¹⁷ A man taking false news is a cause of trouble, but he who gives news rightly makes things well.

¹³ As the cold of snow in the time of grain-cutting, so is a true servant to those who send him; for he gives new life to the soul of his master.

² And the things which I have said to you before a number of witnesses, give to those of the faith, so that they may be teachers of others.

¹² I give praise to him who gave me power, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he took me to be true, making me his servant,

²⁰ So we are the representatives of Christ, as if God was making a request to you through us: we make our request to you, in the name of Christ, be at peace with God.

¹⁷ For we are not like the great number who make use of the word of God for profit: but our words are true, as from God, being said as before God in Christ.

² And it is right for such servants to be safe persons.

⁷ So you, son of man, I have made you a watchman for the children of Israel; and you are to give ear to the word of my mouth and give them news from me of their danger.

⁸ When I say to the evil-doer, Death will certainly overtake you; and you say nothing to make clear to the evil-doer the danger of his way; death will overtake that evil man in his evil-doing, but I will make you responsible for his blood.

¹⁸ When I say to the evil-doer, Death will certainly be your fate; and you give him no word of it and say nothing to make clear to the evil-doer the danger of his evil way, so that he may be safe; that same evil man will come to death in his evil-doing; but I will make you responsible for his blood.

²⁸ If a prophet has a dream, let him give out his dream; and he who has my word, let him give out my word in good faith. What has the dry stem to do with the grain? says the Lord.

¹³ And I have seen ways without sense in the prophets of Samaria; they became prophets of the Baal, causing my people Israel to go wrong.

¹⁴ And in the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a shocking thing; they are untrue to their wives, walking in deceit, and they make strong the hands of evil-doers, so that a man may not be turned back from his evil-doing: they have all become like Sodom to me, and its people like Gomorrah.

¹⁵ So this is what the Lord of armies has said about the prophets: See, I will give them a bitter plant for their food, and bitter water for their drink: for from the prophets of Jerusalem unclean behaviour has gone out into all the land.

¹⁶ This is what the Lord of armies has said: Do not give ear to the words which the prophets say to you: they give you teaching of no value: it is from themselves that their vision comes, and not out of the mouth of the Lord.

⁶ He who sends news by the hand of a foolish man is cutting off his feet and drinking in damage.

²³ As the north wind gives birth to rain, so is an angry face caused by a tongue saying evil secretly.

²⁶ Like acid drink to the teeth and as smoke to the eyes, so is the hater of work to those who send him.