16. None of his sins that he has committed shall be mentioned unto him: he has done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.
17. Yet the children of your people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal.
18. When the righteous turns from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, he shall even die for it.
19. But if the wicked turns from his wickedness, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall live by it.
20. Yet you say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O you house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.
21. And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, on the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city is smitten.
22. Now the hand of the LORD was upon me in the evening, before he that was escaped came; and had opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb.
23. Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
24. Son of man, they that inhabit those waste places of the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for an inheritance.
25. Therefore say unto them, Thus says the Lord GOD; You eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood: and shall you possess the land?
26. You stand upon your sword, you work abomination, and you defile every one his neighbor's wife: and shall you possess the land?
27. Say you thus unto them, Thus says the Lord GOD; As I live, surely they that are in the waste places shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts to be devoured, and they that are in the strongholds and in the caves shall die of the pestilence.
28. For I will make the land most desolate, and the pomp of her strength shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, that none shall pass through.
29. Then shall they know that I am the LORD, when I have made the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed.
30. Also, you son of man, the children of your people still are talking against you by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, everyone to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that comes forth from the LORD.
31. And they come unto you as the people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear your words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goes after their covetousness.