17But the children of your people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: when it is they whose way is not equal.
18When the upright man, turning away from his righteousness, does evil, death will overtake him in it.
19And when the evil man, turning away from his evil-doing, does what is ordered and right, he will get life by it.
20And still you say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O children of Israel, I will be your judge, giving to everyone the reward of his ways.
21Now in the twelfth year after we had been taken away prisoners, in the tenth month, on the fifth day of the month, one who had got away in flight from Jerusalem came to me, saying, The town has been taken.
22Now the hand of the Lord had been on me in the evening, before the man who had got away came to me; and he made my mouth open, ready for his coming to me in the morning; and my mouth was open and I was no longer without voice.