The Quran

الَّذينَ تَتَوَفّاهُمُ المَلائِكَةُ ظالِمي أَنفُسِهِم ۖ فَأَلقَوُا السَّلَمَ ما كُنّا نَعمَلُ مِن سوءٍ ۚ بَلىٰ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَليمٌ بِما كُنتُم تَعمَلونَ

Muhammad Asad

those whom the angels have gathered in death while they were still sinning against themselves!" Then will they [who are thus arraigned] proffer their submission, [saying:] "We did not [mean to] do any evil!"¹ [But they will be answered:] "Yea, verily, God has full knowledge of all that you were doing!²

Cf. 6:23 and the corresponding note, as well as 2:11.
Sc., "and He will judge you on the basis of your motivation" - implying that their plea of ignorance is rejected in view of the fact that they were offered God's guidance through His revealed messages, which they deliberately scorned in their false pride and dismissed out of hand as "fables of ancient times" (see verses 22-24 above).