Human Effort is Useless in Sustaining Righteousness

¹² “And now, Son of Man, say this to your people: ‘The righteousness of the righteous won’t save them when they keep on committing crimes against me, the wickedness of the wicked won’t keep them from remaining away^[a] when they’re turning from their wickedness, and no righteous person will keep on living by their righteousness when they sin.’

¹³ “If I tell the righteous person that he will certainly live, if he trusts in his own righteousness and commits evil, none of his righteousness will be remembered, and he will die because of the wrong that he commits.

¹⁴ “If I tell the wicked person that he will certainly die, if he turns from his sin and acts with justice and righteousness, ¹⁵ returning what has been placed as collateral for a loan, paying back what he has taken, following the regulations that promote life, and committing no iniquity, he will certainly live, and not die. ¹⁶ None of the sins that he has committed will be remembered against him. Since he did what is just and right, he will certainly live.