1
Nevertheless, I ventured to speak before the Lord again, for I know that all his ways are just.
2
And I said unto him, O Lord, suppose there shall lack but five of the fifty righteous. Wilt thou destroy the whole land for the lack of five men?
3
And he said, If there be forty-five righteous in the land, I will not destroy it.
4
And I spake unto the Lord again, saying, O Lord, I know that I am yet but dust and ashes, for although I am, by the testimony of thine own mouth, declared to be a son of God, yet I am not yet glorified to be like thee.
5
Nevertheless, be not displeased with me when I plead in behalf of the righteous; for suppose there shall be forty righteous in the land?
6
And he said, I will not destroy it if I find there forty.
7
Then I said, O Lord, thou hast been patient indeed with thy servant; wherefore, I shall speak yet again before thee, Suppose there shall thirty righteous be found there?
8
The Lord replied, I will not destroy it if I find thirty there.
9
Then I spake again saying, I have ventured to speak before the Lord; shall I now cease lest the righteous be destroyed with the wicked?
10
Suppose there shall be twenty righteous found in the land?
11
And the Lord said, I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.
12
Finally I said, Oh, let not the Lord be displeased and I will speak only once more.
13
Suppose ten righteous shall be found there?
14
And he said, I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.
15
But thou, Abraham, remain here in prayer and fasting until my messengers return unto thee, for if ten righteous be not found in the land, I shall gather out those righteous who are found there and thou shalt be caught up off the earth to call down fire and brimstone upon the land by an holy ordinance inasmuch as thou art a priest and a king forever after the order of the Most High God, having the right of the Firstborn which hath come down from the fathers to exercise absolute authority over thy posterity, even the right of life and death under the direction of the Holy One.
16
Nevertheless, remember that this authority can only be exercised under the direction of heaven, for when any man exerciseth his priesthood contrary to the will of heaven, his priesthood is forfeited, his authority passeth away and he can call upon the powers of heaven to accomplish no work from that day forward.
17
Wherefore, let all men repent of the exercise of unrighteous dominion and turn unto the Lord their God, that they be severed not from the rights of his House.
18
So saying, the Lord departed from me and I remained in that place in fasting and prayer, awaiting the return of the three messengers.