^7 (A)“So you, ^(B)son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. ^(C)Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me.

^17 (A)“Son of man, ^(B)I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall ^(C)give them warning from me. ^18 (D)If I say to the wicked, ^(E)‘You shall surely die,’ ^(F)and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person ^(G)shall die for^[a] his iniquity, ^(H)but his blood I will require at your hand. ^19 (I)But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, ^(J)but you ^(K)will have delivered your soul. ^20 (L)Again, if a righteous person turns from his righteousness and commits injustice, ^(M)and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die. ^(N)Because you have not warned him, he shall die for his sin, ^(O)and his righteous deeds that he has done shall not be remembered, ^(P)but his blood I will require at your hand. ²¹ But if you warn the righteous person not to sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning, and you will have delivered your soul.”

² “Thus says the Lord: ^(A)Stand in the court of the Lord's house, and speak to all the cities of Judah that come to worship in the house of the Lord ^(B)all the words that I command you to speak to them; ^(C)do not hold back a word.

²⁰ “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all ^(A)the words of ^(B)this ^(C)Life.”

¹⁷ Obey ^(A)your leaders and submit to them, ^(B)for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to ^(C)give an account. ^(D)Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

⁷ And you shall speak my words to them, ^(A)whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house.

⁸ “But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. ^(B)Be not rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and ^(C)eat what I give you.”

¹⁷ But you, ^(A)dress yourself for work;^[a] arise, and ^(B)say to them everything that I command you. ^(C)Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them.

A Life Pleasing to God

4 Finally, then, brothers,^[a] we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you ^(A)received from us ^(B)how you ought to walk and ^(C)to please God, just as you are doing, that you ^(D)do so more and more. ² For ^(E)you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.