Study Desk

"^(C1)What do you people mean by using this proverb about the land of Israel, saying, '^(C2)The fathers eat sour grapes, ^(F1)But it is the children's teeth that have become blunt'?

"As I live," declares the Lord ^(F1)GOD, "you certainly are not going to use this proverb in Israel anymore.

"Behold, ^(C1)all ^(F1)souls are Mine; the ^(F2)soul of the father as well as the ^(F2)soul of the son is Mine. The ^(F3)soul who ^(C2)sins will die.

"But if a man is righteous and practices justice and righteousness,

if he does not ^(C1)eat at the mountain shrines or ^(C2)raise his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or ^(C3)defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period—

and if a man does not oppress anyone, but ^(C1)restores to the debtor his pledge, ^(C2)does not commit robbery, but ^(C3)gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing,

and if he does not ^(F1)lend money at ^(C1)interest or take ^(F2)(C2)interest, if he keeps his hand from injustice and ^(C3)executes true justice between one person and another,

if he walks in ^(C1)My statutes and keeps My ordinances so as to deal faithfully—^(C2)he is righteous and will certainly ^(C3)live," declares the Lord GOD.

"However, he may father a violent son who sheds blood, and does any one of these things to a brother

(though he himself did not do any of these things), that is, he even eats at the mountain shrines, and ^(C1)defiles his neighbor's wife,

oppresses the ^(C1)poor and needy, ^(C2)commits robbery, does not restore a pledge, but raises his eyes to the idols and ^(C3)commits abomination,

^(C1)lends money at interest and takes ^(F1)interest; will he live? He will not live! He has committed all these abominations, he shall certainly be put to death; his ^(C2)blood will be on himself.

"Now behold, he has fathered a son who saw all his father's sins which he committed, but he has ^(C1)seen them and does not do likewise.

"He does not eat at the mountain shrines or raise his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel; he has not defiled his neighbor's wife,

nor oppressed anyone, nor retained a pledge, nor committed robbery; instead, he ^(C1)gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing,

he keeps his hand from ^(F1)the poor, does not take any kind of interest on loans, but executes My ordinances, and walks in My statutes; ^(C1)he will not die for his father's guilt, he will certainly live.

"As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what was not good among his people, behold, he will die for his guilt.

"Yet you say, '^(C1)Why should the son not suffer the punishment for the father's guilt?' When the son has practiced ^(C2)justice and righteousness and has kept all My statutes and done them, he shall certainly live.

"The person who ^(C1)sins will die. A ^(C2)son will not suffer the punishment for the father's guilt, nor will a father suffer the punishment for the son's guilt; the ^(C3)righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.