5. They heard the trumpet blast but ignored the warning; their blood is on them. If they had heeded the warning, they could have escaped with their lives.
6. If, however, the sentinel sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the sword attacks and takes someone’s life, his life will be taken for his own sin, but I will hold the sentinel responsible for his blood.
7. You, son of man—I have appointed you as a sentinel for the house of Israel; when you hear a word from my mouth, you must warn them for me.
8. When I say to the wicked, “You wicked, you must die,” and you do not speak up to warn the wicked about their ways, they shall die in their sins, but I will hold you responsible for their blood.
9. If, however, you warn the wicked to turn from their ways, but they do not, then they shall die in their sins, but you shall save your life.
10. As for you, son of man, speak to the house of Israel: You people say, “Our crimes and our sins weigh us down; we are rotting away because of them. How can we survive?”
11. Answer them: As I live—oracle of the Lord God—I swear I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! Why should you die, house of Israel?
12. As for you, son of man, say to your people: The justice of the just will not save them on the day they sin; the wickedness of the wicked will not bring about their downfall on the day they turn from their wickedness. No, the just cannot save their lives on the day they sin.
13. Even though I say to the just that they shall surely live, if they, relying on their justice, do wrong, none of their just deeds shall be remembered; because of the wrong they have done, they shall die.
14. And though I say to the wicked that they shall die, if they turn away from sin and do what is just and right—
15. returning pledges, restoring stolen goods, walking by statutes that bring life, doing nothing wrong—they shall surely live; they shall not die.
16. None of the sins they committed shall be remembered against them. If they do what is right and just, they shall surely live.
17. Your people say, “The way of the Lord is not fair!” But it is their way that is not fair.
18. When the just turn away from justice and do wrong, they shall die for it.
19. When the wicked turn away from wickedness and do what is right and just, because of this they shall live.
20. But still you say, “The way of the Lord is not fair!” I will judge each of you according to your ways, house of Israel.
21. On the fifth day of the tenth month, in the twelfth year of our exile, the survivor came to me from Jerusalem and said, “The city is taken!”