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The word of the Lord came vnto me, saying:
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What meane ye by this comon prouerbe that ye vse in the lande of Israel, saying: The fathers haue eaten sowre grapes, and the chyldrens teeth are set on edge?
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As truely as I liue saith the Lorde God, ye shall vse this byworde no more in Israel.
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Beholde, all soules are mine, lyke as the soule of the father is mine, so is the soule of the sonne myne also: the soule that sinneth shall dye it selfe.
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But if a man be iust, and do that which is lawfull and right:
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He hath not eaten vpon the hilles, he hath not lift his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbours wyfe, neither hath come neare a woman remoued:
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Neither hath oppressed any man, but hath restored to the detter his pledge: he that hath not spoyled any by violence, hath geuen his bread to the hungry, and hath clothed the naked:
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And hath not geuen foorth vpon vsurie, neither taken any encrease, he hath withdrawne his hande from iniquitie, and hath executed true iudgement betweene man and man:
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And hath walked in my statutes, and kept my iudgementes to deale truely: this is a righteous man, he shall surely liue, saith the Lorde God.
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If he nowe get a sonne that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and do any one of these thinges:
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Though he do not all these thinges, but either hath eaten vpon the hilles, or defiled his neighbours wyfe:
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Or hath oppressed the poore and needie, or spoyled by violence, or hath not restored the pledge, or hath lyft vp his eyes vnto the idols, or hath committed abomination:
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Or hath geuen foorth vpon vsurie, or hath taken encrease: Shall this man liue?
he shall not liue: Seeing he hath done al these abhominations he shal die the death, his blood shalbe vpon hym.
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Nowe if this man get a sonne also, that seeth all his fathers sinnes whiche he hath done, and feareth, neither doth suche like:
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[namely] he hath not eaten vpon the hilles, he hath not lift vp his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, nor defiled his neighbours wyfe:
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Neither hath oppressed any, nor hath withholden the pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence: [but] hath geuen his bread to the hungry, and hath couered the naked with a garment:
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Neither hath withdrawen his hande from the afflicted, nor receaued vsurie nor encrease, [but] hath executed my iudgementes, and walked in my statutes: this man shall not dye in his fathers sinne, but shall liue without fayle.
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As for his father, because he hath cruelly oppressed and spoyled his brother by violence, and hath not done good among his people, lo he dyeth in his owne sinne.
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And yet say ye, wherfore then should not this sonne beare his fathers sinne?
Because the sonne hath done iudgment and righteousnesse, he hath kept all my statutes and done them: therefore shall he liue in deede.
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The same soule that sinneth shall dye, the sonne shall not beare the fathers iniquitie, neither shall the father beare the sonnes iniquitie: the righteousnesse of the righteous shalbe vpon hym, and the wickednesse of the wicked shalbe vpon him selfe also.
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But if the vngodly wyll turne away from all his sinnes that he hath done, and kepe all my statutes, and do the thing that is iugdement and right, doubtlesse he shall liue and not dye.
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As for all his sinnes that he dyd before they shall not be mentioned vnto hym: but in his righteousnesse that he hath done, he shall liue.
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For haue I any pleasure in the death of a sinner saith the Lorde God?
shall he not liue if he returne from his wayes?
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Agayne, if the righteous turne from his righteousnesse, and do iniquitie, and shall do according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth: shall he liue?
All the righteousnesse that he hath done shall not be remembred, but in his transgression that he hath committed, in his sinne that he hath sinned, in them he shall dye.
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And yet ye say, the way of the Lorde is not indifferent.
Heare therefore ye house of Israel, is not my way equall?
or are not your wayes rather vnequall?
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When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousnesse, and committeth iniquitie, and dieth in the same: in his iniquitie whiche he hath committed shall he dye.
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Agayne, when the wicked turneth away from his wickednesse that he hath done, and doth iudgement and right, he shall saue his soule aliue.
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Because he seeth, and turneth away from all his iniquitie that he hath committed, he shall surely liue, and not dye.
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And yet saith the house of Israel, the way of the Lorde is not equall.
Are my wayes vnequall O ye house of Israel?
are not your wayes rather vnequall?
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Therefore I wyll iudge you, euery man according to his wayes, O ye house of Israel saith the Lorde: returne and bryng your selues agayne from all your wickednesse, so iniquitie shall not be your destruction.
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Cast away from you all your transgressions wherby ye haue transgressed, and make you a newe heart and a newe spirite: for why wyll ye dye O ye house of Israel?
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Seing I haue no pleasure in the death of hym that dyeth, saith the Lord God: bryng agayne your selues then, and ye shall lyue.