1 Un atkal pār mani nāca Tā Kunga vārds: 2 "Kādēļ jūs lietojat Israēla zemē šo teicienu: tēvi ēduši skābas vīnogas, un bērniem zobi no tā nomizējuši? 3 Tik tiešām, kas Es dzīvoju, saka Dievs Tas Kungs, jums turpmāk nebūs lietot šo teicienu. 4 Redzi, visas dvēseles pieder Man, kā tēva, tā arī dēla dvēsele, abas Man pieder; kura dvēsele grēko, tai jāmirst. 5 Ja kas ir taisns, turas pie patiesības un taisnības, 6 nepiedalās elku ēdamos upuros kalnos, nepaceļ savas acis uz Israēla nama elkiem, neliek negodā sava tuvākā sievu, netuvojas sievai viņas kārtējās slimības laikā; 7 kas nevienu neapkrāpj, kas parādniekam atdod viņa ķīlu, kas ne no viena neko neizspiež, kas izsalkušam dod no savas maizes un kas kailo apģērbj, 8 kas neaizdod naudu un neplēš augļus, kas attur savu roku no netaisnības un kas spriež taisnu tiesu pretinieku starpā, 9 kas staigā Manos likumos un uzticīgi tur Manas tiesas, tas ir taisns, tas dzīvos, saka Dievs Tas Kungs. 10 Bet, ja tam ir varmācīgs dēls, kas izlej asinis un dara kaut vienu no minētajiem ļaunumiem, 11 no kuriem pats atturējās, - kad viņš piedalās elku ēdamos upuros kalnos un liek negodā sava tuvākā sievu, 12 kas izmanto nabago un nelaimīgo, krāpj to, kas nodarbojas ar izspiešanu, neatdod ķīlu, paceļ savas acis uz elkiem un dara negantību, 13 kas naudu aizdod un plēš augļus, - vai tad tāds cilvēks lai dzīvotu? Nē, tam nebūs dzīvot. Tādēļ ka viņš darījis visas šīs negantības, tam jāmirst, viņa asinis lai nāk pār viņu. 14 Bet, ja tam ir dēls, kas redz visus tēva grēkus, bet bīstas un nedara tā, 15 viņš nepiedalās elku ēdamos upuros kalnos un nepaceļ savas acis uz Israēla nama elkiem, neliek negodā sava tuvākā sievu, 16 neapkrāpj neviena, neņem ķīlas un nelaupa, viņš dod no savas maizes izsalkušam un apģērbj kailo, 17 savu roku tas attur no netaisnības, neaizdod naudu un neplēš augļus, - tas staigā Manos likumos un tur Manas tiesas, tam nav jāmirst par sava tēva netaisnību un apgrēcību, tam būs dzīvot. 18 Bet viņa tēvam, kas lietojis spaidus un varu pret savu brāli un darījis savu tautiešu vidū, kas nav labs, tam jāmirst par savu noziegumu. 19 Jūs jautājat: kāpēc dēls lai nenes sava tēva noziegumu? - Redzi, dēls darījis patiesību un taisnību, ir turējis visus Manus likumus un tos pildījis, tādēļ tam būs dzīvot. 20 Ikvienam, kas grēku dara, jāmirst. Bet dēlam nav jānes sava tēva noziegums, un tēvam nav jānes dēla noziegums. Taisnam tiek alga par viņa taisnību, un bezdievim sods par viņa bezdievību. 21 Kad bezdievis atgriežas no visiem saviem grēkiem, ko viņš darījis, un pilda visus Manus likumus, rīkojas pēc tiesas, patiesības un taisnības, tam būs dzīvot, tam nav jāmirst. 22 Nevienu no viņa agrāk nodarītiem grēkiem vairs nepieminēs; taisnības dēļ, ko viņš dara, tam būs dzīvot. 23 Vai tad Man kaut kā īpaši patīk bezdievja nāve, saka Dievs Tas Kungs, un ne gan tas, ka viņš novēršas no sava ļaunā ceļa un dzīvo? 24 Bet, ja taisnais nogriežas no savas taisnības un dara ļaunu un visas bezdievja negantības, vai tad tāds lai dzīvotu? Nebūt ne! Un nepieminēs arī vairs tos taisnos darbus, ko viņš darījis, bet viņa nodarīto pārkāpumu un grēku dēļ viņam jāmirst. 25 Kad jūs sakāt: Tā Kunga rīcība nav taisna, - tad klausaities, jūs Israēla nams! Vai tad tiešām Mana rīcība lai būtu netaisna? Vai ne drīzāk jūsu rīcība nav netaisna? 26 Kad taisnais nogriežas no savas taisnības un dara ļaunu, tad tas mirs, tam jāmirst tā ļaunuma dēļ, ko viņš darījis. 27 Bet, ja bezdievis atgriežas no savas bezdievības, ko viņš darījis, un dara patiesību un taisnību, tas paturēs savu dvēseli dzīvu. 28 Kad viņš pārliecināsies un atgriezīsies no visiem saviem pārkāpumiem, ko viņš darījis, tad viņš dzīvos, viņam nav jāmirst. 29 Un tomēr Israēla nams saka: Tā Kunga rīcība nav pareiza. - Vai tad tiešām Mani ceļi būs netaisni? Vai ne drīzāk jūsu ceļi, Israēla nams, nav netaisni? 30 Tādēļ Es jūs ikvienu tiesāšu, Israēla nams, pēc jūsu ceļiem, tā saka Dievs Tas Kungs, atgriezieties, atsakaities no visiem saviem pārkāpumiem, lai tie netop jums par apgrēcību. 31 Atstājieties no visiem saviem pārkāpumiem, ar ko jūs noziegušies pret Mani, iegūstiet jaunu sirdi un jaunu garu. Kāpēc gan jūs gribat mirt, Israēla nams? 32 Jo Es nebūt nepriecājos par tā nāvi, kam jāmirst, saka Dievs Tas Kungs, tādēļ atgriezieties, tad jūs dzīvosit."
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.”
