¹² “And you, son of man, say to your people,^[a] ‘The righteousness of the righteous will not deliver him if he rebels.^[b] As for the wicked, his wickedness will not make him stumble if he turns from it.^[c] The righteous will not be able to live by his righteousness^[d] if he sins.’^{[e] 13} Suppose I tell the righteous that he will certainly live, but he becomes confident in his righteousness and commits iniquity. None of his righteous deeds will be remembered; because of the iniquity he has committed he will die. ¹⁴ Suppose I say to the wicked, ‘You must certainly die,’ but he turns from his sin and does what is just and right. ¹⁵ He^[f] returns what was taken in pledge, pays back what he has stolen, and follows the statutes that give life,^[g] committing no iniquity. He will certainly live—he will not die. ¹⁶ None of the sins he has committed will be counted^[h] against him. He has done what is just and right; he will certainly live.