Genesis 18Book 1 of 66 · 33 verses · MBT primary, NKJV fallback where MBT pending

  1. Then the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he was sitting at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day.
  2. So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing nearby, and when he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them and bowed himself to the ground.
  3. And he said, "My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, please do not pass by Your servant."
  4. Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves in the shade under the tree.
  5. And I will bring a bit of bread so that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may continue on your journey, since you have honored your servant with this visit, and they said, Do as you have said.
  6. So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, "Quickly, prepare three measures of your best flour, knead it into dough, and make cakes."
  7. And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and choice calf, gave it to a young man, and he quickly prepared it.
  8. So he took curds and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them, and he served them under the tree as they ate.
  9. Then they said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" So he answered, "There, in the tent."
  10. And He said, "I will certainly return to you about this time next year, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son." Sarah was listening at the tent entrance which was behind him.
  11. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in years, and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
  12. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have grown old and worn out, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?"
  13. And the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?'
  14. Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.
  15. But Sarah denied it, saying, "I did not laugh," for she was afraid, and He said, "No, you did laugh."
  16. Then the men rose from there and looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham was walking with them to send them on their way.
  17. And the LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,
  18. Since Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him?
  19. For I have chosen him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has promised him.
  20. And the LORD said, "Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is exceedingly grave,
  21. I will go down now and see whether their actions are altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.
  22. Then the men turned away from there and headed toward Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the LORD.
  23. And Abraham drew near and said, "Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?"
  24. Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; would You really sweep away the place and not spare it for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it?
  25. Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be treated the same as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?
  26. So the LORD said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous people within the city, then I will spare the entire place for their sake."
  27. Then Abraham answered and said, "Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have ventured to speak to the Lord:
  28. Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You destroy the whole city for lack of five?" So He said, "If I find forty-five there, I will not destroy it."
  29. And he spoke to Him yet again and said, "Suppose there should be forty found there?" So He answered, "I will not do it for the sake of forty."
  30. Then he said, "Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak further: Suppose thirty are found there?" So He said, "I will not do it if I find thirty there."
  31. And he said, "Indeed now, I have ventured to speak to the Lord: Suppose twenty should be found there?" So He said, "I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty."
  32. Then he said, "Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak just this once more: Suppose ten are found there?" And He said, "I will not destroy it for the sake of ten."
  33. So the LORD went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his tent.