Chapter 18

Personal Responsibility. ¹ The word of the Lord came to me: Son of man, ² what is the meaning of this proverb you recite in the land of Israel:

³ As I live—oracle of the Lord God: I swear that none of you will ever repeat this proverb in Israel. ⁴ For all life is mine: the life of the parent is like the life of the child, both are mine. Only the one who sins shall die!

⁵ If a man is just—if he does what is right, ⁶ if he does not eat on the mountains,^[b] or raise his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel; if he does not defile a neighbor’s wife, or have relations with a woman during her period;^{(B) 7 (C)}if he oppresses no one, gives back the pledge received for a debt, commits no robbery; gives food to the hungry and clothes the naked; ⁸ if he does not lend at interest or exact usury; if he refrains from evildoing and makes a fair judgment between two opponents;^{(D) 9} if he walks by my statutes and is careful to observe my ordinances, that man is just—he shall surely live—oracle of the Lord God.^(E)

¹⁰ But if he begets a son who is violent and commits murder, or does any of these things,^(F)

¹³ lends at interest and exacts usury—this son certainly shall not live. Because he practiced all these abominations, he shall surely be put to death; his own blood shall be on him.^(A)

^30 (A)Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, all of you according to your ways—oracle of the Lord God. Turn, turn back from all your crimes, that they may not be a cause of sin for you ever again. ³¹ Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, house of Israel?^{(B) 32 (C)}For I find no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies—oracle of the Lord God. Turn back and live!