Ezekiel 18 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

Yahweh's word came to me:

"What do you mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: 'The parents ate sour grapes, and the children's teeth ache'?"

"As I live" — this is the declaration of Yahweh, the Sovereign One — "you will never quote this proverb in Israel again."

"Look — every life belongs to me. The parent's life and the child's life alike — they are mine. The person who fails is the one who will die."

"Now suppose a man is just and does what is right and good:"

"He doesn't feast at the mountain shrines or look to the worthless idols of Israel's house. He doesn't violate his neighbor's wife or come near a woman during her period."

"He doesn't exploit anyone. He returns the collateral to the borrower. He doesn't rob. He gives his food to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing."

"He doesn't lend at interest or take a profit. He pulls his hand back from injustice. He judges honestly between people."

"He walks by my instructions, he keeps my standards, acting faithfully — this man is just. He will certainly live." This is the declaration of Yahweh, the Sovereign One.

"But suppose he fathers a violent son who sheds blood or does any of these things — "

"even though his father did none of these things — this son feasts at the mountain shrines and violates his neighbor's wife,"

"exploits the poor and vulnerable, commits robbery, refuses to return collateral, looks to worthless idols, commits detestable acts,"

"lends at interest and takes a profit — will he live? He will not live! He has done all these detestable things. He will certainly die. His blood is on his own hands."

"But now suppose this man fathers a son who sees all the failures his father committed, considers them, and refuses to follow that path:"

"He doesn't feast at the mountain shrines or look to the worthless idols of Israel's house. He doesn't violate his neighbor's wife."

"He doesn't exploit anyone. He doesn't hold onto collateral. He doesn't rob. He gives his food to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing."

"He pulls his hand back from harming the poor. He doesn't take interest or profit. He keeps my standards and walks by my instructions. This man will not die for his father's wrongs — he will certainly live."

"As for his father — because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what was not good among his people — look, he dies for his own wrongs."

"Yet you ask, 'Why shouldn't the son bear the father's wrongs?' Because the son did what was right and good! He kept all my instructions and followed them — he will certainly live."

"The person who fails is the one who will die. A son will not bear the father's wrongs, and a father will not bear the son's wrongs. The justice of the just person stays with them, and the wickedness of the wicked stays with them."

"But if the wicked person turns away from all the failures they've committed, keeps all my instructions, and does what is right and good — they will certainly live. They will not die."

"None of their past failures will be held against them. Because of the justice they have practiced, they will live."

"Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked?" — this is the declaration of Yahweh, the Sovereign One. "Don't I prefer that they turn from their ways and live?"

"But when a just person turns away from their justice and does wrong — practicing the same detestable acts the wicked person does — will they live? None of the justice they practiced will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness they committed and the failure they practiced, they will die."

"Yet you say, 'Yahweh's way isn't fair.' Listen, house of Israel: Is it my way that isn't fair? Isn't it your ways that aren't fair?"

"When a just person turns from their justice and does wrong, they will die for it. It is because of the wrong they've done that they die."

"And when a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they practiced and does what is right and good, they will preserve their own life."

"Because they reflected and turned away from all the rebellions they committed, they will certainly live. They will not die."

"Yet the house of Israel says, 'Yahweh's way isn't fair.' Is it my ways that aren't fair, house of Israel? Isn't it your ways that aren't fair?"

"So I will judge each of you according to your own ways, house of Israel" — this is the declaration of Yahweh, the Sovereign One. "Rethink everything and turn away from all your rebellions, so that wrongs won't become the ruin of you."

"Throw off all the rebellions you've committed! Make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why would you die, house of Israel?"

"I take no pleasure in the death of anyone" — this is the declaration of Yahweh, the Sovereign One. "So turn back, and live!"