1 A nd the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;

The Lord showed Himself to Abraham by the oak trees of Mamre, as he sat at the tent door in the heat of the day.

2 a nd he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

Abraham looked up and saw three men standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them. He put his face to the ground

3 a nd said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:

and said, “My lord, if I have found favor in your eyes, please do not pass by your servant.

4 l et a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:

Let us have a little water brought to wash your feet. Rest yourselves under the tree.

5 a nd I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.

And I will get a piece of bread so you may eat and get strength. After that you may go on your way, since you have come to your servant.” The men said, “Do as you have said.”

6 A nd Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.

So Abraham ran into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Hurry and get three pails of fine flour, mix it well, and make bread.”

7 A nd Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.

Then Abraham ran to the cattle and took out a young and good calf. He gave it to the servant to make it ready in a hurry.

8 A nd he took butter, 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.

He took milk and cheese and the meat which he had made ready, and set it in front of them. He stood by them under the tree while they ate.

9 A nd they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

Then they said to him, “Where is your wife Sarah?” And he said, “There in the tent.”

10 A nd he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.

The Lord said, “I will be sure to return to you at this time next year. And your wife Sarah will have a son.” Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him.

11 N ow Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

Now Abraham and Sarah were old. They had lived many years. The way of women had stopped for Sarah.

12 T herefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?

So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “Will I have this joy after my husband and I have grown old?”

13 A nd the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?

Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘How can I give birth to a child when I am so old?’

14 I s any thing too hard for the Lord ? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

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

15 T hen Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.

But Sarah said, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh.” Abraham Cries Out for Sodom

16 A nd the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.

Then the men got up from there and looked down toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to send them on their way.

17 A nd the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;

And the Lord said, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,

18 s eeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

since Abraham will become a great and powerful nation, because good will come to all the nations of the earth through him?

19 F or I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

For I have chosen him, so that he may teach his children and the sons of his house after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and fair. So the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has promised him.”

20 A nd the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;

Then the Lord said, “The cry against Sodom and Gomorrah is loud. Their sin is very bad.

21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.

I will now go down and see if they have done as much wrong as the cry against them has told Me they have. And if not, I will know.”

22 A nd the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the Lord.

Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom. But Abraham still stood before the Lord.

23 A nd Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

Abraham came near and said, “Will You destroy the good also, with the bad?

24 P eradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?

What if there are fifty good people within the city? Will You destroy the place and not save it because of the fifty good people in it?

25 T hat be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

May You never do such a thing as to destroy the good with the bad! May the good never be punished like the bad! You would never do such a thing! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”

26 A nd the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

So the Lord said, “If I find fifty good people in the city of Sodom, I will save the whole place because of them.”

27 A nd Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:

Abraham said, “Now see, I have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am only dust and ashes.

28 P eradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.

What if five of the fifty good people are not so good. Will You destroy the whole city because of five?” The Lord said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five good people there.”

29 A nd he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty’s sake.

Abraham spoke to Him again and said, “What if only forty are found there?” The Lord said, “I will not destroy it if there are forty.”

30 A nd he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.

Then Abraham said, “O may the Lord not be angry, and I will speak. What if only thirty are found there?” The Lord said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”

31 A nd he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty’s sake.

Abraham said, “Now see, I have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord. What if twenty are found there?” The Lord said, “I will not destroy it because of the twenty.”

32 A nd he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.

Then Abraham said, “O may the Lord not be angry. And I may speak once more. What if ten are found there?” The Lord said, “I will not destroy it because of the ten.”

33 A nd the Lord went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

Then the Lord went on His way when He finished speaking with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.