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

Then the Lord appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day.

2 A braham 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

So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground,

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

and said, “My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant.

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

Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.

5 A nd 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.”

And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant.” They said, “Do as you have said.”

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

So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes.”

7 T hen 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.

And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it.

8 H e 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.

So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate.

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

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

10 T he 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.

And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.)

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

Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.

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

Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”

13 T hen the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘How can I give birth to a child when I am so old?’

And the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’

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

Is anything too hard for the Lord ? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”

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

But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh!” Abraham Intercedes for Sodom

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

Then the men rose from there and looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to send them on the way.

17 A nd the Lord said, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,

And the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing,

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

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

19 F or 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.”

For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.”

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

And the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave,

21 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.”

I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”

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

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

23 A braham came near and said, “Will You destroy the good also, with the bad?

And Abraham came near and said, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

24 W hat 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?

Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it?

25 M ay 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?”

Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

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

So the Lord said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.”

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

Then Abraham answered and said, “Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord:

28 W hat 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.”

Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You destroy all of the city for lack of five?” So He said, “If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it. ”

29 A braham 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.”

And he spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose there should be forty found there?” So He said, “I will not do it for the sake of forty.”

30 T hen 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.”

Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose thirty should be found there?” So He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”

31 A braham 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.”

And he said, “Indeed now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose twenty should be found there?” So He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.”

32 T hen 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.”

Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.”

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

So the Lord went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.