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3“As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel.4For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son—both alike belong to me. The soul 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 the house of Israel.
He does not defile his neighbor's wife
or lie 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 at usury
or take excessive interest.Or take interest; similarly in verses 13 and 17
He withholds his hand from doing wrong
and judges fairly between man and man.

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 thingsOr things to a brother11(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 usury and takes excessive interest.
Will such a man live? He will not! Because he has done all these detestable things, he will surely be put to death and 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 the house 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 sinSeptuagint (see also verse 8); Hebrew from the poor
and takes no usury or excessive interest.
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.

24“But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked man does, will he live? None of the righteous things he has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness he is guilty of and because of the sins he has committed, he will die.

25“Yet you say, ‘The way of the LORD is not just.’ Hear, O house of Israel: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust?26If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin, he will die for it; because of the sin he has committed he will die.27But if a wicked man turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life.28Because he considers all the offenses he has committed and turns away from them, he will surely live; he will not die.29Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the LORD is not just.’ Are my ways unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?

30“Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his 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, O house of Israel?32For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!