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.
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 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 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 and said, "My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please do not go on past your servant.
And he said: “If I, O lord, have found grace in your eyes, do not pass by your servant.
4 Now let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
But I will bring a little water, and you may wash your feet and rest under 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 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 into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Quickly, get three measures of fine flour, knead it, and make 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 Abraham ran to the herd, and took a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant, and he hurried to prepare 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 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.
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 They said to him, "Where is Sarah, your wife? He said, "See, in the tent."
And when they had eaten, they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He answered, “Behold, 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 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 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. Sarah was past the age of childbearing.
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 laughed within herself, saying, "After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my husband being old also?"
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 And God said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Will I really bear a child when I am 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 God? At the set time I will return to you, at the time of life, 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 But Sarah denied it, saying, "I did not laugh," for she was afraid. He said, "No, but you did laugh."
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 The men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way.
Therefore, when the men had risen up from there, they directed their eyes against Sodom. And Abraham traveled with them, leading them.
17 And God said, "Will I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,
And the Lord said: “How could I hide what I am about to do from Abraham,
18 seeing that Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the 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 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 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 And God said, "Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is so grievous,
And so the Lord said, “The outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah has been multiplied, and their sin has become exceedingly grievous.
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 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 men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before God.
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 drew near, and said, "Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
And as they drew near, he said: “Will you destroy the just with the impious?
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 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 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?"
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 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 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 Abraham answered, "Look, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes.
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 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."
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 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 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 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."
“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 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."
“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 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."
“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 When he finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned to his place.
And the Lord departed, after he had ceased speaking to Abraham, who then returned to his place.
