NET Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1The 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.

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.

2Abraham 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.

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,

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

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

4Let a little water be brought so that you may all wash your feet and rest under the tree.

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

5And 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."

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."

6So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, "Quick! Take three measures of fine flour, knead it, and make bread."

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

7Then Abraham ran to the herd and chose a fine, tender calf, and gave it to a servant, who quickly prepared 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.

8Abraham 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.

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.

9Then they asked him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" He replied, "There, in the tent."

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

10One 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.

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 and advancing in years; Sarah had long since passed menopause.)

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

12So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, "After I am worn out will I have pleasure, especially when my husband is old too?"

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

13The LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child when I am 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? I will return to you when the season comes round again 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."

15Then Sarah lied, saying, "I did not laugh," because she was afraid. But the LORD said, "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."

16When the men got up to leave, they looked out over Sodom. (Now Abraham was walking with them to see them on their way.)

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

17Then the LORD said, "Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?

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

18After 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.

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

19I 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."

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."

20So the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so blatant

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

21that I must go down and see if they are as wicked as the outcry suggests. If not, I want 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."

22The two men turned and headed toward Sodom, but Abraham was still standing before the LORD.

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

23Abraham approached and said, "Will you sweep away the godly along with the wicked?

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

24What 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?

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 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?"

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?"

26So the LORD replied, "If I find in the city of Sodom fifty godly people, I will spare 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."

27Then Abraham asked, "Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord (although I am but dust and ashes),

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 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."

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 spoke to him again, "What if forty are found there?" He replied, "I will not do it for the sake of the forty."

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."

30Then 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."

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."

31Abraham 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."

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 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."

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."

33The LORD went on his way when he had finished speaking to Abraham. Then Abraham returned home.

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

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