Chapter 5

1But put your trust in God and order the people as is fitting. The son must not exalt himself against his father, nor the servant against his lord, nor the disciple against his master, nor the official against the king, nor the layman against the bishop. For the teacher ought to have no fellowship with the disobedient and the wicked, since the sinner does not desire a word of admonition.

2Ezekiel the prophet says: “As I live, says the Lord God, they shall no longer speak this proverb in Israel. For the soul of every person is mine; as the soul of the father, so also the souls of his children are mine. The soul that sins shall die.

3“But the man who practices righteousness and uprightness, who has not eaten upon the mountains or lifted his eyes to the thoughts of the house of Israel, who has not defiled his neighbor’s wife or approached a woman in her uncleanness, who has not committed violence against his neighbor, who has returned the pledge for his debt, who has neither extorted nor oppressed, who has given some of his food to the poor and clothed the naked with his garment, who has not lent his money at interest or taken anything unjustly, who has turned his hand away from sin, administered justice and righteousness between one person and another, walked in my commandment, kept my law, and acted righteously—he shall surely live, says the Lord God.

4“If he fathers a son who is a sinner and a murderer, who does wickedness and does not walk in the way of his righteous father, but has eaten upon the mountains, defiled his neighbor’s wife, oppressed the poor and needy, plundered and acted unjustly, failed to return the pledge for his debt, turned his eyes toward idols, committed wickedness, lent at interest, robbed his neighbors, and taken what was stolen, such a person shall by no means live. Because of all the sin he has committed, he shall surely die, and his blood shall return upon himself.

5“But if he fathers a son who sees all the sin his father commits, is afraid, and does not do likewise; who has not eaten upon the mountains or lifted his eyes toward the thoughts of the house of Israel; who has not defiled his neighbor’s wife or oppressed anyone, but has returned the pledge for his debt; who has neither robbed his neighbors nor plundered, but has given some of his food to the hungry and clothed the naked with his garment; who has turned his hand away from wrongdoing and has not wrongfully taken interest or bribes, but has acted righteously and walked in my commandment—he shall not die for his father’s sin, but shall surely live forever.

6“But his father, if he oppresses and plunders, commits injustice and fraud, and does what should not be done among my people, shall die in his iniquity. And you say, ‘Why is the son punished for his father’s sin?’ Because the son is righteous, has given alms, has kept my law and done it, he shall surely live. The soul that sins shall die. The son shall not be punished for his father’s sin. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the sin of the sinner shall be upon him.

7“If the sinner turns away from the sin he has committed, keeps all my law and my commandment, acts righteously, and gives alms, he shall surely live and shall not die. I will not remember against him any of the sins he has committed, but he shall live because of the righteousness he has practiced. Do I desire at all that the sinner should die, says the Lord, rather than that he should turn from his evil way and live?

8“But if the righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits injustice and sin, the sinner shall die because of all the iniquity he has committed. I will not remember any of the righteousness he has practiced, and he shall die in the sin he has committed. Yet you say, ‘It is not right.’ When the righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits sin, he shall die in the iniquity he has committed.

9“If the sinner turns away from the sin he has committed and practices righteousness and uprightness, such a person has preserved his soul. He has seen and turned away from all the sin he has committed; he shall surely live and shall not die. Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ Is my way not right, house of Israel? Is it not your way that is not right?

10“Therefore I will judge every one of you according to your way, house of Israel, says the Lord God. Turn and repent of your evil, and do not let the punishment for your sin come upon you. Put away from yourselves all your evil, your iniquity, and the sin you have committed against me. Make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die in your sins, house of Israel? For I do not desire that you should die at all, says the Lord God, but that you should repent and live.”