18. As for his father: If he exploited the weak or committed robbery, or did anything else that wasn’t good for the people, he will die because of his own guilt.
19. You will say, "Why doesn’t the child bear his parent’s guilt?" The child has acted justly and responsibly. The child kept all my regulations and observed them. The child will surely live.
20. Only the one who sins will die. A child won’t bear a parent’s guilt, and a parent won’t bear a child’s guilt. Those who do right will be declared innocent, and the wicked will be declared guilty.
21. But if the wicked turn away from all the sins that they have committed, keep all my regulations, and act justly and responsibly, they will surely live and not die.
22. None of the sins that they committed will be held against them, but they will live because they do the right things.
23. Do I take pleasure in the death of the wicked? says the Lord God. Certainly not! If they change their ways, they will live.
24. If those who do the right thing turn from righteousness and engage in the same detestable practices that the wicked committed, can they do these things and live? None of their righteous deeds will be remembered. They will die because of their treacheries and sins.
25. But you say, "My Lord’s way doesn’t measure up." Listen, house of Israel, is it my ways that don’t measure up? Isn’t it your ways that don’t measure up?
26. When those who do the right thing turn from their responsible ways and act maliciously, they will die because of it. For their malicious acts they will die.
27. And when the wicked turn from their wicked deeds and act justly and responsibly, they will preserve their lives.
28. When they become alarmed and turn away from all their sins, they will surely live; they won’t die.