Genesis 18

Then God appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, and he was sitting {at} the opening of the tent in the heat of the day.

And he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing nearby him. And {when} he saw {them}, he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed himself to the ground, \*

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

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

And I will bring a morsel of bread so that you can refresh your hearts before you go away, since you have come to your servant.” And they said, “Alright, do as you have said.” \*

Then Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Hurry! {Prepare} three seahs of fine flour. Knead {it} and make loaves.”

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

Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and he set it before them. Then he stood by them under the tree and they ate. \*

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

Then he said, “I will surely return to you at the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” And Sarah was listening {at} the opening of the tent, and it {was} behind him. \*

Now Abraham and Sarah {were} old, advanced in days; the way of women had ceased to be with Sarah.

So Sarah laughed within herself and said, “After I am worn out, will I have pleasure? And my lord {is} old!” \*

Then God said to Abraham, “Why {is it} that Sarah laughed, saying, ‘Will I really bear {a child} when I am old?’

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

But Sarah denied it by saying, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid. But he said, “No, but you did laugh.” \*

Then the men got up from there and looked down toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to send them off.

And God said, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am doing?

And Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed.

For I have known him so that he will command his children and his house after him, and they will keep the way of God by doing righteousness and justice, so that God will bring about for Abraham what he has said to him.” \*

Then God said, “Because the outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous,

I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to its outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.” \*

Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, and Abraham was still standing before God.

Then Abraham approached {him} and said, “Will you really sweep away the righteous with the wicked? \*

Suppose there are fifty righteous in the city. Will you really sweep away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who {are} in it?

Far be it from you to do something like that, killing the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous are like the wicked! Far be it from you! Will the one who judges all the earth not do justice?”

Then God said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous in the city, then I will spare the whole place for their sake.” \*

Then Abraham spoke up and said, “Behold, please, I have taken it upon myself to speak to my Lord, although I {am} dust and ashes.

Suppose the fifty righteous lack five? Will you destroy the whole city because of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” \*

Then he continued again to speak to him and said, “Suppose forty are found there?” And he said, “I will not do it for the sake of the forty.”

Then he said, “Please do not let my Lord be angry, and let me speak: Suppose thirty are found there?” And he said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”

Then he said, “Behold, please, I have taken it upon myself to speak to my Lord. Suppose twenty are found there?” And he said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.” \*

Then he said, “Please do not let my Lord be angry, and let me speak just once more: Suppose ten are found there?” And he said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”

Then God left as soon as he finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place. \*