“So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at My mouth, and warn them from Me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.” “When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; if the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live. Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal. When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby. But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby. Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.” {TM 292.2}

»Men dig, menneskesøn, har jeg sat til vægter for Israels hus; hører du et ord af min mund, skal du advare dem fra mig. Når jeg siger til den gudløse: »Du skal visselig dø!« og du ikke taler for at advare ham mod hans vej, så skal den gudløse vel dø for sin misgerning, men hans blod vil jeg kræve af din hånd. Advarer du derimod den gudløse mod hans vej, for at han skal omvende sig fra den, og han ikke omvender sig, så skal han dø for sin misgerning, men du har reddet din sjæl.« »Når jeg siger til den retfærdige: »Du skal visselig leve!« og han stoler på sin retfærdighed og øver (293) uret, så skal intet af hans retfærdighed tilregnes ham, men han skal dø for den uret, han øver. Og når jeg siger til den gudløse: »Du skal visselig dø!« og han omvender sig fra synd og gør ret og skel, idet han giver pant tilbage, godtgør, hvad han har ranet, og følger livets bud uden at øve uret, så skal han leve og ikke dø; ingen af de synder, han har gjort, skal tilregnes ham; han har gjort ret og skel, visselig skal han leve. Og så siger dine landsmænd: »Herrens vej er ikke ret!« Men det er deres vej, som ikke er ret. Når den retfærdige vender sig fra sin retfærdighed og øver uret, skal han dø; og når den gudløse omvender sig fra sin gudløshed og gør ret og skel, skal han leve! Og dog siger I: Herrens vej er ikke ret!« Jeg vil dømme eder hver især efter eders veje, Israels hus.«