Genesis 18
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1The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day.1Later, the LORD appeared to Abraham by the oaks belonging to Mamre. As Abraham was sitting near the entrance to his tent during the hottest part of the day,
2Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.2he glanced up and saw three men standing there, not far from him. As soon as he noticed them, Abraham ran from the tent entrance to greet them and bowed low to the ground.
3He said, "If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by.3"My lords," he told them, "if I have found favor with you, please don't leave your servant.
4Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree.4I'll have some water brought to wash your feet while you rest under the tree.
5Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way--now that you have come to your servant." "Very well," they answered, "do as you say."5I'll bring some food for you, and after that you may continue your journey, since you have come to visit your servant." So they replied, "Okay! Do what you've proposed."
6So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. "Quick," he said, "get three seahs of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread."6Abraham hurried into the tent and told Sarah, "Quick! Take three measures of the best flour, knead it, and make some flat bread."
7Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it.7Next, Abraham ran to the herd, found a choice and tender calf, and gave it to the young men, who went off in a hurry to prepare it.
8He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.8Then he took curds, milk, and the calf that had been prepared, placed the food in front of them, and stood near them under the tree while they ate.
9"Where is your wife Sarah?" they asked him. "There, in the tent," he said.9The men asked him, "Where is your wife Sarah?" "There, in the tent," he replied.
10Then one of them said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son." Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him.10Then one of them said, "I will certainly return to you in about a year's time. By then, your wife Sarah will have borne a son." Now Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him.
11Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing.11Abraham and Sarah were old—really old —and Sarah was beyond the age of childbearing.
12So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, "After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?"12That's why Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, "After I'm so old and my husband is old, too, am I going to have sex?"
13Then the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child, now that I am old?'13The LORD asked Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and think, 'Am I really going to bear a child, since I'm so old?'
14Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son."14Is anything impossible for the LORD? At the time set for it, I will return to you—about a year from now—and Sarah will have a son."
15Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, "I did not laugh." But he said, "Yes, you did laugh."15But Sarah denied it. "I didn't laugh," she claimed, because she was afraid. The LORD replied, "No! You did laugh!"
16When the men got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way.16After this, the men set out from there and looked out over Sodom. Abraham went with them to send them off.
17Then the LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?17"Should I hide from Abraham what I'm about to do," the LORD asked,
18Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.18"since Abraham's descendants will become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him?
19For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him."19Indeed, I've made myself known to him in order that he may encourage his sons and his household that is born after him to keep the way of the LORD, and to do what is right and just, so that the LORD may bring about for Abraham what he has promised."
20Then the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous20The LORD also said, "How great is the disapproval of Sodom and Gomorrah! Their sin is so very serious!
21that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know."21I'm going down to see whether they've acted according to the protests that have reached me. If not, I wish to know."
22The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD.22Then two of the men turned away from there and walked toward Sodom, while Abraham remained standing in the presence of the LORD.
23Then Abraham approached him and said: "Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?23Abraham approached and asked, "Will you actually destroy the righteous along with the wicked?
24What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it?24Perhaps there are 50 righteous ones within the city. Will you actually destroy it and not forgive the place for the sake of the 50 righteous that are found there?
25Far be it from you to do such a thing--to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?"25Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous along with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike! The Judge of all the earth will do what is right, won't he?"
26The LORD said, "If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake."26The LORD said, "If I find 50 righteous people within Sodom, I'll forgive the whole place for their sake."
27Then Abraham spoke up again: "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes,27Abraham answered, "Look, even though I am only dust and ashes, I've ventured to speak to my LORD.
28what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five people?" "If I find forty-five there," he said, "I will not destroy it."28What if there are five less than 50 righteous ones? Will you bring destruction upon the city because of those five?" The LORD said, "I won't destroy it if I find 45 there."
29Once again he spoke to him, "What if only forty are found there?" He said, "For the sake of forty, I will not do it."29Abraham continued to speak to him, asking, "What if 40 are found there?" The LORD replied, "I won't do it for the sake of those 40."
30Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?" He answered, "I will not do it if I find thirty there."30Abraham then asked, "I hope my LORD will not be angry if I speak. What if 30 are found there?" The LORD answered, "I won't do it for the sake of those 30."
31Abraham said, "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?" He said, "For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it."31"Look," Abraham said, "I've presumed to speak to my LORD… so what if 20 are found there?" "For the sake of those 20," the LORD responded, "I won't destroy it."
32Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?" He answered, "For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it."32Finally, Abraham inquired, "I hope my LORD will not be angry if I speak only once more. What if ten are found there?" He replied, "For the sake of those ten I won't destroy it."
33When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.33As soon as he finished talking to Abraham, the LORD left and Abraham returned to where he had been sitting.
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Genesis 17
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