< Genesis 18 >

1 Againe the Lord appeared vnto him in the plaine of Mamre, as he sate in his tent doore about the heate of the day.
And the Lord appeared unto him in the grove of Mamre; while he was sitting at the door of the tent in the heat of the day.
2 And he lift vp his eyes, and looked: and lo, three men stoode by him, and when he sawe them, he ranne to meete them from the tent doore, and bowed himselfe to the grounde.
And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo, three men stood near him; and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the door of the tent, and bowed himself to the ground;
3 And he said, Lord, if I haue now founde fauour in thy sight, goe not, I pray thee, from thy seruant.
And he said, My Lord, if now I have found favor in thy eyes, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant.
4 Let a litle water, I pray you, be brought, and wash your feete, and rest your selues vnder the tree.
Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
5 And I will bring a morsell of bread, that you may comfort your hearts, afterward ye shall go your wayes: for therefore are ye come to your seruant. And they said, Do euen as thou hast said.
And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your heart, after that ye may pass on; since ye have once passed by your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast spoken.
6 Then Abraham made haste into the tent vnto Sarah, and saide, Make ready at once three measures of fine meale: kneade it, and make cakes vpon the hearth.
And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.
7 And Abraham ranne to the beastes, and tooke a tender and good calfe, and gaue it to the seruant, who hasted to make it ready.
And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man, and he hastened to dress it.
8 And he tooke butter and milke, and the calfe, which he had prepared, and set before them, and stoode himselfe by them vnder the tree, and they did eate.
And he took cream and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.
9 Then they saide to him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he answered, Beholde, she is in the tent.
And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife! And he said, Behold, in the tent.
10 And he saide, I will certainely come againe vnto thee according to ye time of life: and loe, Sarah thy wife shall haue a sonne. and Sarah heard in the tent doore, which was behinde him.
And he said, I will certainly return unto thee at this time next year: and lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it at the door of the tent, which was behind him.
11 (Nowe Abraham and Sarah were old and striken in age, and it ceased to be with Sarah after the maner of women)
Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in years; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
12 Therefore Sarah laughed within her selfe, saying, After I am waxed olde, and my lord also, shall I haue lust?
Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord also being old!
13 And ye Lord saide vnto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah thus laugh, saying, Shall I certainely beare a childe, which am olde?
And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, since I am old?
14 (Shall any thing be hard to the Lord? at the time appointed will I returne vnto thee, euen according to the time of life, and Sarah shall haue a sonne.)
Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, at this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.
15 But Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not: for she was afraide. And he said, It is not so: for thou laughedst.
Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid; but he said, Nay; indeed thou didst laugh.
16 Afterwarde the men did rise vp from thence and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
And the men rose up from there and looked toward Sodom; and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
17 And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I doe,
And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about doing?
18 Seeing that Abraham shalbe in deede a great and a mightie nation, and all the nations of the earth shalbe blessed in him?
Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
19 For I knowe him that he will commande his sonnes and his houshold after him, that they keepe the way of the Lord, to doe righteousnesse and iudgement, that the Lord may bring vpon Abraham that he hath spoken vnto him.
For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, that they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice; in order that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken concerning him.
20 Then the Lord saide, Because the crie of Sodom and Gomorah is great, and because their sinne is exceeding grieuous,
And the Lord said, Because the cry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous:
21 I will goe downe nowe, and see whether they haue done altogether according to that crie which is come vnto me: and if not, that I may knowe.
I will go down now, and see if they have done according to the cry against them, which is come unto me, destruction [shall come upon them]; and if not, I will know it.
22 And the men turned thence and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stoode yet before the Lord.
And the men turned their faces from there, and went toward Sodom; but Abraham stood yet before the Lord.
23 Then Abraham drewe neere, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou then destroy the righteous also with the wicked?
24 If there be fiftie righteous within the citie, wilt thou destroy and not spare the place for the fiftie righteous that are therein?
Peradventure there are fifty righteous within the city; wilt thou then also destroy and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous that are therein?
25 Be it farre from thee from doing this thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be euen as the wicked, be it farre from thee. shall not the Iudge of all the worlde doe right?
Far be it from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked, and that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be this from thee; shall the Judge of all the earth not exercise justice?
26 And the Lord answered, If I shall finde in Sodom fiftie righteous within the citie, then will I spare all the place for their sakes.
And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then will I spare all of the place for their sake.
27 Then Abraham answered and said, Behold nowe, I haue begun to speake vnto my Lord, and I am but dust and ashes.
And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, although I am but dust and ashes:
28 If there shall lacke fiue of fiftie righteous, wilt thou destroy all the citie for fiue? And he saide, If I finde there fiue and fourtie, I will not destroy it.
Peradventure there will lack five of the fifty righteous; wilt thou then destroy all the city for the [lack of] these five? And he said, I will not destroy, if I find there forty and five.
29 And he yet spake to him againe, and saide, What if there shalbe found fourtie there? Then he answered, I will not doe it for fourties sake.
And he spoke yet again unto him, and said, Peradventure there will be found there forty. And he said, I will not do it for the sake of the forty.
30 Againe he said, Let not my Lord nowe be angry, that I speake, What if thirtie be founde there? Then he saide, I will not doe it, if I finde thirtie there.
And he said, Oh, let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there will be found there thirty. And he said, I will not do it, if I find there thirty.
31 Moreouer he said, Behold, now I haue begonne to speake vnto my Lord, What if twentie be founde there? And he answered, I will not destroy it for twenties sake.
And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there will be found there twenty. And he said, I will not destroy for the sake of the twenty.
32 Then he saide, Let not my Lord be nowe angrie, and I will speake but this once, What if tenne be found there? And he answered, I will not destroy it for tennes sake.
And he said, Oh, let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure there will be found there ten. And he said, I will not destroy, for the sake of the ten.
33 And the Lord went his way when he had left communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned vnto his place.
And the Lord went away, when he had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned unto his place.

< Genesis 18 >