Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Children » Not punished for parents' sake
When that time comes people will no longer say: 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and their children's teeth are set on edge.' Each person will die for his own sin. Whoever eats sour grapes will have his own teeth set on edge.
Jehovah's word continued to come to me: What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel: 'The fathers eat sour grapes, but the children's teeth are set on edge?' As I live, declares the Lord Jehovah: 'You are surely not going to use this proverb in Israel anymore. read more.
The life of every person belongs to me. The life of the father as well as the life of the son is mine. The person who sins will die. If a man is righteous and practices justice and righteousness, and does not eat at the mountain shrines or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period; if a man does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing. If he does not lend money on interest or take increase, if he keeps his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between man and man, if he lives by my rules and obeys my laws faithfully this person is righteous. He will certainly live,' declares the Lord Jehovah. Suppose this person has a son who robs and murders. The son does all these other things that his father never did. He eats at the illegal mountain worship sites. He dishonors his neighbor's wife. He oppresses the poor and needy. He robs. He does not return the security for a loan. He looks to idols for help. He does disgusting things. He lends money for interest and makes excessive profits. Will this person live? He will not live. He has done all these disgusting things. So he must die, and he will be responsible for his own death. Now suppose this son has a son. The son sees all the sins that his father does. He is afraid, so he does not do such things. He does not eat at the illegal mountain worship sites or look for help from the idols of the nation of Israel. He does not dishonor his neighbor's wife. He does not oppress anyone. He does not keep the security for a loan. He does not rob anyone. He gives food to people who are hungry, and he gives clothes to those who are naked. He keeps his hand from the poor and does not take interest or increase, but executes my ordinances, and walks in my statutes. He will not die for his father's iniquity. He will surely live. As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was not good among his people, he will die for his iniquity. Yet you say: Why should the son not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity? When the son has practiced justice and righteousness and has observed all my statutes and done them, he shall surely live. The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity. The righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself. And the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself. If the wicked man turns from all his sins and observes all my statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall live; he shall not die. All his transgressions he has committed will not be remembered against him. He will live because of his righteousness he has practiced.' Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord Jehovah, that he should turn from his ways and live? But suppose a righteous person turns away from doing right and he does evil things. He does all the disgusting things that the wicked person did. Will he live? All the right things that he has done will not be remembered because of his unfaithfulness and because of his sin. He will die because of them. But you say: Jehovah's way is unfair. Listen, nation of Israel, is my way fair? Is it your ways that are unfair? When a righteous person turns away from doing right and does evil things, he will die. He will die because of the evil things he has done. When a wicked person turns away from the wicked things that he has done and does what is fair and right, he will live. He realized what he was doing and turned away from all the rebellious things that he had done. He will certainly live. He will not die. But the nation of Israel says: Jehovah's way is unfair. Is my way not fair, nation of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unfair? That is why I will judge each of you by what you have done, people of Israel, declares the Lord Jehovah. Change the way you think and act. (Repent!) Turn away from all the rebellious things that you have done so that you will not fall into sin.
The life of every person belongs to me. The life of the father as well as the life of the son is mine. The person who sins will die. If a man is righteous and practices justice and righteousness, and does not eat at the mountain shrines or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period; if a man does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing. If he does not lend money on interest or take increase, if he keeps his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between man and man, if he lives by my rules and obeys my laws faithfully this person is righteous. He will certainly live,' declares the Lord Jehovah. Suppose this person has a son who robs and murders. The son does all these other things that his father never did. He eats at the illegal mountain worship sites. He dishonors his neighbor's wife. He oppresses the poor and needy. He robs. He does not return the security for a loan. He looks to idols for help. He does disgusting things. He lends money for interest and makes excessive profits. Will this person live? He will not live. He has done all these disgusting things. So he must die, and he will be responsible for his own death. Now suppose this son has a son. The son sees all the sins that his father does. He is afraid, so he does not do such things. He does not eat at the illegal mountain worship sites or look for help from the idols of the nation of Israel. He does not dishonor his neighbor's wife. He does not oppress anyone. He does not keep the security for a loan. He does not rob anyone. He gives food to people who are hungry, and he gives clothes to those who are naked. He keeps his hand from the poor and does not take interest or increase, but executes my ordinances, and walks in my statutes. He will not die for his father's iniquity. He will surely live. As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was not good among his people, he will die for his iniquity. Yet you say: Why should the son not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity? When the son has practiced justice and righteousness and has observed all my statutes and done them, he shall surely live. The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity. The righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself. And the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself. If the wicked man turns from all his sins and observes all my statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall live; he shall not die. All his transgressions he has committed will not be remembered against him. He will live because of his righteousness he has practiced.' Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord Jehovah, that he should turn from his ways and live? But suppose a righteous person turns away from doing right and he does evil things. He does all the disgusting things that the wicked person did. Will he live? All the right things that he has done will not be remembered because of his unfaithfulness and because of his sin. He will die because of them. But you say: Jehovah's way is unfair. Listen, nation of Israel, is my way fair? Is it your ways that are unfair? When a righteous person turns away from doing right and does evil things, he will die. He will die because of the evil things he has done. When a wicked person turns away from the wicked things that he has done and does what is fair and right, he will live. He realized what he was doing and turned away from all the rebellious things that he had done. He will certainly live. He will not die. But the nation of Israel says: Jehovah's way is unfair. Is my way not fair, nation of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unfair? That is why I will judge each of you by what you have done, people of Israel, declares the Lord Jehovah. Change the way you think and act. (Repent!) Turn away from all the rebellious things that you have done so that you will not fall into sin.
Execution » Who should not be executed according to the law
Do not make false accusations. Do not put an innocent person to death. I will condemn anyone who does this evil thing.
If a man has sexual intercourse with a female slave who is engaged to another man and if her freedom was never bought or given to her, they should not be put to death. He will only pay a fine because she is a slave.
If an engaged woman is raped (forced to experience sex) only the man who commits the act will die. Do nothing to the woman. There is no sin in the woman worthy of death. This is like the case where a man attacks and murders his neighbor. When he found her in the field, the woman who is engaged protested, but there was no one to save her.
Fathers shall not be put to death for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death for their fathers. Everyone shall be put to death for his own sin.
But he did not put their children to death. The orders of Jehovah recorded in the book of the law of Moses say: The fathers are not to be put to death for the children, or the children for their fathers; but each man shall be put to death for his own sin.
He did not execute their children. He obeyed Jehovah's command written in the Book of Moses' Teachings: Parents must never be put to death for the crimes of their children, and children must never be put to death for the crimes of their parents. Each person must be put to death for his own crime.
Jehovah's word continued to come to me: What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel: 'The fathers eat sour grapes, but the children's teeth are set on edge?' As I live, declares the Lord Jehovah: 'You are surely not going to use this proverb in Israel anymore. read more.
The life of every person belongs to me. The life of the father as well as the life of the son is mine. The person who sins will die. If a man is righteous and practices justice and righteousness, and does not eat at the mountain shrines or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period; if a man does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing. If he does not lend money on interest or take increase, if he keeps his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between man and man, if he lives by my rules and obeys my laws faithfully this person is righteous. He will certainly live,' declares the Lord Jehovah. Suppose this person has a son who robs and murders. The son does all these other things that his father never did. He eats at the illegal mountain worship sites. He dishonors his neighbor's wife. He oppresses the poor and needy. He robs. He does not return the security for a loan. He looks to idols for help. He does disgusting things. He lends money for interest and makes excessive profits. Will this person live? He will not live. He has done all these disgusting things. So he must die, and he will be responsible for his own death. Now suppose this son has a son. The son sees all the sins that his father does. He is afraid, so he does not do such things. He does not eat at the illegal mountain worship sites or look for help from the idols of the nation of Israel. He does not dishonor his neighbor's wife. He does not oppress anyone. He does not keep the security for a loan. He does not rob anyone. He gives food to people who are hungry, and he gives clothes to those who are naked. He keeps his hand from the poor and does not take interest or increase, but executes my ordinances, and walks in my statutes. He will not die for his father's iniquity. He will surely live. As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was not good among his people, he will die for his iniquity. Yet you say: Why should the son not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity? When the son has practiced justice and righteousness and has observed all my statutes and done them, he shall surely live. The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity. The righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself. And the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.
The life of every person belongs to me. The life of the father as well as the life of the son is mine. The person who sins will die. If a man is righteous and practices justice and righteousness, and does not eat at the mountain shrines or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period; if a man does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing. If he does not lend money on interest or take increase, if he keeps his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between man and man, if he lives by my rules and obeys my laws faithfully this person is righteous. He will certainly live,' declares the Lord Jehovah. Suppose this person has a son who robs and murders. The son does all these other things that his father never did. He eats at the illegal mountain worship sites. He dishonors his neighbor's wife. He oppresses the poor and needy. He robs. He does not return the security for a loan. He looks to idols for help. He does disgusting things. He lends money for interest and makes excessive profits. Will this person live? He will not live. He has done all these disgusting things. So he must die, and he will be responsible for his own death. Now suppose this son has a son. The son sees all the sins that his father does. He is afraid, so he does not do such things. He does not eat at the illegal mountain worship sites or look for help from the idols of the nation of Israel. He does not dishonor his neighbor's wife. He does not oppress anyone. He does not keep the security for a loan. He does not rob anyone. He gives food to people who are hungry, and he gives clothes to those who are naked. He keeps his hand from the poor and does not take interest or increase, but executes my ordinances, and walks in my statutes. He will not die for his father's iniquity. He will surely live. As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was not good among his people, he will die for his iniquity. Yet you say: Why should the son not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity? When the son has practiced justice and righteousness and has observed all my statutes and done them, he shall surely live. The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity. The righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself. And the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.
Idolatry » Annual feasts
Jeroboam appointed a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, just like the festival in Judah. He went to the altar in Bethel to sacrifice to the calves he had made. He appointed priests from the illegal worship sites to serve in Bethel.
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king gathered the satraps, deputies, governors, judges, treasurers, counselors, sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces. They came to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king set up. The satraps, deputies, governors, judges, treasurers, counselors, sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces were gathered together at the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king set up. They stood before the image.
Your people tell lies about others in order to have them put to death. They eat sacrifices offered to idols. They always satisfy their lusts.
and does not eat at the mountain shrines or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period;
that his father never did. He eats at the illegal mountain worship sites. He dishonors his neighbor's wife. He oppresses the poor and needy. He robs. He does not return the security for a loan. He looks to idols for help. He does disgusting things.
He does not eat at the illegal mountain worship sites or look for help from the idols of the nation of Israel. He does not dishonor his neighbor's wife.
Profit » Those that profit from violence
My son, if sinners tempt you do not consent. If they say: Come with us. Let us lie in wait to kill someone. Let us ambush the innocent without cause. Let us swallow them alive and whole just as the grave does, and just as the dead go into the pit. read more.
We will find precious material possessions and we fill our houses with plunder. Throw in with us. Let us all have one purse. My son, do not walk in the way with them. Withhold your food from their path! For their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood. Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. They lie in wait for their own blood (murder). They set an ambush for their own lives. So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust dishonest gain. Greed takes away the life of its owner.
We will find precious material possessions and we fill our houses with plunder. Throw in with us. Let us all have one purse. My son, do not walk in the way with them. Withhold your food from their path! For their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood. Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. They lie in wait for their own blood (murder). They set an ambush for their own lives. So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust dishonest gain. Greed takes away the life of its owner.
Will they all taunt him by directing clever sayings and riddles at him? They will say: How horrible it will be for the one who makes himself rich with what is not his own (by extortion) and makes himself wealthy on loans. How long will this go on? Will your creditors and collection agents suddenly arise and make you tremble? Then you will become their prize. The people who remain will plunder you because you have plundered many nations. It is because of the blood you shed and the violence you brought on the land, the city and all who dwell there. read more.
He who receives a dishonest profit for his house will have trouble. He may set his nest on high in order to be delivered from the hand of evil! You have purposed a shameful thing for your house. You have sinned against yourself by destroying many people. The stones will cry out from the wall. The beams out of the woodwork will answer it. Woe to him who builds a town with bloodshed and establishes a city with iniquity! Is it for Jehovah of Hosts that the peoples labor for the fire? Do the nations weary themselves for vanity? The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea. Woe to anyone who gives his neighbors drink and empties his bottle. He makes them drunk and then looks on their nakedness. You are filled with shame and not glory. You drink also as one who is uncircumcised. The cup of Jehovah's right (strong) hand will come around to you. Intense shame will tarnish your glory. The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you. The destruction of the animals and shedding of blood will frighten you. The violence done to the inhabitants of the land and the city will terrify you.
He who receives a dishonest profit for his house will have trouble. He may set his nest on high in order to be delivered from the hand of evil! You have purposed a shameful thing for your house. You have sinned against yourself by destroying many people. The stones will cry out from the wall. The beams out of the woodwork will answer it. Woe to him who builds a town with bloodshed and establishes a city with iniquity! Is it for Jehovah of Hosts that the peoples labor for the fire? Do the nations weary themselves for vanity? The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea. Woe to anyone who gives his neighbors drink and empties his bottle. He makes them drunk and then looks on their nakedness. You are filled with shame and not glory. You drink also as one who is uncircumcised. The cup of Jehovah's right (strong) hand will come around to you. Intense shame will tarnish your glory. The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you. The destruction of the animals and shedding of blood will frighten you. The violence done to the inhabitants of the land and the city will terrify you.
Cursed is he who beats his neighbor in secret.' And all the people will say: 'Amen.' Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to punish an innocent person.' All the people will say: 'Amen.'
Jehovah's word continued to come to me: What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel: 'The fathers eat sour grapes, but the children's teeth are set on edge?' As I live, declares the Lord Jehovah: 'You are surely not going to use this proverb in Israel anymore. read more.
The life of every person belongs to me. The life of the father as well as the life of the son is mine. The person who sins will die. If a man is righteous and practices justice and righteousness, and does not eat at the mountain shrines or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period; if a man does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing. If he does not lend money on interest or take increase, if he keeps his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between man and man, if he lives by my rules and obeys my laws faithfully this person is righteous. He will certainly live,' declares the Lord Jehovah. Suppose this person has a son who robs and murders. The son does all these other things that his father never did. He eats at the illegal mountain worship sites. He dishonors his neighbor's wife. He oppresses the poor and needy. He robs. He does not return the security for a loan. He looks to idols for help. He does disgusting things. He lends money for interest and makes excessive profits. Will this person live? He will not live. He has done all these disgusting things. So he must die, and he will be responsible for his own death.
The life of every person belongs to me. The life of the father as well as the life of the son is mine. The person who sins will die. If a man is righteous and practices justice and righteousness, and does not eat at the mountain shrines or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period; if a man does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing. If he does not lend money on interest or take increase, if he keeps his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between man and man, if he lives by my rules and obeys my laws faithfully this person is righteous. He will certainly live,' declares the Lord Jehovah. Suppose this person has a son who robs and murders. The son does all these other things that his father never did. He eats at the illegal mountain worship sites. He dishonors his neighbor's wife. He oppresses the poor and needy. He robs. He does not return the security for a loan. He looks to idols for help. He does disgusting things. He lends money for interest and makes excessive profits. Will this person live? He will not live. He has done all these disgusting things. So he must die, and he will be responsible for his own death.