Genesis 18
1 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.
Then the Lord appeared to him, in the steep valley of Mamre, when he was sitting at the door of his tent, in the very heat of the day.
2 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.
And when he had lifted up his eyes, there appeared to him three men, standing near him. When he had seen them, he ran to meet them from the door of his tent, and he reverenced them on the ground.
3 He said, “Sir, if you please, don't continue your journey without spending some time here with me, your servant.
And he said: “If I, O lord, have found grace in your eyes, do not pass by your servant.
4 Let me have some water brought so you can wash your feet and rest under the tree.
But I will bring a little water, and you may wash your feet and rest under the tree.
5 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.”
And I will set out a meal of bread, so that you may strengthen your heart; after this you will pass on. It is for this reason that you have turned aside to your servant.” And they said, “Do as you have spoken.”
6 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.”
Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and he said to her, “Quickly, mix together three measures of the finest wheat flour and make loaves baked under the ashes.”
7 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.
In truth, he himself ran to the herd, and he took a calf from there, very tender and very good, and he gave it to a servant, who hurried and boiled it.
8 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.
Likewise, he took butter and milk, and the calf which he had boiled, and he placed it before them. Yet truly, he himself stood near them under the tree.
9 “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him. “Over there, inside the tent,” he replied.
And when they had eaten, they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He answered, “Behold, she is in the tent.”
10 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.
And he said to him, “When returning, I will come to you at this time, with life as a companion, and your wife Sarah will have a son.” Hearing this, Sarah laughed behind the door of the tent.
11 Abraham and Sarah were old, getting on in years. Sarah was well past the age of having children.
Now they were both old, and in an advanced state of life, and it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
12 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!”
And she laughed secretly, saying, “After I have grown old, and my lord is elderly, shall I give myself to the work of delight?”
13 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?’
Then the Lord said to Abraham: “Why did Sarah laugh, saying: ‘How can I, an old woman, actually give birth?’
14 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.”
Is anything difficult for God? According to the announcement, he will return to you at this same time, with life as a companion, and Sarah will have a son.”
15 Sarah denied it because she was afraid, claiming, “I didn't laugh.” “Yes, you did laugh,” the Lord replied.
Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh.” For she was terribly afraid. But the Lord said, “It is not so; for you did laugh.”
16 Then the men left. They looked down on Sodom and headed in that direction. Abraham accompanied them part of the way.
Therefore, when the men had risen up from there, they directed their eyes against Sodom. And Abraham traveled with them, leading them.
17 Then the Lord said, “Should I keep from Abraham what I'm going to do?
And the Lord said: “How could I hide what I am about to do from Abraham,
18 Abraham will definitely become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations on earth will be blessed through him.
since he will become a great and very robust nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed?
19 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.”
For I know that he will instruct his sons, and his household after him, to keep to the way of the Lord, and to act with judgment and justice, so that, for the sake of Abraham, the Lord may bring about all the things that he has spoken to him.”
20 Then the Lord said, “There are many complaints made against Sodom and Gomorrah because they sin so blatantly.
And so the Lord said, “The outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah has been multiplied, and their sin has become exceedingly grievous.
21 I ‘m going to see if these complaints that have reached me are completely true. I'll know if they're not.”
I will descend and see whether they have fulfilled the work of the outcry that has reached me, or whether it is not so, in order that I may know.”
22 The two men turned and went towards Sodom, but the Lord stayed there with Abraham.
And they turned themselves from there, and they went toward Sodom. Yet in truth, Abraham still stood in the sight of the Lord.
23 Abraham came to him and asked: “Are you really going to wipe out the good people along with the wicked?
And as they drew near, he said: “Will you destroy the just with the impious?
24 What if there are fifty good people in the town? Are you still going to wipe it out despite the fifty good people there?
If there were fifty of the just in the city, will they perish with the rest? And will you not spare that place for the sake of fifty of the just, if they were in it?
25 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?”
Far be it from you to do this thing, and to kill the just with the impious, and for the just to be treated like the impious. No, this is not like you. You judge all the earth; you would never make such a judgment.”
26 “If I find fifty good people in Sodom, I'll spare the whole town because of them,” the Lord replied.
And the Lord said to him, “If I find in Sodom fifty of the just in the midst of the city, I will release the entire place because of them.”
27 “Since I've started, let me go on speaking to my Lord, even though I'm nothing but dust and ashes,” Abraham continued.
And Abraham responded by saying: “Since now I have begun, I will speak to my Lord, though I am dust and ashes.
28 “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.
What if there were five less than fifty of the just? Would you, despite the forty-five, eliminate the entire city?” And he said, “I will not eliminate it, if I find forty-five there.”
29 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.
And again he said to him, “But if forty were found there, what would you do?” He said, “I will not strike, for the sake of the forty.”
30 “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.
“I ask you,” he said, “not to be angry, Lord, if I speak. What if thirty were found there?” He responded, “I will not act, if I find thirty there.”
31 “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.
“Since now I have begun,” he said, “I will speak to my Lord. What if twenty were found there?” He said, “I will not put to death, for the sake of the twenty.”
32 “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.
“I beg you,” he said, “not to be angry, Lord, if I speak yet once more. What if ten were found there?” And he said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”
33 The Lord left once he had finished speaking with Abraham, and Abraham went home.
And the Lord departed, after he had ceased speaking to Abraham, who then returned to his place.
