21. “But the evil person might stop doing all the sins he has done. And he might obey all my rules and do what is fair and right. Then he will surely live. He will not die.
22. His sins will be forgotten. Now he does what is right. So he will live.
23. I do not really want the evil person to die, says the Lord God. I want him to stop his bad ways and live.
24. “But a person who does right might stop doing good and do wrong. And he might do the same hated things an evil person does. Will he live? All his good acts will be forgotten. This is because he became unfaithful. He has sinned. So he will die because of his sins.
25. “But you say, ‘What the Lord does isn’t fair.’ Hear now, people of Israel. I am fair. It is what you do that is not fair!
26. A good person might stop doing good. He might do wrong and die because of it. He will die because he did wrong.