18:1 The LORD appeared¹ to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, while² he was sitting at the entrance³ to his tent in the heat of the day. 18:2 And he⁴ lifted up his eyes⁵ and looked, and there were⁶ three men standing across⁷ from him. When he saw them⁸ he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed low⁹ to the ground.¹⁰

18:3 And he said, “My lord,¹¹ if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by from your servant.¹² 18:4 Let a little water be brought so that¹³ you may wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 18:5 And let me get¹⁴ a bit of food

so that you may refresh yourselves,¹⁵ after which you may be on your way, in that¹⁶ you have come over¹⁷ to your servant. And they said, “Fine, you may do as you say.¹⁸

18:6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and he said, “Hurry¹⁹—three seahs²⁰ of fine flour, knead it, and make bread.²¹ 18:7 Then Abraham ran to the herd and took a fine, tender calf, and gave it to a servant,²² and he prepared it quickly.²³ 18:8 He then took some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and placed it before them. And they ate while²⁴ he was standing near them under the tree.

18:9 And they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “There,²⁵ in the tent.” 18:10 Then he²⁶ said, “I will surely return²⁷ to you when the season comes round again,²⁸ and Sarah your wife will have a son.”²⁹ Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him.³⁰ 18:11 And Abraham and Sarah were old and advancing in years;³¹ and Sarah had long since passed the menopause.³² 18:12 So Sarah laughed within herself, thinking,³³ “After I am worn out will I have pleasure,³⁴ when my husband is old too?”³⁵

18:13 And the LORD said to Abraham, “Why³⁶ did Sarah laugh and say, `Will I indeed³⁷ have a child when I am old?’ 18:14 Is anything too wonderful³⁸ for the LORD? I will return to you when the season comes round again and Sarah will have a son.”³⁹

18:15 But Sarah lied, saying, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid; but he said, “No—you did laugh.”⁴⁰

18:16 When the men arose from there they looked out over⁴¹ Sodom.⁴² Now Abraham⁴³ was walking with them to bring them on their way.⁴⁴

18:17 Then the LORD said, “Should I conceal from Abraham

that which I am about to do?⁴⁵ 18:18 Abraham⁴⁶ will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations on the earth will be blessed in him. 18:19 I have chosen him,⁴⁷ to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep⁴⁸ the way of the LORD by doing⁴⁹ righteous and justice, so that the LORD will bring⁵⁰ on Abraham that which he spoke to him.”

18:20 So the LORD said, “The outcry against⁵¹ Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and their sin⁵² is very grievous.⁵³ 18:21 I will go down⁵⁴ and I will see if they have done as wickedly⁵⁵ as the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know it.⁵⁶

18:22 The men turned⁵⁷ and headed⁵⁸ toward Sodom, but Abraham was still standing before the LORD.⁵⁹ 18:23 And Abraham drew near and said, “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?⁶⁰ 18:24 What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you indeed sweep it away and not spare⁶¹ the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it? 18:25 Far be it⁶² 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 the whole earth do right?”⁶³

18:26 So the LORD said, “If I find in the city of Sodom fifty righteous people, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

18:27 And Abraham answered and said, “Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, although I am but dust and ashes,⁶⁴ 18:28 what if there are five less than the fifty righteous people? Will you destroy⁶⁵ the whole city because of the five? And he said, “I will not destroy if I find there forty-five.”

18:29 He spoke again to Him,⁶⁶ “What if there are found forty there?” And he said, “I will not do it for the sake of the forty.”

18:30 Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry⁶⁷ so that I may speak;⁶⁸ what if thirty are found there?” And he said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”

18:31 And he said, “Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty are found there?” And he said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”

18:32 Finally he said,⁶⁹ “Let not the Lord be angry so that I may speak just once more; what if there are found there ten?” And he said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”

18:33 And the LORD went His way⁷⁰ when he had finished speaking⁷¹ to Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.