and live [have eternal life, be revived]? word study 24 But if a righteous [just, upright] man turns [to return, to turn back] from his righteousness [justice, virtue, moral integrity] and practices [commits, does] iniquity [moral evil, wrongdoing], committing [doing, practicing] the same abominations [detestable things, disgusting acts] as the wicked [morally wrong, bad], will he live [have life, remain alive]? None [not one, nothing] of the righteous [just, virtuous] acts he did will be remembered [recalled, marked]. Because of the unfaithfulness [treachery, disloyalty] and sin [guilt, punishment for sin] he has committed [done, practiced], he will die [cease to live, suffer death]. word study 25 Yet you say, ‘The way [path, journey] of the Lord [Adonay, the sovereign God] is not just [right, fair, equal].’ Hear now, O house [family, people] of Israel [God’s chosen nation]: Is it My way [manner, conduct] that is unjust [not righteous, unbalanced]? Is it not your ways [actions, behaviors] that are unjust [unequal, unrighteous]? word study 26 If a righteous [just, upright] man turns [to return, to turn back] from his righteousness [justice, virtue] and practices [commits, does] iniquity [injustice, moral evil], he will die [perish, come to an end] for this [because of it]. He will die [succumb, meet his end] because of the iniquity [wrongdoing, unrighteousness] he has committed [done, made]. word study 27 But if a wicked [morally wrong, guilty of sin] man turns [to return, to turn back] from the wickedness [guilt, wrong actions] he has committed [done, made] and does [to make, to act] what is just [lawful, righteous] and right [virtuous, just], he will save [preserve, keep alive] his life [soul, living being]. word study 28 Because he considered [reflected, thought about] and turned from [repented of, gave up] all the transgressions [rebellions, sins] he had committed, he will surely live [be revived, have eternal life]; he will not [never] die [perish, experience spiritual death]. word study 29 Yet the house [dwelling place, family] of Israel [Jacob’s descendants] says, ‘The way [road, path, manner of life] of the Lord [Adonay, God] is not just [fair, equal, measured].’ Are My ways [paths, methods] unjust [not fair, unequal], O house of Israel? Is it not your ways [actions, behaviors] that are unjust [not fair, unbalanced, without proper measure]? word study 30 Therefore, O house [family, descendants] of Israel, I will judge [vindicate, govern] you, each according to his ways [path, manner of life], declares the Lord [Adonay, Master] GOD [Yehovah]. Repent [turn back, change your mind] and turn from all your transgressions [rebellions, sins], so that your iniquity [moral evil, wickedness] will not become your downfall [stumbling block, ruin]. word study 31 Cast away [get rid of, throw off] from yourselves all the transgressions [rebellious sins, revolts] you have committed, and fashion [make, create] for yourselves a new [fresh, recently created] heart [the center of feelings, will, and intellect] and a new [renewed, revitalized] spirit [the breath of life, mind, and emotions]. Why [what, for what reason] should you die [be executed, punished], O house [family, dwelling place] of Israel [God’s chosen people, descendants of Jacob]? word study 32 For I take no [absolutely none] pleasure [delight, joy] in anyone’s death [dying, mortal end], declares the Lord [Adonay, sovereign Master] GOD [Yehovah]. So repent [turn back, change your mind] and live [have life, be revived]! word study