Ezekiel 18:25

¹⁷“‘Yet the children of your people say, “The way of the Lord is not fair;” but as for them, their way is not fair.

¹³“Your words have been harsh against me,” says the LORD. “Yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against you?’ ¹⁴You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God,’ and ‘What profit is it that we have followed his instructions and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of Armies? ¹⁵Now we call the proud happy; yes, those who work wickedness are built up; yes, they tempt God, and escape.’

¹⁷You have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet you say, ‘How have we wearied him?’ In that you say, ‘Everyone who does evil is good in the LORD’s sight, and he delights in them;’ or ‘Where is the God of justice?’

¹You are righteous, LORD, when I contend with you; yet I would like to plead a case with you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are they all at ease who deal very treacherously?

²⁰Yet you say, “The way of the Lord is not fair.” House of Israel, I will judge every one of you after his ways.’”

²⁵May it be far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that be far from you. Shouldn’t the Judge of all the earth do right?”

⁵The LORD, within her, is righteous. He will do no wrong. Every morning he brings his justice to light. He doesn’t fail, but the unjust know no shame.

²⁹Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ House of Israel, aren’t my ways fair? Aren’t your ways unfair?

²⁰But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed ask him who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?”

²⁹“Why will you contend with me? You all have transgressed against me,” says the LORD. ³⁰“I have struck your children in vain. They received no correction. Your own sword has devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion. ³¹Generation, consider the LORD’s word. Have I been a wilderness to Israel? Or a land of thick darkness? Why do my people say, ‘We have broken loose. We will come to you no more’? ³²“Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me for days without number. ³³How well you prepare your way to seek love! Therefore you have even taught the wicked women your ways. ³⁴Also the blood of the souls of the innocent poor is found in your skirts. You didn’t find them breaking in, but it is because of all these things. ³⁵“Yet you said, ‘I am innocent. Surely his anger has turned away from me.’ “Behold, I will judge you, because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’ ³⁶Why do you go about so much to change your ways? You will be ashamed of Egypt also, as you were ashamed of Assyria. ³⁷You will also leave that place with your hands on your head; for the LORD has rejected those in whom you trust, and you won’t prosper with them.