1. A message came to me from the Lord. He said,
2. "You people have a proverb about the land of Israel. What do you mean by it? It says, " 'The parents eat sour grapes. But the children have a bitter taste in their mouths.'
3. "You will not use that proverb in Israel anymore," announces the Lord and King. "And that is just as sure as I am alive.
4. Everyone belongs to me. Father and son alike belong to me. People will die because of their own sins.
5. "Suppose a godly man does what is fair and right.
6. And he does not eat at the mountain temples. He does not worship the statues of Israel's gods. He does not have sex with another man's wife. He does not make love to his own wife during her monthly period.
7. He does not treat anyone badly. Instead, he always gives back what he took as security for a loan. He does not steal. Instead, he gives his food to hungry people. He provides clothes for those who are naked.
8. He does not lend money and charge too much interest. He keeps himself from doing what is wrong. He judges cases fairly.
9. He follows my rules. He is faithful in keeping my laws. He always does what is right. You can be sure he will live," announces the Lord and King.
10. "But suppose he has a mean son who harms other people. The son commits murder. Or he does some other things that are wrong.
11. Suppose he does those things even though his father never did. "Suppose he eats at the mountain temples. And he has sex with another man's wife.
12. He treats poor and needy people badly. He steals. He does not pay back what he owes. He worships statues of gods. He does other things I hate.
13. He lends money and charges too much interest. Will a man like that live? He will not! You can be sure he will be put to death. And what happens to him will be his own fault. He did many things I hate.
14. "But suppose that son has a son of his own. And the son sees all of the sins his father commits. He sees them, but he does not do them.
15. "Suppose he does not eat at the mountain temples. And he does not worship the statues of Israel's gods. He does not have sex with another man's wife.
16. He does not treat anyone badly. He does not make people give him something to prove they will pay back what they owe him. He does not steal. Instead, he gives his food to hungry people. He provides clothes for those who are naked.
17. He keeps himself from committing sins. He does not lend money and charge too much interest. He keeps my laws and follows my rules. He will not die because of his father's sin. You can be sure he will live.