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NASB Bible

Ezekiel 18

God Deals Justly with Individuals

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Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

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aWhat do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, ` bThe fathers eat the sour grapes, But the children's teeth  1are set on edge'?

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"As I live," declares the Lord  1GOD, "you are surely not going to use this proverb in Israel anymore.

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"Behold,  aall  1souls are Mine; the  2soul of the father as well as the  2soul of the son is Mine. The  3soul who  bsins will die.

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

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and does not  aeat at the mountain shrines or  blift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or  cdefile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period--

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if a man does not oppress anyone, but  arestores to the debtor his pledge,  bdoes not commit robbery, but  cgives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing,

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if he does not lend money on  ainterest or take  bincrease, if he keeps his hand from iniquity and  cexecutes true justice between man and man,

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if he walks in  aMy statutes and My ordinances so as to deal faithfully-- bhe is righteous and will surely  clive," declares the Lord GOD.

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"Then he may  1have a violent son who sheds blood and who does any of these things to a brother

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

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oppresses the  apoor and needy,  bcommits robbery, does not restore a pledge, but lifts up his eyes to the idols and  ccommits abomination,

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he  alends money on interest and takes increase; will he live? He will not live! He has committed all these abominations, he will surely be put to death; his  bblood will be  1on his own head.

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"Now behold, he  1has a son who has observed all his father's sins which he committed, and  aobserving does not do likewise.

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"He does not eat at the mountain shrines or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor's wife,

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or oppress anyone, or retain a pledge, or commit robbery, but he  agives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing,

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he keeps his hand from  1the poor, does not take interest or increase, but executes My ordinances, and walks in My statutes;  ahe will not die for his father's iniquity, he will surely live.

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"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 iniquity.

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"Yet you say, ` aWhy should the son not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity?' When the son has practiced  bjustice and righteousness and has observed all My statutes and done them, he shall surely live.

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"The person who  asins will die. The  bson will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the  crighteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.

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"But if the  awicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed and observes all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall surely live; he shall not die.

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aAll his transgressions which he has committed will not be remembered against him; because of his  brighteousness which he has practiced, he will live.

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aDo I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked," declares the Lord GOD, " 1rather than that he should  bturn from his ways and live?

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"But when a righteous man  aturns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and does according to all the abominations that a wicked man does, will he live?  bAll his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered for his  ctreachery which he has committed and his sin which he has committed; for them he will die.

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"Yet you say, ` aThe way of the Lord is not right.' Hear now, O house of Israel! Is  bMy way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right?

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"When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and dies because of it, for his iniquity which he has committed he will die.

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"Again, when a wicked man turns away  afrom his wickedness which he has committed and practices justice and righteousness, he will save his life.

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"Because he considered and turned away from all his transgressions which he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die.

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"But the house of Israel says, `The way of the Lord is not right.' Are My ways not right, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are not right?

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"Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct," declares the Lord GOD. " aRepent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you.

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aCast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a  bnew heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel?

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"For I have  ano pleasure in the death of anyone who dies," declares the Lord GOD. "Therefore, repent and live."



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(Produced: Sat Dec 22 11:23:52 2007)

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