Those Who Sin Will Die
1 The Lord said:
2 Ezekiel, I hear the people of Israel using the old saying,
“Sour grapes eaten by parents
leave a sour taste in the mouths
of their children.”
3 Now tell them that I am the Lord God, and as surely as I live, that saying will no longer be used in Israel. 4 The lives of all people belong to me—parents as well as children. However, only those who sin will be put to death.
5 Suppose there is a truly good man who always does what is fair and right. 6 He refuses to eat meat sacrificed to foreign gods at local shrines or to worship Israel's idols. He doesn't have sex with someone else's wife or with a woman having her monthly period. 7 He never cheats or robs anyone and always returns anything taken as security for a loan; he gives food and clothes to the poor 8 and doesn't charge interest when lending money. He refuses to do anything evil; he is fair to everyone 9 and faithfully obeys my laws and teachings. This man is good, and I promise he will live.
10 But suppose this good man has an evil son who is violent and commits sins 11 his father never did. He eats meat at local shrines, has sex with someone else's wife, 12 cheats the poor, and robs people. He keeps what is given to him as security for a loan. He worships idols, does disgusting things, 13 and charges high interest when lending money. An evil man like that will certainly not live. He is the one who has done these horrible sins, so it's his own fault that he will be put to death.
14 But suppose this evil man has a son who sees his father do these things and refuses to act like him. 15 He doesn't eat meat at local shrines or worship Israel's idols, and he doesn't have sex with someone else's wife. 16 He never cheats or robs anyone and doesn't even demand security for a loan. He gives food and clothes to the poor 17 and refuses to do anything evil or to charge interest. And he obeys all my laws and teachings. Such a man will live. His own father sinned, but this good man will not be put to death for the sins of his father. 18 It is his father who will die for cheating and robbing and doing evil.
19 You may wonder why a son isn't punished for the sins of his father. It is because the son does what is right and obeys my laws. 20 Only those who sin will be put to death. Children won't suffer for the sins of their parents, and parents won't suffer for the sins of their children. Good people will be rewarded for what they do, and evil people will be punished for what they do.
21 Suppose wicked people stop sinning and start obeying my laws and doing right. They won't be put to death. 22 All their sins will be forgiven, and they will live because they did right. 23 I, the Lord God, don't like to see wicked people die. I had much rather see them turn back from their sins and live.
24 But when good people start sinning and doing disgusting things, will they live? No! All their good deeds will be forgotten, and they will be put to death because of their sins.
25 You people of Israel accuse me of being unfair! But listen—I'm not unfair; you are! 26 If good people start doing evil, they must be put to death, because they have sinned. 27 And if wicked people start doing right, they will save themselves from punishment. 28 They will think about what they've done and stop sinning, and so they won't be put to death. 29 But you still say that I am unfair. You are the ones who have done wrong and are unfair!
30 I will judge each of you for what you've done. So stop sinning, or else you will certainly be punished. 31 Give up your evil ways and start thinking pure thoughts. And be faithful to me! Do you really want to be put to death for your sins? 32 I, the Lord God, don't want to see that happen to anyone. So stop sinning and live!
Ikvienam jāatbild par paša grēkiem
1 Kunga vārds nāca pār mani: 2 “Kādēļ Israēla zemē jūsu parunu teicēji saka:
tēvi ēda skābas vīnogas,
bet zobi atmizojās dēliem! –
3 Kā es esmu dzīvs! – saka Kungs Dievs –
pie jums Israēlā šo parunu
neviens vairs neteiks!
4 Redzi, ik dzīvais pieder man –
gan tēva dzīvība,
gan dēla dzīvība
pieder man!
Kurš grēko – mirs!
5 Bet ik taisnais,
kas dara tiesu un taisnību,
6 kas elku kalnos nemielojas
un uz Israēla nama elkiem neskatās,
kas sava tuvākā sievu neapgāna
un nešķīstai sievai netuvojas,
7 kas nevienu neapspiež
un parādniekam atdod ķīlu,
kas laupījumu neņem
un izsalkušam dod maizi,
un kailo apģērbj,
8 kas neatprasa ar augļiem
un nodevas neplēš,
kas atturas no netaisnības
un spriež taisnu tiesu ikvienam,
9 kas maniem likumiem seko
un manas tiesas pilda patiesi,
tas ir taisns, un tas dzīvos! –
saka Kungs Dievs.
10 Bet, ja tam piedzimis ļaundaris dēls,
kas asinis izlej
vai dara ko tādu,
11 ko tēvs nekad nav darījis, –
elku kalnos mielojas,
apgāna tuvākā sievu,
12 apspiež nabagu un grūtdieni,
ņem laupījumu
un ķīlu neatdod,
kas elkus uzlūko
un dara preteklības,
13 kas atprasa ar augļiem
un nodevas plēš –
vai tāds lai dzīvo?
Tik tiešām tas mirs,
visu šo preteklību dēļ, ko darījis, –
un viņa asinis paliks uz viņa!
14 Un, redzi, ja dzims dēls,
kas redzēs visus grēkus, ko darījis tēvs,
to redzēs, bet tā nedarīs –
15 elku kalnos nemielosies
un uz Israēla nama elkiem nelūkosies,
sava tuvākā sievu neapgānīs,
16 nevienu neapspiedīs,
parādniekam atdos ķīlu
un laupījumu neņems,
un izsalkušam dos maizi,
un kailo apģērbs –
17 atturēs roku no grēka –
augļus un nodevas neplēsīs,
pildīs manas tiesas
un sekos maniem likumiem –
tas nemirs tēva nozieguma dēļ!
Tik tiešām – viņš dzīvos,
18 bet viņa tēvs, kas ļaunu darījis
un brāli aplaupījis,
un darījis saviem ļaudīm sliktu, –
tāds, redzi, mirs sava nozieguma dēļ!
19 Jūs sakāt:
kādēļ dēls lai nenestu tēva vainu? –
Tik tiešām, dēls, kas darījis
tiesu un taisnību,
kas manus likumus
ir turējis un pildījis, –
tāds dzīvos!
20 Mirs, kas grēko!
Dēls nenesīs tēva vainu,
tēvs nenesīs dēla vainu,
taisnajam paliks viņa taisnība
un ļaundarim viņa ļaunie darbi!
21 Ja ļaundaris novērsīsies
no grēkiem, ko darījis,
ja ievēros visus manus likumus,
ja darīs tiesu un taisnību –
tāds dzīvos un nemirs!
22 Pārkāpumi, ko darījis, netiks tam pieminēti,
un viņš dzīvos taisnības dēļ, ko darījis!
23 Vai tad ļaundara nāve tīksmina mani,
saka Kungs Dievs,
nevis viņa novēršanās no ļaunā ceļa,
ka tas dzīvotu?!
24 Bet, ja taisnais
novēršas no taisnības
un dara noziegumu –
visas tās preteklības,
ko samaitātie dara, –
vai viņam dzīvot?!
Taisnība, ko tas darījis,
netiks tam pieminēta
viņa neuzticības un grēku dēļ –
tajos viņš mirs!
25 Jūs sakāt: Kunga rīcība nav izprotama! – Klausies, Israēla nams, kas tad nav izprotams – mana rīcība vai jūsu rīcība?! 26 Ja taisnais novēršas no taisnības un noziedzas, tad viņš mirs nozieguma dēļ, ko darījis, 27 un, ja ļaundaris novēršas no grēka, ko darījis, un dara pēc tiesas un taisnības, tad viņš dzīvos! 28 Viņš dzīvos, nevis mirs – tādēļ ka novērsies no visiem noziegumiem, ko darījis! 29 Bet Israēla nams saka: Kunga rīcība nav izprotama! – Israēl, vai mana rīcība nav izprotama vai jūsu rīcība?
30 Tādēļ es tevi tiesāšu, Israēla nams, – ikvienu pēc viņa rīcības, saka Kungs Dievs. Novērsieties no visiem saviem noziegumiem, lai noziegumi jums nav par klupšanu! 31 Metiet prom visus savus noziegumus, ko esat pastrādājuši, – dariet sev jaunu sirdi un jaunu garu! Kādēļ jums mirt, Israēla nams?! 32 Jo mirēju nāve nav man tīkama, saka Kungs Dievs, novērsieties un dzīvojiet!”
