Genesis 18
1 Then the LORD appeared to Abraham by the Oaks of Mamre in the heat of the day, while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent.
The Lord appeared to Abraham at the oaks of Mamre. Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent as the day became really hot.
2 And Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
He looked up and all of a sudden he saw three men standing there. As soon as he saw them, he ran over to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
3 “My lord,” said Abraham, “if I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass your servant by.
He said, “Sir, if you please, don't continue your journey without spending some time here with me, your servant.
4 Let a little water be brought, that you may wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree.
Let me have some water brought so you can wash your feet and rest under the tree.
5 And I will bring a bit of bread so that you may refresh yourselves. This is why you have passed your servant’s way. After that, you may continue on your way.” “Yes,” they replied, “you may do as you have said.”
Also let me bring some food so you can get your strength back before you go on your way, now that you've come to visit me here.” “That would be fine,” they answered. “Please do as you've suggested.”
6 So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Prepare three seahs of fine flour, knead it, and bake some bread.”
Abraham hurried back to the tent and told Sarah, “Quick! Make some bread using three large measures of the best flour. Knead the dough and bake the bread.”
7 Meanwhile, Abraham ran to the herd, selected a tender and choice calf, and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it.
Then Abraham ran to the cattle herd and chose a good, young calf and gave it to his servant who quickly killed and cooked it.
8 Then Abraham brought curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and he set them before the men and stood by them under the tree as they ate.
Then he took some yogurt, milk, and the cooked meat, and placed the food in front of them. He stood nearby under a tree while they ate.
9 “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked. “There, in the tent,” he replied.
“Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him. “Over there, inside the tent,” he replied.
10 Then the LORD said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” Now Sarah was behind him, listening at the entrance to the tent.
Then one said, “I promise you that I will come back to visit you about this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son.” Sarah was listening, hiding just inside the entrance to the tent behind him.
11 And Abraham and Sarah were already old and well along in years; Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
Abraham and Sarah were old, getting on in years. Sarah was well past the age of having children.
12 So she laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?”
Sarah was laughing inside, saying to herself, “Now that I'm old and worn out, how would I experience pleasure? My husband is old too!”
13 And the LORD asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Can I really bear a child when I am old?’
The Lord asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and ask, ‘How could it possibly be true that I'll have a child now I'm so old?’
14 Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you—in about a year—and Sarah will have a son.”
Is anything too difficult for the Lord to do? I will come back next year when I said I would, in the spring, and Sarah will have a son.”
15 But Sarah was afraid, so she denied it and said, “I did not laugh.” “No,” replied the LORD, “but you did laugh.”
Sarah denied it because she was afraid, claiming, “I didn't laugh.” “Yes, you did laugh,” the Lord replied.
16 When the men got up to leave, they looked out over Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them off.
Then the men left. They looked down on Sodom and headed in that direction. Abraham accompanied them part of the way.
17 And the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?
Then the Lord said, “Should I keep from Abraham what I'm going to do?
18 Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and through him all the nations of the earth will be blessed.
Abraham will definitely become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations on earth will be blessed through him.
19 For I have chosen him, so that he will command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, in order that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has promised.”
I've chosen him so that he will teach his sons and their families to follow the way of the Lord by doing what is right and good, so that I, the Lord, can do for Abraham what I promised.”
20 Then the LORD said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great. Because their sin is so grievous,
Then the Lord said, “There are many complaints made against Sodom and Gomorrah because they sin so blatantly.
21 I will go down to see if their actions fully justify the outcry that has reached Me. If not, I will find out.”
I ‘m going to see if these complaints that have reached me are completely true. I'll know if they're not.”
22 And the two men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD.
The two men turned and went towards Sodom, but the Lord stayed there with Abraham.
23 Abraham stepped forward and said, “Will You really sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
Abraham came to him and asked: “Are you really going to wipe out the good people along with the wicked?
24 What if there are fifty righteous ones in the city? Will You really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous ones who are there?
What if there are fifty good people in the town? Are you still going to wipe it out despite the fifty good people there?
25 Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”
No, you can't do something like that! You can't kill the good with the wicked, otherwise you would be treating the good and the wicked in the same way. You can't do that! Isn't the Judge of all the earth going to do the right thing?”
26 So the LORD replied, “If I find fifty righteous ones within the city of Sodom, on their account I will spare the whole place.”
“If I find fifty good people in Sodom, I'll spare the whole town because of them,” the Lord replied.
27 Then Abraham answered, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord—though I am but dust and ashes—
“Since I've started, let me go on speaking to my Lord, even though I'm nothing but dust and ashes,” Abraham continued.
28 suppose the fifty righteous ones lack five. Will You destroy the whole city for the lack of five?” He replied, “If I find forty-five there, I will not destroy it.”
“What if there are forty-five good people, just five less? Are you still going to wipe out the whole town just because there are five fewer people?” “I won't destroy it if I find forty-five,” the Lord replied.
29 Once again Abraham spoke to the LORD, “Suppose forty are found there?” He answered, “On account of the forty, I will not do it.”
Abraham spoke up again and he asked the Lord, “What if only forty can be found?” “I won't do it for the sake of the forty,” the Lord replied.
30 Then Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak further. Suppose thirty are found there?” He replied, “If I find thirty there, I will not do it.”
“My Lord, please don't get angry with me,” Abraham went on. “Let me ask this—what if only thirty were found?” “I won't do it if I find thirty,” the Lord replied.
31 And Abraham said, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord, suppose twenty are found there?” He answered, “On account of the twenty, I will not destroy it.”
“I admit I've been very bold to speak to my Lord like this,” Abraham said. “What if only twenty are found there?” “I won't do it for the sake of the twenty,” the Lord replied.
32 Finally, Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak once more. Suppose ten are found there?” And He answered, “On account of the ten, I will not destroy it.”
“Please don't get angry with me, my Lord,” Abraham said. “Just let me ask one more thing. What if only ten are found there?” “I won't destroy it for the sake of the ten,” the Lord replied.
33 When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, He departed, and Abraham returned home.
The Lord left once he had finished speaking with Abraham, and Abraham went home.
