Individual Responsibility
1 The Lord spoke to me 2 and said, “What is this proverb people keep repeating in the land of Israel?
‘The parents ate the sour grapes,
But the children got the sour taste.’
3 “As surely as I am the living God,” says the Sovereign Lord, “you will not repeat this proverb in Israel any more. 4 The life of every person belongs to me, the life of the parent as well as that of the child. The person who sins is the one who will die.
5 “Suppose there is a truly good man, righteous and honest. 6 He doesn't worship the idols of the Israelites or eat the sacrifices offered at forbidden shrines. He doesn't seduce another man's wife or have intercourse with a woman during her period. 7 He doesn't cheat or rob anyone. He returns what a borrower gives him as security; he feeds the hungry and gives clothing to the naked. 8 He doesn't lend money for profit. He refuses to do evil and gives an honest decision in any dispute. 9 Such a man obeys my commands and carefully keeps my laws. He is righteous, and he will live,” says the Sovereign Lord.
10 “Then suppose this man has a son who robs and kills, who does any of these things 11 that the father never did. He eats sacrifices offered at forbidden shrines and seduces other men's wives. 12 He cheats the poor, he robs, he keeps what a borrower gives him as security. He goes to pagan shrines, worships disgusting idols, 13 and lends money for profit. Will he live? No, he will not. He has done all these disgusting things, and so he will die. He will be to blame for his own death.
14 “Now suppose this second man has a son. He sees all the sins his father practiced, but does not follow his example. 15 He doesn't worship the idols of the Israelites or eat the sacrifices offered at forbidden shrines. He doesn't seduce another man's wife 16 or oppress anyone or rob anyone. He returns what a borrower gives him as security. He feeds the hungry and gives clothing to the naked. 17 He refuses to do evil and doesn't lend money for profit. He keeps my laws and obeys my commands. He will not die because of his father's sins, but he will certainly live. 18 His father, on the other hand, cheated and robbed and always did evil to everyone. And so he died because of the sins he himself had committed.
19 “But you ask, ‘Why shouldn't the son suffer because of his father's sins?’ The answer is that the son did what was right and good. He kept my laws and followed them carefully, and so he will certainly live. 20 It is the one who sins who will die. A son is not to suffer because of his father's sins, nor a father because of the sins of his son. Good people will be rewarded for doing good, and evil people will suffer for the evil they do.
21 “If someone evil stops sinning and keeps my laws, if he does what is right and good, he will not die; he will certainly live. 22 All his sins will be forgiven, and he will live, because he did what is right. 23 Do you think I enjoy seeing evil people die?” asks the Sovereign Lord. “No, I would rather see them repent and live.
24 “But if a righteous person stops doing good and starts doing all the evil, disgusting things that evil people do, will he go on living? No! None of the good he did will be remembered. He will die because of his unfaithfulness and his sins.
25 “But you say, ‘What the Lord does isn't right.’ Listen to me, you Israelites. Do you think my way of doing things isn't right? It is your way that isn't right. 26 When a righteous person stops doing good and starts doing evil and then dies, he dies because of the evil he has done. 27 When someone evil stops sinning and does what is right and good, he saves his life. 28 He realizes what he is doing and stops sinning, so he will certainly not die, but go on living. 29 And you Israelites say, ‘What the Lord does isn't right.’ You think my way isn't right, do you? It is your way that isn't right.
30 “Now I, the Sovereign Lord, am telling you Israelites that I will judge each of you by what you have done. Turn away from all the evil you are doing, and don't let your sin destroy you. 31 Give up all the evil you have been doing, and get yourselves new minds and hearts. Why do you Israelites want to die? 32 I do not want anyone to die,” says the Sovereign Lord. “Turn away from your sins 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!”
