Ezekiel Chapter 18
Other Translations
asv (asv) - eBible.org engASV USFM
1
Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness uncovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers; and because of all the idols of thy abominations, and for the blood of thy children, that thou didst give unto them;
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therefore behold, I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all them that thou hast loved, with all them that thou hast hated; I will even gather them against thee on every side, and will uncover thy nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness.
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And I will judge thee, as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will bring upon thee the blood of wrath and jealousy.
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I will also give thee into their hand, and they shall throw down thy vaulted place, and break down thy lofty places; and they shall strip thee of thy clothes, and take thy fair jewels; and they shall leave thee naked and bare.
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They shall also bring up a company against thee, and they shall stone thee with stones, and thrust thee through with their swords.
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And they shall burn thy houses with fire, and execute judgments upon thee in the sight of many women; and I will cause thee to cease from playing the harlot, and thou shalt also give no hire any more.
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So will I cause my wrath toward thee to rest, and my jealousy shall depart from thee, and I will be quiet, and will be no more angry.
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Because thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, but hast raged against me in all these things; therefore, behold, I also will bring thy way upon thy head, saith the Lord Jehovah: and thou shalt not commit this lewdness with all thine abominations.
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Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use
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this proverb against thee, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter.
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Thou art the daughter of thy mother, that loatheth her husband and her children; and thou art the sister of thy sisters, who loathed their husbands and their children: your mother was a Hittite, and your father an Amorite.
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And thine elder sister is Samaria, that dwelleth at thy left hand, she and her daughters; and thy younger sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters.
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Yet hast thou not walked in their ways, nor done after their abominations; but, as
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if that were a very little
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thing, thou wast more corrupt than they in all thy ways.
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As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, Sodom thy sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters.
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Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom: pride, fulness of bread, and prosperous ease was in her and in her daughters; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
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And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw
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good.
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Neither hath Samaria committed half of thy sins; but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more than they, and hast justified thy sisters by all thine abominations which thou hast done.
21
Thou also, bear thou thine own shame, in that thou hast given judgment for thy sisters; through thy sins that thou hast committed more abominable than they, they are more righteous than thou: yea, be thou also confounded, and bear thy shame, in that thou hast justified thy sisters.
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And I will turn again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, and the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them;
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that thou mayest bear thine own shame, and mayest be ashamed because of all that thou hast done, in that thou art a comfort unto them.
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And thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate; and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate; and thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate.
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For thy sister Sodom was not mentioned by thy mouth in the day of thy pride,
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before thy wickedness was uncovered, as at the time of the reproach of the daughters of Syria, and of all that are round about her, the daughters of the Philistines, that do despite unto thee round about.
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Thou hast borne thy lewdness and thine abominations, saith Jehovah.
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For thus saith the Lord Jehovah: I will also deal with thee as thou hast done, who hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant.
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Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant.
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Then shalt thou remember thy ways, and be ashamed, when thou shalt receive thy sisters, thine elder
31
sisters and thy younger; and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant.
32
And I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I am Jehovah;
darby (darby) - eBible.org Darby 1890 plaintext
1
And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,
2
What mean ye, ye who use this proverb of the land of Israel, saying, [The] fathers eat sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?
3
[As] I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, ye shall not have any more to use this proverb in Israel.
4
Behold, all the souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
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And if a man be righteous, and do judgment and justice:
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— he hath not eaten upon the mountains, nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour's wife, nor come near to a woman in her separation,
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and hath not oppressed any; he hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath not exercised robbery, hath given his bread to the hungry, and covered the naked with a garment;
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he hath not given forth upon usury, nor taken increase; he hath withdrawn his hand from unrighteousness, hath executed true judgment between man and man,
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hath walked in my statutes, and kept mine ordinances, to deal faithfully: he is righteous, he shall certainly live, saith the Lord Jehovah.
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And if he have begotten a son that is violent, a shedder of blood, and that doeth only one of any of these [things],
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and that doeth not any of those [duties], but also hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour's wife,
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hath oppressed the poor and needy, exercised robbery, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, committed abomination,
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given forth upon usury, and taken increase; shall he then live? He shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall certainly die; his blood shall be upon him.
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But lo, if he have begotten a son that seeth all his father's sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like:
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— he hath not eaten upon the mountains, nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel; he hath not defiled his neighbour's wife,
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and hath not oppressed any, nor withholden the pledge, neither hath exercised robbery; he hath given his bread to the hungry, and covered the naked with a garment;
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he hath withdrawn his hand from the poor, hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, [and] walked in my statutes: he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall certainly live.
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As for his father, because he practised oppression, exercised robbery upon his brother, and did what was not good among his people, behold, he shall die in his iniquity.
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And ye say, Why doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? But the son hath done judgment and justice, hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them; he shall certainly live.
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The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
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And the wicked, if he turn from all his sins which he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do judgment and justice, he shall certainly live, he shall not die.
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None of his transgressions which he hath committed shall be remembered against him; in his righteousness which he hath done shall he live.
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Have I any pleasure at all in the death of the wicked? saith the Lord Jehovah; is it not in his turning from his way, that he may live?
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And when the righteous turneth from his righteousness and practiseth what is wrong, [and] doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked doeth, shall he live? None of his righteous acts which he hath done shall be remembered: in his unfaithfulness which he hath wrought, and in his sin which he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
25
And ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear then, house of Israel. Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?
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When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and practiseth what is wrong, and dieth for it; in his wrong that he hath done shall he die.
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And when the wicked turneth from his wickedness which he hath committed, and doeth judgment and justice, he shall keep his soul alive.
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Because he considereth, and turneth from all his transgressions which he hath committed, he shall certainly live, he shall not die.
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But the house of Israel say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? Is it not your ways that are unequal?
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Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord Jehovah. Return ye, and turn from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your snare.
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Cast away from you all your transgressions wherewith ye have transgressed, and make you a new heart and a new spirit: why then will ye die, house of Israel?
32
For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord Jehovah; therefore turn ye and live.
lxxbrent (lxxbrent) - Septuagint (Brenton 1851) eBible USFM
1
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
2
Son of man, what mean ye by this parable among the children of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten unripe grapes, and the children's teeth have been set on edge?
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[As] I live, saith the Lord, surely this parable shall no more be spoken in Israel.
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For all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son, they are mine: the soul that sins, it shall die.
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But the man who shall be just, who executes judgment and righteousness,
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who shall not eat upon the mountains, and shall not at all lift up his eyes to the devices of the house of Israel, and shall not defile his neighbour's wife, and shall not draw nigh to her that is removed,
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and shall not oppress any man, [but] shall return the pledge of the debtor, and shall be guilty of no plunder, shall give his bread to the hungry, and clothe the naked;
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and shall not lend his money upon usury, and shall not receive usurious increase, and shall turn back his hand from injustice, shall execute righteous judgment between a man and his neighbour,
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and has walked in my commandments and kept mine ordinances, to do them; he is righteous, he shall surely live, saith the Lord.
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And if he beget a mischievous son, shedding blood and committing sins,
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who has not walked in the way of his righteous father, but has even eaten upon the mountains, and has defiled his neighbour's wife,
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and has oppressed the poor and needy, and has committed robbery, and not restored a pledge, and has set his eyes upon idols, has wrought iniquities,
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has lent upon usury, and taken usurious increase; he shall by no means live: he has wrought all these iniquities; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.
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And if he beget a son, and [the son] see all his father's sins which he has wrought, and fear, and not do according to them,
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and [if he] has not eaten on the mountains, and has not set his eyes on the devices of the house of Israel, and has not defiled his neighbour's wife,
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and has not oppressed a man, and has not retained the pledge, nor committed robbery, has given his bread to the hungry, and has clothed the naked,
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and has turned back his hand from unrighteousness, has not received interest or usurious increase, has wrought righteousness, and walked in mine ordinances; he shall not die for the iniquities of his father, he shall surely live.
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But if his father grievously afflict, or plunder, he has wrought enmity in the midst of my people, and shall die in his iniquity.
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But ye will say, Why has not the son borne the iniquity of the father? Because the son has wrought judgment and mercy, has kept all my statutes, and done them, he shall surely live.
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But the soul that sins shall die: and the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, nor shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the iniquity of the transgressor shall be upon him.
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And if the transgressor turn away from all his iniquities which he has committed, and keep all my commandments, and do justice and mercy, he shall surely live, and shall by no means die.
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None of his trespasses which he has committed shall be remembered: in his righteousness which he has done he shall live.
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Shall I at all desire the death of the sinner, saith the Lord, as I [desire] that he should turn from [his] evil way, and live?
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But when the righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, according to all the transgressions which the transgressor has wrought, none of his righteousness which he has wrought shall be at all remembered: in his trespass wherein he has trespassed, and in his sins wherein he has sinned, in them shall he die.
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Yet ye have said, The way of the Lord is not straight. Hear now, all the house of Israel; will not my way be straight? Is your way straight?
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When the righteous turns away from his righteousness and commits a trespass, and dies in the trespass which he has committed, he shall [even] die in it.
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And when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has committed, and shall do judgment and justice, he has kept his soul,
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and has turned away from all his ungodliness which he has committed: he shall surely live, he shall not die.
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Yet the house of Israel say, The way of the Lord is not right. Is not my way right, O house of Israel? is not your way wrong?
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I will judge you, O house of Israel, saith the Lord, each one according to his way: be converted, and turn from all your ungodliness, and it shall not become to you the punishment of iniquity.
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Cast away from yourselves all your ungodliness wherein ye have sinned against me; and make to yourselves a new heart and a new spirit: for why should ye die, O house of Israel?
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For I desire not the death of him that dies, saith the Lord.
vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)
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Et factus est sermo Domini ad me, dicens:
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Quid est quod inter vos parabolam vertitis in proverbium istud in terra Israel, dicentes: Patres comederunt uvam acerbam, et dentes filiorum obstupescunt?
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Vivo ego, dicit Dominus Deus, si erit ultra vobis parabola hæc in proverbium in Israel.
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Ecce omnes animæ, meæ sunt: ut anima patris, ita et anima filii mea est: anima, quæ peccaverit, ipsa morietur.
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Et vir si fuerit iustus, et fecerit iudicium, et iustitiam,
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in montibus non comederit, et oculos suos non levaverit ad idola domus Israel: et uxorem proximi sui non violaverit, et ad mulierem menstruatam non accesserit:
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et hominem non contristaverit: pignus debitori reddiderit, per vim nihil rapuerit: panem suum esurienti dederit, et nudum operuerit vestimento:
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ad usuram non commodaverit, et amplius non acceperit: ab iniquitate averterit manum suam, et iudicium verum fecerit inter virum et virum:
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in præceptis meis ambulaverit, et iudicia mea custodierit ut faciat veritatem: hic iustus est, vita vivet, ait Dominus Deus.
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Quod si genuerit filium latronem effundentem sanguinem, et fecerit unum de istis:
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et hæc quidem omnia non facientem, sed in montibus comedentem, et uxorem proximi sui polluentem:
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egenum, et pauperem contristantem, rapientem rapinas, pignus non reddentem, et ad idola levantem oculos suos, abominationem facientem:
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ad usuram dantem, et amplius accipientem: numquid vivet? non vivet. cum universa hæc detestanda fecerit, morte morietur, sanguis eius in ipso erit.
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Quod si genuerit filium, qui videns omnia peccata patris sui, quæ fecit, timuerit, et non fecerit simile eis:
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super montes non comederit, et oculos suos non levaverit ad idola domus Israel, et uxorem proximi sui non violaverit:
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et virum non contristaverit, pignus non retinuerit, et rapinam non rapuerit, panem suum esurienti dederit, et nudum operuerit vestimento:
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a pauperis iniuria averterit manum suam, usuram et superabundantiam non acceperit, iudicia mea fecerit, in præceptis meis ambulaverit: hic non morietur in iniquitate patris sui, sed vita vivet.
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Pater eius quia calumniatus est, et vim fecit fratri, et malum operatus est in medio populi sui, ecce mortuus est in iniquitate sua.
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Et dicitis: Quare non portavit filius iniquitatem patris? Videlicet, quia filius iudicium, et iustitiam operatus est, omnia præcepta mea custodivit, et fecit illa, vivet vita.
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Anima quæ peccaverit, ipsa morietur: filius non portabit iniquitatem patris, et pater non portabit iniquitatem filii: iustitia iusti super eum erit, et impietas impii erit super eum.
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Si autem impius egerit pœnitentiam ab omnibus peccatis suis, quæ operatus est, et custodierit omnia præcepta mea, et fecerit iudicium, et iustitiam: vita vivet, et non morietur.
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Omnium iniquitatum eius, quas operatus est, non recordabor: in iustitia sua, quam operatus est, vivet.
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Numquid voluntatis meæ est mors impii, dicit Dominus Deus, et non ut convertatur a viis suis, et vivat?
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Si autem averterit se iustus a iustitia sua, et fecerit iniquitatem secundum omnes abominationes, quas operari solet impius, numquid vivet? omnes iustitiæ eius, quas fecerat, non recordabuntur: in prævaricatione, qua prævaricatus est, et in peccato suo, quod peccavit, in ipsis morietur.
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Et dixistis: Non est æqua via Domini. Audite ergo domus Israel: Numquid via mea non est æqua, et non magis viæ vestræ pravæ sunt?
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Cum enim averterit se iustus a iustitia sua, et fecerit iniquitatem, morietur in eis: in iniustitia, quam operatus est, morietur.
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Et cum averterit se impius ab impietate sua, quam operatus est, et fecerit iudicium, et iustitiam: ipse animam suam vivificabit.
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Considerans enim, et avertens se ab omnibus iniquitatibus suis, quas operatus est, vita vivet, et non morietur.
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Et dicunt filii Israel: Non est æqua via Domini. Numquid viæ meæ non sunt æquæ, domus Israel, et non magis viæ vestræ pravæ?
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Idcirco unumquemque iuxta vias suas iudicabo domus Israel, ait Dominus Deus. Convertimini, et agite pœnitentiam ab omnibus iniquitatibus vestris: et non erit vobis in ruinam iniquitas.
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Proiicite a vobis omnes prævaricationes vestras, in quibus prævaricati estis, et facite vobis cor novum, et spiritum novum: et quare moriemini domus Israel?
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Quia nolo mortem morientis, dicit Dominus Deus, revertimini, et vivite.
web (web) - WorldEnglish.Bible — CC0 modern update of ASV
1
The LORD’s word came to me again, saying,
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“What do you mean, that you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?
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“As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “you shall not use this proverb any more in Israel.
4
Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine. The soul who sins, he shall die.
5
“But if a man is just, and does that which is lawful and right,
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and has not eaten on the mountains, hasn’t lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hasn’t defiled his neighbor’s wife, hasn’t come near a woman in her impurity,
7
and has not wronged any, but has restored to the debtor his pledge, has taken nothing by robbery, has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment;
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he who hasn’t lent to them with interest, hasn’t taken any increase from them, who has withdrawn his hand from iniquity, has executed true justice between man and man,
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has walked in my statutes, and has kept my ordinances, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live,” says the Lord GOD.
10
“If he fathers a son who is a robber who sheds blood, and who does any one of these things,
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or who does not do any of those things but has eaten at the mountain shrines and defiled his neighbor’s wife,
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has wronged the poor and needy, has taken by robbery, has not restored the pledge, and has lifted up his eyes to the idols, has committed abomination,
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has lent with interest, and has taken increase from the poor, shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations. He shall surely die. His blood will be on him.
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“Now, behold, if he fathers a son who sees all his father’s sins which he has done, and fears, and doesn’t do likewise,
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who hasn’t eaten on the mountains, hasn’t lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hasn’t defiled his neighbor’s wife,
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hasn’t wronged any, hasn’t taken anything to pledge, hasn’t taken by robbery, but has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment;
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who has withdrawn his hand from the poor, who hasn’t received interest or increase, has executed my ordinances, has walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father. He shall surely live.
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As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, robbed his brother, and did that which is not good among his people, behold, he will die in his iniquity.
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“Yet you say, ‘Why doesn’t the son bear the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done that which is lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes, and has done them, he will surely live.
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The soul who sins, he shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be on him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on him.
21
“But if the wicked turns from all his sins that he has committed, and keeps all my statutes, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live. He shall not die.
22
None of his transgressions that he has committed will be remembered against him. In his righteousness that he has done, he shall live.
23
Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked?” says the Lord GOD, “and not rather that he should return from his way, and live?
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“But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, should he live? None of his righteous deeds that he has done will be remembered. In his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them he shall die.
25
“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not equal.’ Hear now, house of Israel: Is my way not equal? Aren’t your ways unequal?
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When the righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and dies in it, then he dies in his iniquity that he has done.
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Again, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he will save his soul alive.
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Because he considers, and turns away from all his transgressions that he has committed, he shall surely live. He shall not die.
29
Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ House of Israel, aren’t my ways fair? Aren’t your ways unfair?
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“Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, everyone according to his ways,” says the Lord GOD. “Return, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions, so iniquity will not be your ruin.
31
Cast away from you all your transgressions in which you have transgressed; and make yourself a new heart and a new spirit. For why will you die, house of Israel?
32
For I have no pleasure in the death of him who dies,” says the Lord GOD. “Therefore turn yourselves, and live!
ylt (ylt) - Bible.com YLT98 plain UTF-8
1
`And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying:
2
`What--to you, ye--using this simile Concerning the ground of Israel, saying: Fathers do eat unripe fruit, And the sons' teeth are blunted?
3
I live--an affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, Ye have no more the use of this simile in Israel.
4
Lo, all the souls are Mine, As the soul of the father, So also the soul of the son--they are Mine, The soul that is sinning--it doth die.
5
And a man, when he is righteous, And hath done judgment and righteousness,
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On the mountains he hath not eaten, And his eyes he hath not lifted up Unto idols of the house of Israel, And the wife of his neighbour defiled not, And to a separated woman cometh not near,
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A man--he doth not oppress, His pledge to the debtor he doth return, Plunder he doth not take away, His bread to the hungry he doth give, And the naked doth cover with a garment,
8
In usury he doth not give, and increase taketh not, From perversity he turneth back his hand, True judgment he doth between man and man.
9
In My statutes he doth walk, And My judgments he hath kept--to deal truly, Righteous <FI>is<Fi> he, he surely liveth, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah.
10
And--he hath begotten a son, A burglar--a shedder of blood, And he hath made a brother of one of these,
11
And he all those hath not done, For even on the mountains he hath eaten, And the wife of his neighbour he hath defiled,
12
The afflicted and needy he hath oppressed, Plunder he hath taken violently away, A pledge he doth not return, And unto the idols he hath lifted up his eyes, Abomination he hath done!
13
In usury he hath given, and increase taken, And he liveth: he doth not live, All these abominations he hath done, He doth surely die, his blood is on him.
14
And--lo, he hath begotten a son, And he seeth all the sins of his father, That he hath done, and he feareth, And doth not do like them,
15
On the mountains he hath not eaten, And his eyes he hath not lifted up Unto idols of the house of Israel, The wife of his neighbour he hath not defiled,
16
A man--he hath not oppressed, A pledge he hath not bound, And plunder he hath not taken away, His bread to the hungry he hath given, And the naked he covered with a garment,
17
From the afflicted he hath turned back his hand, Usury and increase he hath not taken, My judgments he hath done, In My statutes he hath walked, He doth not die for the iniquity of his father, He doth surely live.
18
His father--because he used oppression, Did violently Plunder a brother, And that which <FI>is<Fi> not good did in the midst of his people, And lo, he is dying in his iniquity.
19
And ye have said, Wherefore hath not the son, Borne of the iniquity of the father? And--the son judgment and righteousness hath done, All My statutes he hath kept, And he doeth them, he surely liveth.
20
The soul that doth sin--it doth die. A son doth not bear of the iniquity of the father, And a father doth not bear of the iniquity of the son, The righteousness of the righteous is on him, And the wickedness of the wicked is on him.
21
And the wicked--when he turneth back From all his sins that he hath done, And he hath kept all My statutes, And hath done judgment and righteousness, He doth surely live, he doth not die.
22
All his transgressions that he hath done Are not remembered to him, In his righteousness that he hath done he liveth.
23
Do I at all desire the death of the wicked? An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, Is it not in his turning back from his way--And he hath lived?
24
And in the turning back of the righteous from his righteousness, And he hath done perversity, According to all the abominations That the wicked hath done, he doth--thus he liveth, All his righteousnesses that he hath done are not remembered, For his trespass that he hath trespassed, And for his sin that he hath sinned, For them he doth die.
25
And ye have said, Not pondered is the way of the Lord. Hear, I pray you, O house of Israel, My way--is it not pondered? Are not your ways unpondered?
26
In the turning back of the righteous from his righteousness, And he hath done perversity, And he is dying by them, for his perversity That he hath done he dieth.
27
And in the turning back of the wicked From his wickedness that he hath done, And he doth judgment and righteousness, He his soul doth keep alive.
28
And he seeth and turneth back, From all his transgressions that he hath done, He doth surely live, he doth not die,
29
And the house of Israel have said, Not pondered is the way of the Lord, My ways--are they not pondered? O house of Israel--are not your ways unpondered?
30
Therefore, each according to his ways I judge you, O house of Israel? An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, Turn ye back, yea, turn yourselves back, From all your transgressions, And iniquity is not to you for a stumbling-block,
31
Cast from off you all your transgressions, By which ye have transgressed, And make to you a new heart, and a new spirit, And why do ye die, O house of Israel?
32
For I have no pleasure in the death of the dying, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, And turn ye back and live!
Explanations by Age Level
Explain Like I'm 5
A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!
Explain Like I'm 10
Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.
Explain Like I'm 15
Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).