1 N ow the Lord appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day.

Now the Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks or terebinths of Mamre; as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day,

2 W hen he lifted up his eyes and looked, behold, three men were standing opposite him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth,

He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men stood at a little distance from him. He ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the ground

3 a nd said, “ My Lord, if now I have found favor in Your sight, please do not pass Your servant by.

And said, My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant, I beg of you.

4 P lease let a little water be brought and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree;

Let a little water be brought, and you may wash your feet and recline and rest yourselves under the tree.

5 a nd I will bring a piece of bread, that you may refresh yourselves; after that you may go on, since you have visited your servant.” And they said, “So do, as you have said.”

And I will bring a morsel (mouthful) of bread to refresh and sustain your hearts before you go on further—for that is why you have come to your servant. And they replied, Do as you have said.

6 S o Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “ Quickly, prepare three measures of fine flour, knead it and make bread cakes.”

So Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah and said, Quickly get ready three measures of fine meal, knead it, and bake cakes.

7 A braham also ran to the herd, and took a tender and choice calf and gave it to the servant, and he hurried to prepare it.

And Abraham ran to the herd and brought a calf tender and good and gave it to the young man; then he hastened to prepare it.

8 H e took curds and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and placed it before them; and he was standing by them under the tree as they ate.

And he took curds and milk and the calf which he had made ready, and set it before; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.

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

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

10 H e said, “ I will surely return to you at this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door, which was behind him.

said, I will surely return to you when the season comes round, and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son. And Sarah was listening and heard it at the tent door which was behind Him.

11 N ow Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; Sarah was past childbearing.

Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in years; it had ceased to be with Sarah as with women..

12 S arah laughed to herself, saying, “ After I have become old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”

Therefore Sarah laughed to herself, saying, After I have become aged shall I have pleasure and delight, my lord (husband), being old also?

13 A nd the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, when I am so old?’

And the Lord asked Abraham, Why did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I really bear a child when I am so old?

14 I s anything too difficult for the Lord ? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

Is anything too hard or too wonderful for the Lord? At the appointed time, when the season comes around, I will return to you and Sarah shall have borne a son.

15 S arah denied it however, saying, “I did not laugh”; for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh.”

Then Sarah denied it, saying, I did not laugh; for she was afraid. And He said, No, but you did laugh.

16 T hen the men rose up from there, and looked down toward Sodom; and Abraham was walking with them to send them off.

The men rose up from there and faced toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.

17 T he Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,

And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham what I am going to do,

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

Since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed through him and shall bless themselves by him?

19 F or I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.”

For I have known (chosen, acknowledged) him, so that he may teach and command his children and the sons of his house after him to keep the way of the Lord and to do what is just and righteous, so that the Lord may bring Abraham what He has promised him.

20 A nd the Lord said, “ The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave.

And the Lord said, Because the shriek of Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is exceedingly grievous,

21 I will go down now, and see if they have done entirely according to its outcry, which has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”

I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether as is the cry of it which has come to Me; and if not, I will know.

22 T hen the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham was still standing before the Lord.

Now the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord.

23 A braham came near and said, “ Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

And Abraham came close and said, Will You destroy the righteous (those upright and in right standing with God) together with the wicked?

24 S uppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will You indeed sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it?

Suppose there are in the city fifty righteous; will You destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous in it?

25 F ar be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?”

Far be it from You to do such a thing—to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as do the wicked! Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth execute judgment and do righteously?

26 S o the Lord said, “ If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place on their account.”

And the Lord said, If I find in the city of Sodom fifty righteous (upright and in right standing with God), I will spare the whole place for their sake.

27 A nd Abraham replied, “Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord, although I am but dust and ashes.

Abraham answered, Behold now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord.

28 S uppose the fifty righteous are lacking five, will You destroy the whole city because of five?” And He said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”

If five of the fifty righteous should be lacking—will You destroy the whole city for lack of five? He said, If I find forty-five, I will not destroy it.

29 H e spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose forty are found there?” And He said, “I will not do it on account of the forty.”

And spoke to Him yet again, and said, Suppose forty shall be found there. And He said, I will not do it for forty’s sake.

30 T hen he said, “Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak; suppose thirty are found there?” And He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”

Then said to Him, Oh, let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty shall be found there. And He answered, I will not do it if I find thirty there.

31 A nd he said, “Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord; suppose twenty are found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it on account of the twenty.”

And said, Behold now, I have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty shall be found there. And replied, I will not destroy it for twenty’s sake.

32 T hen he said, “ Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak only this once; suppose ten are found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it on account of the ten.”

And he said, Oh, let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again only this once. Suppose ten shall be found there. And said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.

33 A s soon as He had finished speaking to Abraham the Lord departed, and Abraham returned to his place.

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