< Genesis 18 >

1 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.
Againe the Lord appeared vnto him in the plaine of Mamre, as he sate in his tent doore about the heate of the day.
2 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,
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.
3 and said, "My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please do not go on past your servant.
And he said, Lord, if I haue now founde fauour in thy sight, goe not, I pray thee, from thy seruant.
4 Now let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
Let a litle water, I pray you, be brought, and wash your feete, and rest your selues vnder the tree.
5 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."
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.
6 Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Quickly, get three measures of fine flour, knead it, and make bread."
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.
7 Abraham ran to the herd, and took a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant, and he hurried to prepare it.
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.
8 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.
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.
9 They said to him, "Where is Sarah, your wife? He said, "See, in the tent."
Then they saide to him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he answered, Beholde, she is in the tent.
10 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.
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.
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. Sarah was past the age of childbearing.
(Nowe Abraham and Sarah were old and striken in age, and it ceased to be with Sarah after the maner of women)
12 Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my husband being old also?"
Therefore Sarah laughed within her selfe, saying, After I am waxed olde, and my lord also, shall I haue lust?
13 And God said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Will I really bear a child when I am old?'
And ye Lord saide vnto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah thus laugh, saying, Shall I certainely beare a childe, which am olde?
14 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."
(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.)
15 But Sarah denied it, saying, "I did not laugh," for she was afraid. He said, "No, but you did laugh."
But Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not: for she was afraide. And he said, It is not so: for thou laughedst.
16 The men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way.
Afterwarde the men did rise vp from thence and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
17 And God said, "Will I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,
And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I doe,
18 seeing that Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him?
Seeing that Abraham shalbe in deede a great and a mightie nation, and all the nations of the earth shalbe blessed in him?
19 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."
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.
20 And God said, "Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is so grievous,
Then the Lord saide, Because the crie of Sodom and Gomorah is great, and because their sinne is exceeding grieuous,
21 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."
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.
22 The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before God.
And the men turned thence and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stoode yet before the Lord.
23 Abraham drew near, and said, "Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
Then Abraham drewe neere, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
24 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?
If there be fiftie righteous within the citie, wilt thou destroy and not spare the place for the fiftie righteous that are therein?
25 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?"
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?
26 And God said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake."
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.
27 Abraham answered, "Look, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes.
Then Abraham answered and said, Behold nowe, I haue begun to speake vnto my Lord, and I am but dust and ashes.
28 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."
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.
29 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."
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.
30 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."
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.
31 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."
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.
32 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."
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.
33 When he finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned to his place.
And the Lord went his way when he had left communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned vnto his place.

< Genesis 18 >