50
For this reason the Most High has made not one world but two.
51
Inasmuch as you have said that the righteous are not many but few, while the ungodly abound, hear the explanation for this.
52
“If you have just a few precious stones, will you add to them lead and clay?”[o]
53
I said, “Lord, how could that be?”
54
And he said to me, “Not only that, but ask the earth and she will tell you; defer to her, and she will declare it to you.
55
Say to her, ‘You produce gold and silver and bronze, and also iron and lead and clay;
56
but silver is more abundant than gold, and bronze than silver, and iron than bronze, and lead than iron, and clay than lead.’
57
Judge therefore which things are precious and desirable, those that are abundant or those that are rare?”
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I said, “O sovereign Lord, what is plentiful is of less worth, for what is more rare is more precious.”
59
He answered me and said, “Consider within yourself[p] what you have thought, for the person who has what is hard to get rejoices more than the person who has what is plentiful.
60
So also will be the judgment[q] that I have promised; for I will rejoice over the few who shall be saved, because it is they who have made my glory to prevail now, and through them my name has now been honored.