My men, my brothers, and I are also lending money and grain to the people. But let’s stop forcing them to pay interest on those loans!
Ezekiel 18:7 - Easy To Read Version That good person does not take advantage of people. If a person borrows money from him, the good man takes the collateral {\cf2\super [133]} and gives the other person the money. And when that person pays him back, then the good man gives the collateral back. The good person gives food to hungry people. And he gives clothes to people that need them. Tuilleadh leaganachaKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 and hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment; Amplified Bible - Classic Edition And has not wronged anyone but has restored to the debtor his pledge, has taken nothing by robbery but has given his bread to the hungry and has covered the naked with a garment, American Standard Version (1901) and hath not wronged any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath taken nought by robbery, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment; Common English Bible They don’t cheat anyone, but fulfill their obligations. They don’t rob others, but give food to the hungry and clothes to the naked. Catholic Public Domain Version and if he has not grieved any man, but has restored the collateral to the debtor, if he has seized nothing by violence, has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment, Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version And hath not wronged any man but hath restored the pledge to the debtor: hath taken nothing away by violence: hath given his bread to the hungry and hath covered the naked with a garment: |
My men, my brothers, and I are also lending money and grain to the people. But let’s stop forcing them to pay interest on those loans!
Maybe you loaned a brother some money\par and forced him to give you something\par to prove he would pay it back.\par Maybe you took some poor man’s clothes\par as collateral {\cf2\super [34]} for a loan.\par Maybe you did that for no reason.\par
They steal the donkey\par that belongs to children without parents.\par They take a widow’s {\cf2\super [38]} cow away from her\par until she pays what she owes them.\par
Evil people take a nursing baby from its mother.\par They take a poor person’s child\par as security {\cf2\super [39]} for a loan.\par
To good people, God is like a light\par shining in the dark.\par God is good and kind and merciful.\par
That person freely gives things\par to poor people.\par And his goodness will continue forever.\par
A person who helps poor people succeed\par will get many blessings. {\cf2\super [256]} \par When trouble comes,\par the Lord will save that person.\par
“If one of my people is poor, and you lend him money, then you must not charge him for that money. And you must not force him to pay you quickly.
Someone might give you his coat as a promise that he will pay you the money he owes you. But you must give that coat back to him before the sun goes down.
“You must never do wrong things to a foreigner. Remember, at one time you were also foreigners when you lived in the land of Egypt.
The person that causes trouble for poor people shows that he does not respect God—God made both people. But if a person is kind to poor people, then he shows honor to God.
Then there will be plenty of goat milk for you and your family and enough to keep servant girls healthy.
If you get rich by cheating poor people and charging them high interest rates, then you will lose your wealth. It will go to another person who is kind to them.
Some people are easily angered and quickly do bad things. Don’t be like that.
Learn to do good things. Be fair with other people. Punish the people that hurt others. Help the children that have no parents. Help the women whose husbands are dead.”
Good, honest people that refuse to hurt others for money—\{they will live through that fire\}. Those people refuse to take bribes. They refuse to listen to plans to murder other people. They refuse to look at plans for doing bad things.
The field of grapes that belongs to the Lord All-Powerful is the nation of Israel. The grapevine—the plant the Lord loves—is the man of Judah. {\cf2\super [48]}
The Lord says: Do the things that are fair and right. Protect the person that has been robbed from the person that robbed him. Don’t hurt or do anything wrong to orphans {\cf2\super [171]} or widows. {\cf2\super [172]} Don’t kill innocent people.
\{God said,\} “Your sister Sodom and her daughters were proud, they had too much to eat, and too much time on their hands. And they did not help poor, helpless people.
He might mistreat poor, helpless people. He might take advantage of people. He might not give back the collateral {\cf2\super [134]} when a person pays his debt. That evil son might pray to those filthy idols and do other terrible things.
That good son does not take advantage of people. If a person borrows money from him, the good son takes the collateral {\cf2\super [135]} and gives the other person the money. And when that person pays him back, then the good son gives the collateral back. The good son gives food to hungry people. And he gives clothes to people that need them.
The father might hurt people and steal things. He might never do anything good for my people! That father will die because of his own sins. \{But the son won’t be punished for his father’s sins.\}
He might give back the things he took when he loaned money. He might pay for the things he stole. He might begin to follow the laws that give life. He stops doing bad things. Then that person will surely live. He won’t die.
“Make chains \{for the prisoners\}! Why? Because many people will be punished for killing other people. There will be violence every place in the city.
So, king, please accept my advice. I advise you to stop sinning and do what is right. Stop doing bad things. And be kind to poor people. Then you might continue to be successful.”
“You must not do bad things to your neighbor. You must not rob {him}. You must not hold a hired worker’s salary all night until morning. [338]
“You must be fair in judgment. You must not show special favor to poor people. And you must not show special favor to important people. You must be fair when you judge your neighbor.
“Don’t cheat your neighbor when you sell your land to him. And don’t let him cheat you when you buy land from him.
The Lord says this: “I will definitely punish Israel for the many crimes they did. {\cf2\super [37]} Why? Because they sold good, \{innocent\} people for a little silver. They sold poor people for the price of a pair of shoes.
They take clothes from poor people, and then they sit on those clothes while they worship at their altars. {\cf2\super [38]} They loaned money to poor people, and then took their clothes as collateral. {\cf2\super [39]} They make people pay fines, and then they use that money to buy wine for themselves to drink in the temple of their God.
You people are rushing towards\par that day of punishment.\par You bring that rule of violence\par nearer and nearer.\par
Trouble will come to people\par that make plans to sin.\par Those people lie on their beds\par making their evil plans\par Then when the morning light comes,\par they do the bad things they planned.\par Why? Simply because they have the power\par to do what they want.\par
But you hate good and love evil!\par You tear the skin off the people.\par You tear the flesh off their bones!\par
At that time, I will punish all the people that jump over the threshold. {\cf2\super [6]} I will punish the people that fill their master’s house {\cf2\super [7]} with lies and violence.”
Then I will come to you—and I will do the right thing. I will be like a person that is ready to tell the judge about the bad things people did. Some people do evil magic. Some people do the sin of adultery. {\cf2\super [19]} Some people make false promises. Some people cheat their workers—they don’t pay them the money they promised. People don’t help widows and orphans. {\cf2\super [20]} People don’t help strangers. People don’t respect me!” The Lord All-Powerful said these things.
John answered, “If you have two shirts, share with the person that does not have one. If you have food, share that too.”
“You must make sure that foreigners and orphans [151] are treated fairly. And you must never take clothes from a widow [152] as security. [153]