International Standard Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

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,

1Now the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day.

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.

2When he lifted up his eyes and looked, behold, three men were standing opposite him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth,

3"My lords," he told them, "if I have found favor with you, please don't leave your servant.

3and said, "My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass your servant by.

4I'll have some water brought to wash your feet while you rest under the tree.

4"Please let a little water be brought and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree;

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."

5and I will bring a piece of bread, that you may refresh yourselves; after that you may go on, since you have visited your servant." And they said, "So do, as you have said."

6Abraham hurried into the tent and told Sarah, "Quick! Take three measures of the best flour, knead it, and make some flat bread."

6So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Quickly, prepare three measures of fine flour, knead it and make bread cakes."

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.

7Abraham also ran to the herd, and took a tender and choice calf and gave it to the servant, and he hurried to prepare it.

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.

8He took curds and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and placed it before them; and he was standing by them under the tree as they ate.

9The men asked him, "Where is your wife Sarah?" "There, in the tent," he replied.

9Then they said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" And he said, "There, in the tent."

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.

10He said, "I will surely return to you at this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son." And Sarah was listening at the tent door, which was behind him.

11Abraham and Sarah were old—really old —and Sarah was beyond the age of childbearing.

11Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; Sarah was past childbearing.

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?"

12Sarah laughed to herself, saying, "After I have become old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?"

13The LORD asked Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and think, 'Am I really going to bear a child, since I'm so old?'

13And the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Shall I indeed bear a child, when I am so old?'

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."

14"Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son."

15But Sarah denied it. "I didn't laugh," she claimed, because she was afraid. The LORD replied, "No! You did laugh!"

15Sarah denied it however, saying, "I did not laugh"; for she was afraid. And He said, "No, but you did laugh."

16After this, the men set out from there and looked out over Sodom. Abraham went with them to send them off.

16Then the men rose up from there, and looked down toward Sodom; and Abraham was walking with them to send them off.

17"Should I hide from Abraham what I'm about to do," the LORD asked,

17The LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,

18"since Abraham's descendants will become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him?

18since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed?

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."

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 righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him."

20The LORD also said, "How great is the disapproval of Sodom and Gomorrah! Their sin is so very serious!

20And the LORD said, "The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave.

21I'm going down to see whether they've acted according to the protests that have reached me. If not, I wish to know."

21"I will go down now, and see if they have done entirely according to its outcry, which has come to Me; and if not, I will know."

22Then two of the men turned away from there and walked toward Sodom, while Abraham remained standing in the presence of the LORD.

22Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham was still standing before the LORD.

23Abraham approached and asked, "Will you actually destroy the righteous along with the wicked?

23Abraham came near and said, "Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

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?

24"Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will You indeed sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it?

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?"

25"Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?"

26The LORD said, "If I find 50 righteous people within Sodom, I'll forgive the whole place for their sake."

26So the LORD said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place on their account."

27Abraham answered, "Look, even though I am only dust and ashes, I've ventured to speak to my LORD.

27And Abraham replied, "Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord, although I am but dust and ashes.

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."

28"Suppose the fifty righteous are lacking five, will You destroy the whole city because of five?" And He said, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there."

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."

29He spoke to Him yet again and said, "Suppose forty are found there?" And He said, "I will not do it on account of the forty."

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."

30Then he said, "Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak; suppose thirty are found there?" And He said, "I will not do it if I find thirty there."

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."

31And he said, "Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord; suppose twenty are found there?" And He said, "I will not destroy it on account of the twenty."

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."

32Then he said, "Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak only this once; suppose ten are found there?" And He said, "I will not destroy it on account of the ten."

33As soon as he finished talking to Abraham, the LORD left and Abraham returned to where he had been sitting.

33As soon as He had finished speaking to Abraham the LORD departed, and Abraham returned to his place.

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

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