Genesis

The first book of Moses, called Genesis, chapter 18, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 18 New English Translation

Three Special Visitors

   1 The LORD appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest time of the day. 2 Abraham looked up and saw three men standing across from him. When he saw them he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
   3 He said, "My LORD, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by and leave your servant. 4 Let a little water be brought so that you may all wash your feet and rest under the tree. 5 And let me get a bit of food so that you may refresh yourselves since you have passed by your servant's home. After that you may be on your way." "All right," they replied, "you may do as you say."
   6 So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, "Quick! Take three measures of fine flour, knead it, and make bread." 7 Then Abraham ran to the herd and chose a fine, tender calf, and gave it to a servant, who quickly prepared it. 8 Abraham then took some curds and milk, along with the calf that had been prepared, and placed the food before them. They ate while he was standing near them under a tree.
   9 Then they asked him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" He replied, "There, in the tent." 10 One of them said, "I will surely return to you when the season comes round again, and your wife Sarah will have a son!" (Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, not far behind him. 11 Abraham and Sarah were old and advancing in years; Sarah had long since passed menopause.) 12 So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, "After I am worn out will I have pleasure, especially when my husband is old too?"
   13 The LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child when I am old?' 14 Is anything impossible for the LORD? I will return to you when the season comes round again and Sarah will have a son." 15 Then Sarah lied, saying, "I did not laugh," because she was afraid. But the LORD said, "No! You did laugh."

Abraham Pleads for Sodom

   16 When the men got up to leave, they looked out over Sodom. (Now Abraham was walking with them to see them on their way.) 17 Then the LORD said, "Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? 18 After all, Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations on the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using his name. 19 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 give to Abraham what he promised him."
   20 So the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so blatant 21 that I must go down and see if they are as wicked as the outcry suggests. If not, I want to know."
   22 The two men turned and headed toward Sodom, but Abraham was still standing before the LORD. 23 Abraham approached and said, "Will you sweep away the godly along with the wicked? 24 What if there are fifty godly people in the city? Will you really wipe it out and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty godly people who are in it? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing - to kill the godly with the wicked, treating the godly and the wicked alike! Far be it from you! Will not the judge of the whole earth do what is right?"
   26 So the LORD replied, "If I find in the city of Sodom fifty godly people, I will spare the whole place for their sake."
   27 Then Abraham asked, "Since I have undertaken to speak to the LORD (although I am but dust and ashes), 28 what if there are five less than the fifty godly people? Will you destroy the whole city because five are lacking?" He replied, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there."
   29 Abraham spoke to him again, "What if forty are found there?" He replied, "I will not do it for the sake of the forty."
   30 Then Abraham said, "May the LORD not be angry so that I may speak! What if thirty are found there?" He replied, "I will not do it if I find thirty there."
   31 Abraham said, "Since I have undertaken to speak to the LORD, what if only twenty are found there?" He replied, "I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty."
   32 Finally Abraham said, "May the LORD not be angry so that I may speak just once more. What if ten are found there?" He replied, "I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten."
   33 The LORD went on his way when he had finished speaking to Abraham. Then Abraham returned home.

King James Version

   1 And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
   2 And 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,
   3 And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:
   4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:
   5 And 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.
   6 And 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.
   7 And 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.
   8 And 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.
   9 ¶ And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.
   10 And 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.
   11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
   12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
   13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?
   14 Is 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.
   15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
   16 ¶ And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
   17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;
   18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
   19 For 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.
   20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
   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.
   22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
   23 ¶ And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
   24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
   25 That 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?
   26 And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
   27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:
   28 Peradventure 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.
   29 And 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.
   30 And 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.
   31 And 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.
   32 And 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.
   33 And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.