< 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 God appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance to 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.
He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood opposite him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the entrance of the tent, and bowed himself to the earth,
3 And he said, Lord, if I haue now founde fauour in thy sight, goe not, I pray thee, from thy seruant.
and said, "My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please do not go on past your servant.
4 Let a litle water, I pray you, be brought, and wash your feete, and rest your selues vnder the tree.
Now let a little water be brought, 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.
I will get a bit of food so you may refresh yourselves. After that you may go your way, now that you have come to your servant." They said, "Very well, do as you have said."
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.
Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Quickly, get three measures of fine flour, knead it, and make bread."
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.
Abraham ran to the herd, and took a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant, and he hurried to prepare 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.
He took curds, milk, and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. He stood by them under the tree, and they ate.
9 Then they saide to him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he answered, Beholde, she is in the tent.
They said to him, "Where is Sarah, your wife? He said, "See, 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.
Then he said, "I will certainly return to you at the time of life. Look, Sarah your wife will have a son." Sarah heard from the entrance 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, well advanced in age. Sarah was past the age of childbearing.
12 Therefore Sarah laughed within her selfe, saying, After I am waxed olde, and my lord also, shall I haue lust?
Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my husband being old also?"
13 And ye Lord saide vnto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah thus laugh, saying, Shall I certainely beare a childe, which am olde?
And God said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Will I really bear a child when 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 difficult for God? At the set time I will return to you, at the time of life, and Sarah will 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.
But Sarah denied it, saying, "I did not laugh," for she was afraid. He said, "No, but you did 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.
The men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way.
17 And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I doe,
And God said, "Will I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,
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 will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through 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 have made myself known to him, so that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of God, to do righteousness and justice, so that God may bring to Abraham that which he has spoken to him."
20 Then the Lord saide, Because the crie of Sodom and Gomorah is great, and because their sinne is exceeding grieuous,
And God said, "Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is so 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 whether they have done entirely according to the outcry which has come to me. And if not, I will know."
22 And the men turned thence and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stoode yet before the Lord.
The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before God.
23 Then Abraham drewe neere, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
Abraham drew near, and said, "Will you sweep away the righteous 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?
What if there are fifty righteous within the city? Will you sweep it away and not spare the place for the fifty righteous who are in it?
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?
Be it far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that be far from you. Shouldn't the Judge of all the earth do right?"
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 God said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all 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.
Abraham answered, "Look, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, I who 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.
What if there will lack five of the fifty righteous? Will you destroy all the city for lack of five?" He said, "I will not destroy it, if I find forty-five there."
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.
He spoke to him yet again, and said, "What if there are forty found there?" He said, "I will not do it for the forty's sake."
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.
He said, "Oh do not let the Lord be angry, and I will speak. What if there are thirty found there?" He said, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there."
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.
He said, "Look, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord. What if there are twenty found there?" He said, "I will not destroy it for the twenty's sake."
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.
He said, "Oh do not let the Lord be angry, and I will speak just once more. What if ten are found there?" He said, "I will not destroy it for the ten's sake."
33 And the Lord went his way when he had left communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned vnto his place.
When he finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned to his place.

< Genesis 18 >