「遵行我的律例，謹守我的典章，按誠實行事，這人是公義的，必定存活……」（9節）

經文
以西結書十八1-18

1耶和華的話又臨到我說：

2你們在以色列地怎麼用這俗語說父親吃了酸葡萄，兒子的牙酸倒了呢？

3主耶和華說：我指著我的永生起誓，你們在以色列中，必不再有用這俗語的因由。

4看哪，世人都是屬我的；為父的怎樣屬我，為子的也照樣屬我；犯罪的，他必死亡。

5人若是公義，且行正直與合理的事：

6未曾在山上吃過祭偶像之物，未曾仰望以色列家的偶像，未曾玷污鄰舍的妻，未曾在婦人的經期內親近他，

7未曾虧負人，乃將欠債之人的當頭還給他；未曾搶奪人的物件，卻將食物給飢餓的人吃，將衣服給赤身的人穿；

8未曾向借錢的弟兄取利，也未曾向借糧的弟兄多要，縮手不作罪孽，在兩人之間，按至理判斷；

9遵行我的律例，謹守我的典章，按誠實行事─這人是公義的，必定存活。這是主耶和華說的。

10他若生一個兒子，作強盜，是流人血的，不行以上所說之善，反行其中之惡，乃在山上吃過祭偶像之物，並玷污鄰舍的妻，

11a-12虧負困苦和窮乏的人，搶奪人的物，未曾將當頭還給人，仰望偶像，並行可憎的事，

13向借錢的弟兄取利，向借糧的弟兄多要，這人豈能存活呢？他必不能存活。他行這一切可憎的事，必要死亡，他的罪（原文是血）必歸到他身上。

14他若生一個兒子，見父親所犯的一切罪便懼怕（有古卷：思量），不照樣去作；

15未曾在山上吃過祭偶像之物，未曾仰望以色列家的偶像，未曾玷污鄰舍的妻，

16未曾虧負人，未曾取人的當頭，未曾搶奪人的物件，卻將食物給飢餓的人吃，將衣服給赤身的人穿，

17縮手不害貧窮人，未曾向借錢的弟兄取利，也未曾向借糧的弟兄多要；他順從我的典章，遵行我的律例，就不因父親的罪孽死亡，定要存活。

18至於他父親；因為欺人太甚，搶奪弟兄，在本國的民中行不善，他必因自己的罪孽死亡。

"He follows my decrees and faithfully keeps my laws. That man is righteous; he will surely live..." (v.9)

Bible reading:
Ezekiel 18:1-18

1 The word of the Lord came to me:

2 "What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: "'The parents eat sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge'?

3 "As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel.

4 For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins is the one who will die.

5 "Suppose there is a righteous man who does what is just and right.

6 He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor's wife or have sexual relations with a woman during her period.

7 He does not oppress anyone, but returns what he took in pledge for a loan. He does not commit robbery but gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked.

8 He does not lend to them at interest or take a profit from them. He withholds his hand from doing wrong and judges fairly between two parties.

9 He follows my decrees and faithfully keeps my laws. That man is righteous; he will surely live, declares the Sovereign Lord.

10 "Suppose he has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these other things[a]

11 (though the father has done none of them): "He eats at the mountain shrines. He defiles his neighbor's wife.

12 He oppresses the poor and needy. He commits robbery. He does not return what he took in pledge. He looks to the idols. He does detestable things.

13 He lends at interest and takes a profit. Will such a man live? He will not! Because he has done all these detestable things, he is to be put to death; his blood will be on his own head.

14 "But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things:

15 "He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor's wife.

16 He does not oppress anyone or require a pledge for a loan. He does not commit robbery but gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked.

17 He withholds his hand from mistreating the poor and takes no interest or profit from them. He keeps my laws and follows my decrees. He will not die for his father's sin; he will surely live.

18 But his father will die for his own sin, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was wrong among his people.