1Herren sagde til mig:2„I kender ordsproget: ‚Fædrene spiste sure druer, og børnene kom til at lide under det.’3Så sandt jeg lever, siger Herren, skal det ordsprog ikke længere gælde i Israel.4Det er mig, der dømmer alle mennesker, både forældre og børn, og jeg siger: ‚Enhver skal dø for sine egne synders skyld!’5Alle, der gør, hvad der er godt og ret, skal leve.6De deltager ikke i afgudsofringer på højene, begår ikke ægteskabsbrud og har ikke samleje i menstruationsperioden.7De viser barmhjertighed imod dem, de låner penge til, og nægter ikke at give de fattige deres pant tilbage. De tilraner sig ikke andres ejendom, men giver mad og tøj til dem, der er i nød.8De yder lån uden at kræve renter. De holder sig fra synd, er fair overfor andre9og bestræber sig i det hele taget på at adlyde mine love. De, der handler sådan, er retskafne, siger jeg, Herren, og de skal leve.10Men retskafne mennesker kan godt have børn, som bliver mordere og gør ting, som forældrene aldrig selv ville gøre:11Måske ofrer børnene til afguderne, begår ægteskabsbrud12-13og undertrykker de fattige og hjælpeløse. Måske stjæler de, låner penge ud mod høje renter og giver ikke låneren sit pant tilbage. Måske søger de hjælp hos afguderne og gør andre afskyelige ting. Den slags mennesker skal dø, for de har gjort afskyelige ting og må selv bære ansvaret for deres handlinger.14Men onde mennesker kan også have børn, som ikke ønsker at følge i forældrenes fodspor, men beslutter sig for at leve et retskaffent og gudfrygtigt liv.15De deltager ikke i afgudsofringer på højene og begår ikke ægteskabsbrud.16De viser barmhjertighed imod dem, de låner ud til, og de nægter ikke at give de fattige deres pant tilbage. De stjæler ikke, men giver mad og tøj til dem, der er i nød.17De yder lån uden at kræve renter. De holder sig fra synd, er fair overfor andre og bestræber sig i det hele taget på at adlyde mine love. Den slags mennesker skal ikke dø på grund af deres forældres synder, men skal få et godt liv.18Den onde, derimod, som er en røver eller morder, eller som udnytter sin næste, skal dø på grund af sine egne synder.19‚Hvorfor kommer børnene ikke til at lide for forældrenes synd?’ spørger I. Nej, for de gjorde jo det rigtige og adlød mine love. De får lov at leve.20Enhver skal dø for sine egne synders skyld. Børnene skal ikke straffes for forældrenes synd, og forældrene skal ikke straffes for børnenes synd. Den retskafne belønnes for sin godhed, og den onde straffes for sin ondskab.21Men hvis de onde vender sig fra deres ondskab og begynder at adlyde mine love, så de gør, hvad der er godt og ret, skal de leve og ikke dø,22for deres fortid skal være glemt, og de skal leve, fordi de har valgt at gøre det gode.23Tror I måske, at det glæder mig, når et ondt menneske bliver straffet med døden? spørger jeg, Herren. Nej, jeg vil meget hellere have, at de vender sig fra deres ondskab, så de kan leve.24Men hvis retskafne mennesker begynder at synde og gøre alle de afskyelige ting, som de onde mennesker gør, så vil al deres tidligere godhed være glemt, og de skal dø som straf for deres troløshed og synd.25‚Det er ikke fair!’ siger I. Hør lige her, Israels folk: Er det mig, der ikke er fair? Er det ikke snarere jer?26Når retskafne mennesker holder op med at handle ret og i stedet vælger at synde, er det så ikke fair, at de må bære straffen for deres synd og dø?27Og når onde mennesker tager afstand fra deres tidligere synder og i stedet vælger at adlyde min lov, er det så ikke fair, at de redder livet?28De traf jo det valg at omvende sig fra deres synd. Fortjener de så at dø? Nej, de fortjener at leve.29Alligevel siger I: ‚Det er ikke fair!’ Åh, Israels folk, tænk jer dog om! Er det mig, der ikke er fair? Er det ikke snarere jer?30Jeg dømmer jer på grundlag af, hvordan I hver især handler. Omvend jer derfor fra jeres synder, så I ikke bliver straffet med døden.31Tag afstand fra synden, og få jer et nyt hjerte og en ny ånd. Åh, Israels folk, hvorfor vil I vælge døden?32Jeg glæder mig bestemt ikke over at se jer dø. Omvend jer dog, så I kan leve.”
1The word of the Lord came to me:2“What do you[1] mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’? (Jer 31,29; Ez 12,22; Ez 16,44)3As I live, declares the Lord God, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. (Jer 31,29; Ez 16,48)4Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die. (Ez 18,20)5“If a man is righteous and does what is just and right— (Ez 18,19; Ez 18,21; Ez 18,27)6if he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman in her time of menstrual impurity, (3.Mos 18,19; Ez 18,11; Ez 18,15; Ez 22,9; Ez 22,10; Ez 22,11; Ez 33,25)7does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, commits no robbery, gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment, (2.Mos 22,21; 2.Mos 22,26; Es 58,7; Ez 18,12; Ez 18,16; Ez 18,18; Ez 33,15; Matt 25,35)8does not lend at interest or take any profit,[2] withholds his hand from injustice, executes true justice between man and man, (2.Mos 22,25; 5.Mos 1,16; Salm 15,5; Ez 18,13; Ez 18,17; Ez 22,12; Zak 8,16)9walks in my statutes, and keeps my rules by acting faithfully—he is righteous; he shall surely live, declares the Lord God. (Ez 18,17; Ez 18,19; Ez 18,21; Ez 20,11; Amos 5,4)10“If he fathers a son who is violent, a shedder of blood, who does any of these things (Ez 16,38)11(though he himself did none of these things), who even eats upon the mountains, defiles his neighbor’s wife, (3.Mos 18,20; Ez 18,6)12oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore the pledge, lifts up his eyes to the idols, commits abomination, (Ez 8,6; Ez 8,17; Ez 18,6; Ez 18,7)13lends at interest, and takes profit; shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon himself. (3.Mos 20,9; 3.Mos 20,11; Ez 3,18; Ez 18,8; Ez 33,4)14“Now suppose this man fathers a son who sees all the sins that his father has done; he sees, and does not do likewise:15he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife,16does not oppress anyone, exacts no pledge, commits no robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment, (Ez 18,7; Ez 18,12)17withholds his hand from iniquity,[3] takes no interest or profit, obeys my rules, and walks in my statutes; he shall not die for his father’s iniquity; he shall surely live. (Ez 18,9)18As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what is not good among his people, behold, he shall die for his iniquity. (Ez 3,18)19“Yet you say, ‘Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done what is just and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live. (2.Mos 20,5; Ez 18,2; Ez 18,5; Ez 18,9; Ez 18,21; Ez 18,27)20The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. (2.Kong 14,6; Es 3,10; Ez 18,4; Rom 2,9)21“But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. (Ez 18,5; Ez 18,9; Ez 18,19; Ez 18,27)22None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live. (Ez 33,16)23Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? (Ez 18,32; Ez 33,11; 1.Tim 2,4; 1.Tim 2,6; Titus 2,11; 2.Pet 3,9)24But when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die. (Ez 3,20; Ez 14,13; Ez 33,12; Ez 33,18; 2.Pet 2,20)25“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just? (Ez 33,17; Ez 33,20)26When a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice, he shall die for it; for the injustice that he has done he shall die. (Ez 18,24)27Again, when a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his life. (Ez 13,22; Ez 18,21; Ez 33,11; Ez 33,19)28Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions that he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die.29Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ O house of Israel, are my ways not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?30“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin.[4] (Es 3,8; Ez 7,3; Ez 7,8; Ez 14,6; Ez 33,20; Ez 36,19; Ez 39,24; Hos 14,1)31Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? (Ez 11,19; Ez 20,7; Ez 33,11)32For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live.” (Ez 18,23; Ez 18,30)