Genesis 18:24-32 ▼

24 Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; wilt thou in thine anger destroy it, and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous that are in it?

25 Far be it from thee to do such a thing as this, to slay the innocent with the guilty, far be it from thee, O thou Judge of the whole earth! Such a judgment should never be carried out.

26 And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole country for their sake.

27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold, I have ventured to speak before the LORD, and yet I am but dust and ashes;

28 Suppose there shall lack five of the fifty righteous; wilt thou destroy the whole city for the lack of five men? And he said, If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it.

29 And Abraham spoke to him and said, Suppose there shall be forty found there? And he said, I will not destroy it, if I find there forty.

30 Then Abraham said, Oh let not the LORD be displeased and I will speak: Suppose there shall thirty be found there? And he said, I will not destroy it, if I find thirty there.

31 And he said, Behold, I have ventured to speak before the LORD; suppose there shall be twenty found there? And he said, I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.

32 And he said, Oh, let not the LORD be displeased, and I will speak only once more; suppose ten shall be found there? And he said, I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.