(KJV) Ezekiel 18¹

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⥃The Soul Who Sins Will Die

[1] The word of the Lord came unto me again, saying, [2] What mean² ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land³ of Israel, saying, The fathers⁴ have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge? [3] [As] I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall not have [occasion] any more to use this proverb in Israel.⁵ [4] Behold, all souls⁶ are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that⁷ sinneth, it shall die.

[5] [¶]But if⁸ a man be just, and do that⁹ which is lawful and right, [6] [And] hath not¹⁰ eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted¹¹ up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled¹² his neighbour’s wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman, [7] And hath not¹³ oppressed any, [but] hath restored¹⁴ to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled¹⁵ none by violence, hath given¹⁶ his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment; [8] He [that] hath not¹⁷ given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, [that] hath withdrawn¹⁸ his hand from iniquity, hath executed¹⁹ true judgment between man and man, [9] Hath walked²⁰ in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he [is] just²¹, he shall²² surely live, saith the Lord God.

[10] If he beget a son [that is²³] a robber²⁴, a shedder²⁵ of blood, and [that] doeth the like to [any] one of these [things²⁶], [11] And that²⁷ doeth not any of those [duties], but even hath eaten²⁸ upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour’s wife, [12] Hath oppressed²⁹ the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed³⁰ abomination, [13] Hath given³¹ forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he³² then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood³³ shall be upon him.

[14] [¶]Now, lo, [if] he³⁴ beget a son, that seeth³⁵ all his father’s sins which he hath done, and considereth³⁶, and doeth not such like, [15] [That] hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbour’s wife,³⁷ [16] Neither hath oppressed any, hath not withholden the pledge³⁸, neither hath spoiled by violence, [but] hath³⁹ given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment, [17] [That] hath taken⁴⁰ off his hand from the poor, [that] hath not⁴¹ received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not⁴² die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely⁴³ live. [18] [As for] his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did [that] which [is] not good among his people, lo, even⁴⁴ he shall die in his iniquity.

[19] [¶]Yet say ye, Why⁴⁵? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When⁴⁶ the son hath done that which is lawful and right, [and] hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live. [20] The soul that⁴⁷ sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear⁴⁸ the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness⁴⁹ of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. [21] But if the⁵⁰ wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep⁵¹ all my statutes, and do⁵² that which is lawful and right, he shall surely⁵³ live, he shall not die. [22] All his transgressions⁵⁴ that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his⁵⁵ righteousness that he hath done he shall live. [23] Have I any⁵⁶ pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: [and] not that⁵⁷ he should return from his ways, and live?

[24] [¶]But when⁵⁸ the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, [and] doeth⁵⁹ according to all the abominations that the wicked [man] doeth, shall he live? All his⁶⁰ righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his⁶¹ trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.

[25] [¶]Yet ye say, The way⁶² of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my⁶³ way equal? are⁶⁴ not your ways unequal? [26] When a righteous [man] turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. [27] Again, when⁶⁵ the wicked [man] turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall⁶⁶ save his soul alive. [28] Because he considereth⁶⁷, and turneth⁶⁸ away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. [29] Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?⁶⁹ [30] Therefore I will⁷⁰ judge you, O house of Israel, every⁷¹ one according to his ways, saith the Lord God. Repent⁷², and turn [yourselves⁷³] from all your transgressions; so⁷⁴ iniquity shall not be your ruin.

[31] [¶]Cast⁷⁵ away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make⁷⁶ you a new heart and a new spirit: for why⁷⁷ will ye die, O house of Israel? [32] For I have⁷⁸ no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn [yourselves⁷⁹], and live ye.

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