None of the sins he has committed will be held ¹  against him; because of the righteousness he has done, he will live.

(Make the chain, ¹  because the land is full of murder ²  and the city is full of violence.)

“Son of man, has not the house of Israel, that rebellious house, said to you, ‘What are you doing?’

He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. Take note ¹  – he gave his promise ²  and did all these things – he will not escape!

When a righteous person turns back from his righteousness and practices wrongdoing, he will die for it; ¹  because of the wrongdoing he has done, he will die.

When a wicked person turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will preserve his life.

Because he considered ¹  and turned from all the sins he had done, he will surely live; he will not die.

I will do these things to you ¹  because you engaged in prostitution with the nations, polluting yourself with their idols.

Then the people said to me, “Will you not tell us what these things you are doing mean for us?”

None of the sins he has committed will be counted ¹  against him. He has done what is just and right; he will certainly live.

“But if a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and practices wrongdoing according to all the abominable practices the wicked carry out, will he live? All his righteous acts will not be remembered; because of the unfaithful acts he has done and the sin he has committed, he will die. ¹ 

(though the father did not do any of them). ¹  He eats pagan sacrifices on the mountains, ²  defiles his neighbor’s wife,

oppresses the poor and the needy, ¹  commits robbery, does not give back what was given in pledge, prays to ²  idols, performs abominable acts,

engages in usury and charges interest. Will he live? He will not! Because he has done all these abominable deeds he will certainly die. ¹  He will bear the responsibility for his own death. ² 

“But suppose he in turn has a son who notices all the sins his father commits, considers them, and does not follow his father’s example. ¹ 

refrains from wrongdoing, ¹  does not engage in usury or charge interest, carries out my regulations and follows my statutes. He will not die for his father’s iniquity; ²  he will surely live.

As for his father, because he practices extortion, robs his brother, and does what is not good among his people, he will die for his iniquity.

“But if the wicked person turns from all the sin he has committed and observes all my statutes and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die.

One ¹  commits an abominable act with his neighbor’s wife; another obscenely defiles his daughter-in-law; another violates ²  his sister – his father’s daughter ³  – within you.

Can your heart endure, ¹  or can your hands be strong when I deal with you? ²  I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do it!