3 ^uAs I live, declares the Lord God, ^vthis proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. 4 Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: ^wthe soul who sins shall die.

5 “If a man is righteous and does ^xwhat is just and right— 6 if he ^ydoes not eat upon the mountains or ^zlift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, ^adoes not defile his neighbor’s wife ^bor approach ^ca woman in her time of menstrual impurity, 7 ^ddoes not oppress anyone, but ^erestores to the debtor his pledge, ^fcommits no robbery, ^ggives his bread to the hungry ^gand covers the naked with a garment, 8 ^hdoes not lend at interest ^hor take any profit,¹ withholds his hand from injustice, ⁱexecutes true justice between man and man, 9 ^jwalks in my statutes, and keeps my rules by acting faithfully—he is righteous; ^khe shall surely live, declares the Lord God.

19 “Yet you say, ^z‘Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done ^awhat is just and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, ^bhe shall surely live. 20 ^cThe soul who sins shall die. ^dThe son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. ^eThe righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, ^fand the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.

21 ^g“But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does ^hwhat is just and right, ⁱhe shall surely live; he shall not die. 22 ^jNone of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live. 23 ^kHave I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?