1. The Lord spoke his word to me. He said,
2. “What do you mean when you use this proverb about the land of Israel: ‘Fathers have eaten sour grapes, and their children’s teeth are set on edge’?
3. As I live, declares the Almighty Lord, you will no longer use this proverb in Israel.
4. The life of every person belongs to me. Fathers and their children belong to me. The person who sins will die.
5. “Suppose a righteous person does what is fair and right.
6. He doesn’t eat at the illegal mountain worship sites or look for help from the idols of the nation of Israel. He doesn’t dishonor his neighbor’s wife or have sexual intercourse with a woman while she is having her period.
7. He doesn’t oppress anyone. He returns what a borrower gives him as security for a loan. He doesn’t rob anyone. He gives food to people who are hungry, and he gives clothes to those who are naked.
8. He doesn’t lend money for interest or make an excessive profit. He refuses to do evil things, and he judges everyone fairly.
9. He lives by my rules and obeys my laws faithfully. This person is righteous. He will certainly live,” declares the Almighty Lord.
10. “But suppose this person has a son who robs and murders. The son does all the things
11. that his father never did. He eats at the illegal mountain worship sites. He dishonors his neighbor’s wife.