Genesis 18
1 The LORD appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day.
2 He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
3 He said, “My lord, if I have found favor in your eyes, please do not pass your servant by.
4 Let a little water be brought; wash your feet and rest under the tree.
5 I’ll bring a piece of bread to refresh you; then you can go on, since that is why you came by your servant.” They replied, “Do as you have said.”
6 Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick, take three seahs of fine flour, knead it, and make cakes.”
7 Then Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender, choice calf, and gave it to the young man, who hurried to prepare it.
8 He took curds, milk, and the calf he had prepared and set them before them. Then he stood beside them under the tree while they ate.
9 They asked him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?” He replied, “There, in the tent.”
10 Then he said, “I will surely return to you around this time next year, and Sarah, your wife, will have a son.” Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him.
11 Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years, and Sarah was past the age when women bear children.
12 Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, “Now that I’m old and worn out, will I have this pleasure? And my lord is old too.”
13 The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really give birth, now that I am old?’
14 Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, around this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
15 Sarah denied it: “I didn’t laugh,” because she was afraid. But he said, “No, you did laugh.”
16 The men got up from there and looked toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way.
17 The LORD said, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?
18 Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him.
19 For 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 what is right and just. Then the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has spoken about him.”
20 Then the LORD said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and their sin is very serious.
21 I will go down and see whether what they have done matches the outcry that has reached me; if not, I will know.”
22 The men left there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD.
23 Abraham approached and said, “Will you really destroy the righteous along with the wicked?
24 Perhaps there are fifty righteous people in the city. Will you really destroy it and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it?
25 Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous along with the wicked, so that the righteous fare just like the wicked. Far be it from you! Will the Judge of all the earth not do what is just?”
26 The LORD replied, “If I find fifty righteous people in Sodom, within the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
27 Abraham continued, “I have dared to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes.
28 Perhaps there are five fewer than fifty righteous people. Will you destroy the whole city because of five?” He replied, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”
29 Abraham spoke to him again: “Perhaps forty will be found there.” He replied, “I will not do it for the sake of the forty.”
30 Abraham said, “Please don’t be angry, Lord, if I speak: perhaps thirty will be found there.” He replied, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
31 Abraham said, “I have dared to speak to the Lord: perhaps twenty will be found there.” He replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”
32 Abraham said, “Please don’t be angry, Lord, if I speak just this once more: perhaps ten will be found there.” He replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”
33 When he had finished speaking with Abraham, the LORD went away, and Abraham returned to his place.
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