Personal Accountability
Ezekiel 18, verse 1. Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Ezekiel 18, verse 2. “Son of man, what is the meaning of this parable among the children of Israel which says, ‘The fathers eat unripe grapes, and the children's teeth grind’? Ezekiel 18, verse 3. As I live,” says the Lord, “you shall no longer use this parable in Israel. Ezekiel 18, verse 4. For all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. “The soul who sins, he shall die. Ezekiel 18, verse 5. But the man who is righteous and does judgment and righteousness, Ezekiel 18, verse 6. who will not eat on the mountains, or lift up his eyes to the inventions of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor's wife, and who will not approach a woman during her menstruation, Ezekiel 18, verse 7. or oppress any man, but who will restore to the debtor his pledge, and commit no robbery, but who will give his bread to the hungry and cover the naked, Ezekiel 18, verse 8. and who will not lend his money with interest, but will turn his hand from wrongdoing, and do righteous judgment between a man and his neighbor, Ezekiel 18, verse 9. and walk in My ordinances, and keep My requirements to do them—this man is righteous. He will surely live!” says the Lord. Ezekiel 18, verse 10. “But if he begets a troublesome son, who sheds blood, commits sins, Ezekiel 18, verse 11. does not walk in the way of his righteous father, but eats on the mountains, defiles his neighbor's wife, Ezekiel 18, verse 12. oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore a pledge, sets his eyes on the idols, commits lawlessness, Ezekiel 18, verse 13. exacts interest, and takes unjust gains—this son shall not live, because he did all this lawlessness. He will surely die, and his blood shall be upon himself. Ezekiel 18, verse 14. “If, however, he begets a son who sees all the sins his father commits, but fears and does not do according to these things— Ezekiel 18, verse 15. does not eat on the mountains, nor sets his eyes on the inventions of the house of Israel, nor defiles his neighbor's wife, Ezekiel 18, verse 16. nor oppresses anyone, nor withholds a pledge, nor commits robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry, covers the naked, Ezekiel 18, verse 17. and turns his hand from wrongdoing, nor receives interest, nor takes unjust gains, but does righteousness and walks in My ordinances—this son shall not die for the wrongdoings of his father. He will surely live. Ezekiel 18, verse 18. As for his father, if he cruelly oppresses and robs his brother, and does these contrary things in the midst of My people, he shall die in his wrongdoing.
Turn from Evil and Live
Ezekiel 18, verse 19. “Yet you say, ‘Why does a son not bear the wrongdoing of his father?’ Because the son practiced righteousness, showed mercy, kept all My commandments and did them. Thus he will surely live. Ezekiel 18, verse 20. But the soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the wrongdoing of his father, nor shall the father bear the wrongdoing of his son. The righteousness of a righteous man shall be upon himself, and the lawlessness of a lawless man shall be upon himself. Ezekiel 18, verse 21. But if a lawless man turns from all the lawless deeds he commits, keeps all My commandments, does righteousness and shows mercy, he will surely live and not die. Ezekiel 18, verse 22. None of the transgressions he commits will be remembered. In the righteousness he does, he shall live. Ezekiel 18, verse 23. Do I ever will the death of a lawless man,” says the Lord, “since My will is for him to turn from the evil way and live? Ezekiel 18, verse 24. But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits a wrongdoing, according to all the lawlessness a lawless man commits, then all the righteousness he does shall not be remembered. In the transgression he falls into and in his sins he commits, in these he shall die. Ezekiel 18, verse 25. “Yet you say, ‘The Lord's way is not straight.’ Hear now, all the house of Israel, is My way not straight? Is your way straight? Ezekiel 18, verse 26. When the righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits a transgression, and dies in the transgression he commits, he should die because of it. Ezekiel 18, verse 27. Again when a lawless man turns away from the lawlessness he commits and does judgment and righteousness, then he guards his life; Ezekiel 18, verse 28. for he turned himself away from all the ungodliness he committed. He will surely live and not die. Ezekiel 18, verse 29. Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The Lord's way is not right.’ Is not My way right, O house of Israel? Is not your way wrong? Ezekiel 18, verse 30. I shall judge you, O house of Israel, each one according to his way,” says the Lord. “Return and turn away from all your ungodliness, and it shall not be to you as a punishment for wrongdoing. Ezekiel 18, verse 31. Cast away from yourself all your ungodliness you commit against Me, and make a new heart and a new spirit for yourselves. For why should you die, O house of Israel? Ezekiel 18, verse 32. For I do not will the death of the one who dies,” says the Lord.