Genesis 18

The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day.

The Lord appeared again to Abraham near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. One day Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest part of the day.

Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.

He looked up and noticed three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran to meet them and welcomed them, bowing low to the ground.

He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord,^[a] do not pass your servant by.

“My lord,” he said, “if it pleases you, stop here for a while.

Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree.

Rest in the shade of this tree while water is brought to wash your feet.

Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.”

“Very well,” they answered, “do as you say.”

And since you’ve honored your servant with this visit, let me prepare some food to refresh you before you continue on your journey.”

“All right,” they said. “Do as you have said.”

So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. “Quick,” he said, “get three seahs^[b] of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread.”

So Abraham ran back to the tent and said to Sarah, “Hurry! Get three large measures^[a] of your best flour, knead it into dough, and bake some bread.”

Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it.

Then Abraham ran out to the herd and chose a tender calf and gave it to his servant, who quickly prepared it.

He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.

When the food was ready, Abraham took some yogurt and milk and the roasted meat, and he served it to the men. As they ate, Abraham waited on them in the shade of the trees.

“Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him.

“There, in the tent,” he said.

“Where is Sarah, your wife?” the visitors asked.

“She’s inside the tent,” Abraham replied.

Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.”

Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him.

Then one of them said, “I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!”

Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent.

Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing.

Abraham and Sarah were both very old by this time, and Sarah was long past the age of having children.

So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

So she laughed silently to herself and said, “How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master—my husband—is also so old?”

Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’

Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’

Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”

But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”

Abraham Pleads for Sodom

Sarah was afraid, so she denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh.”

But the Lord said, “No, you did laugh.”

Abraham Intercedes for Sodom

When the men got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way.

Then the men got up from their meal and looked out toward Sodom. As they left, Abraham went with them to send them on their way.

Then the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?

“Should I hide my plan from Abraham?” the Lord asked.

Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.^[c]

“For Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him.

For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”

I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. Then I will do for Abraham all that I have promised.”

Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous

So the Lord told Abraham, “I have heard a great outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah, because their sin is so flagrant.

that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.”

I am going down to see if their actions are as wicked as I have heard. If not, I want to know.”

The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the Lord.^[d]

The other men turned and headed toward Sodom, but the Lord remained with Abraham.

Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

Abraham approached him and said, “Will you sweep away both the righteous and the wicked?

What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare^[e] the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it?

Suppose you find fifty righteous people living there in the city—will you still sweep it away and not spare it for their sakes?

Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

Surely you wouldn’t do such a thing, destroying the righteous along with the wicked. Why, you would be treating the righteous and the wicked exactly the same! Surely you wouldn’t do that! Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”

The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

And the Lord replied, “If I find fifty righteous people in Sodom, I will spare the entire city for their sake.”

Then Abraham spoke up again: “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes,

Then Abraham spoke again. “Since I have begun, let me speak further to my Lord, even though I am but dust and ashes.

what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five people?”

“If I find forty-five there,” he said, “I will not destroy it.”

Suppose there are only forty-five righteous people rather than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?”

And the Lord said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five righteous people there.”

Once again he spoke to him, “What if only forty are found there?”

He said, “For the sake of forty, I will not do it.”

Then Abraham pressed his request further. “Suppose there are only forty?”

And the Lord replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the forty.”

Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?”

He answered, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”

“Please don’t be angry, my Lord,” Abraham pleaded. “Let me speak—suppose only thirty righteous people are found?”

And the Lord replied, “I will not destroy it if I find thirty.”

Abraham said, “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?”

He said, “For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it.”

Then Abraham said, “Since I have dared to speak to the Lord, let me continue—suppose there are only twenty?”

And the Lord replied, “Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”

Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?”

He answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.”

Finally, Abraham said, “Lord, please don’t be angry with me if I speak one more time. Suppose only ten are found there?”

And the Lord replied, “Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”

When the Lord had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.

When the Lord had finished his conversation with Abraham, he went on his way, and Abraham returned to his tent.