If a sinner turns away from sin, he will live
1 The word of Yahweh came to me in these terms,
2 “Why are you applying this proverb to the land of Israel: ‘The parents have eaten sour grapes and the children’s teeth are set on edge?’
3 As I live, word of Yahweh, this proverb will no longer be quoted in Israel.
4 All life is in my hands, the life of the parent and the life of the child are mine. The lives of both are in my hands, so the one who sins will die.
5 Imagine a man who is right eous and practices what is just and right.
6 He does not eat in the mountain shrines, or look towards the filthy idols of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife, or have intercourse with a woman during her period;
7 he molests no one, pays what he owes, does not steal, gives food to the hungry and clothes to the naked,
8 de mands no interest on a loan and doesn’t lend for interest, refrains from injustice, practices true justice, man to man,
9 follows my decrees and obeys my laws in acting loyally. Because such a man is truly righteous, he will live, word of Yahweh.
10 But perhaps this man has a son who steals and sheds blood, committing crimes which his father never did.
11 Perhaps the son eats at the mountain shrines, defiles the wife of his neighbor,
12 oppresses the poor and needy, steals, neglects to pay his debts, looks to the idols, does detestable things,
13 demands interest on a loan, even practices usury. Will such a man live? No, he will not! Because he has committed all these abominations he will die: his guilt will fall upon him.
14 But imagine that such a man has in turn a son who does not commit the sins he has seen his father do.
15 He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife,
16 or oppress anyone or ask for a pledge on a loan; does not steal; and gives food to the hungry and clothing to the naked,
17 turns from injustice, exacts no usury or excessive interest, observing my decrees and practicing my laws: such a man shall not die because of his father’s sins; no, he will live!
18 His father instead, who practiced extortion and stole from others, will die for his sin, because he did wrong among his people.
19 You may say, ‘Why does the son not bear the guilt of his father?’ But the son did what was just and right, observing and practicing my de crees; he will live!
20 The person who sins is the one who will die. The son will not be held responsible for the sin of his father and the father will not be responsible for the sin of his son. The righteous deeds of the righteous will be to his credit and the sin of the wicked will be charged against him.
21 If the sinner turns from his sin, observes my decrees and practices what is right and just, he will live, he will not die.
22 None of the sins he com mitted will be charged against him; he will live as a consequence of his righteous deeds.
23 Do I want the death of the sinner? – word of Yah weh. Do I not rather want him to turn from his ways and live?
24 But if the righteous man turns away from what is good and commits sins as the wicked do, will he live? His righteous deeds will no longer be credited to him, but he will die because of his in fidelity and his sins.
25 But you say: Yahweh’s way is not just! Why, Israel! Is my position wrong? Is it not rather that yours is wrong?
26 If the righteous man dies after turning from his righteous deeds and sinning, he dies because of his sins.
27 And if the wicked man does what is good and right, after turning from the sins he com mitted, he will save his life.
28 He will live and not die, because he has opened his eyes and turned from the sins he had committed.
29 But you, Israel, say: Yah weh’s way is not just! Is my position not just? Is it not rather yours that is wrong?
30 That is why I will judge you, Israel, each one according to his ways, word of Yahweh. Come back, turn away from your offenses, that you may not deserve punishment.
31 Free yourselves from all the offenses you have com mitted and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, Israel?
32 I do not want the death of anyone, word of Yahweh, but that you be converted and live!”
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Comments Ezekiel, Chapter 18
• 18.1 The parents have eaten sour grapes and the chil dren’s teeth are set on edge. The primitive people of Israel had a strong sense of common responsibility within a group, family, or nation. In Joshua 7:24, we have an example of the culprit’s family being condemned to death along with him, and also the example of the entire people being punished for the fault of one of their members.
However, in the last years of the kingdom of Judah, a sense of personal responsibility be came stronger:
– The prophets declared that human justice cannot punish children for the crimes of their parents (Dt 24:16). How could God act otherwise and punish innocent people?
– In ancient times, any error, even unintentional, was considered a “sin.” Now the pro phets teach that only wickedness is a sin, and misfortunes which are not a consequence of this evil are not punishment from God.
The destruction of Jerusalem seemed to punish everyone without differentiating be tween good and evil people. Ezekiel does not deny the fact that, on that occasion, God struck everyone; but to him this was a thing of the past, and it was fitting for a people who had completely gone astray. He looks to the future and teaches how God will act henceforth with genuine religion:
– Justice will be for the just, and dis grace for the unfaithful: everyone will receive what he or she personally deserves.
– If the sinner turns from his sin, he will live (v. 21): everyone will have time to decide freely. If people are evil and then decide to do good, God will wait for their conversion and will take their last orientation into account.
In later times, wise people will note that oftentimes evil people do not receive their punishment, nor good people their reward in this life (see Job 21); it will become obvious to them that God’s justice will be achieved in the next life.