| New Living Translation | Berean Study Bible |
| 1The LORD appeared again to Abraham near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. One day Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest part of the day. | 1Then the LORD appeared to Abraham by the Oaks of Mamre in the heat of the day, while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent. |
| 2He looked up and noticed three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran to meet them and welcomed them, bowing low to the ground. | 2And Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground. |
| 3“My lord,” he said, “if it pleases you, stop here for a while. | 3“My lord,” said Abraham, “if I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass your servant by. |
| 4Rest in the shade of this tree while water is brought to wash your feet. | 4Let a little water be brought, that you may wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree. |
| 5And since you’ve honored your servant with this visit, let me prepare some food to refresh you before you continue on your journey.” “All right,” they said. “Do as you have said.” | 5And I will bring a bit of bread so that you may refresh yourselves. This is why you have passed your servant’s way. After that, you may continue on your way.” “Yes,” they replied, “you may do as you have said.” |
| 6So Abraham ran back to the tent and said to Sarah, “Hurry! Get three large measures of your best flour, knead it into dough, and bake some bread.” | 6So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Prepare three seahs of fine flour, knead it, and bake some bread.” |
| 7Then Abraham ran out to the herd and chose a tender calf and gave it to his servant, who quickly prepared it. | 7Meanwhile, Abraham ran to the herd, selected a tender and choice calf, and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. |
| 8When the food was ready, Abraham took some yogurt and milk and the roasted meat, and he served it to the men. As they ate, Abraham waited on them in the shade of the trees. | 8Then Abraham brought curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and he set them before the men and stood by them under the tree as they ate. |
| 9“Where is Sarah, your wife?” the visitors asked. “She’s inside the tent,” Abraham replied. | 9“Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked. “There, in the tent,” he replied. |
| 10Then one of them said, “I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!” Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent. | 10Then the LORD said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” Now Sarah was behind him, listening at the entrance to the tent. |
| 11Abraham and Sarah were both very old by this time, and Sarah was long past the age of having children. | 11And Abraham and Sarah were already old and well along in years; Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. |
| 12So she laughed silently to herself and said, “How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master—my husband—is also so old?” | 12So she laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?” |
| 13Then the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ | 13And the LORD asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Can I really bear a child when I am old?’ |
| 14Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” | 14Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you—in about a year—and Sarah will have a son.” |
| 15Sarah was afraid, so she denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh.” But the LORD said, “No, you did laugh.” Abraham Intercedes for Sodom | 15But Sarah was afraid, so she denied it and said, “I did not laugh.” “No,” replied the LORD, “but you did laugh.” |
| 16Then the men got up from their meal and looked out toward Sodom. As they left, Abraham went with them to send them on their way. | 16When the men got up to leave, they looked out over Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them off. |
| 17“Should I hide my plan from Abraham?” the LORD asked. | 17And the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? |
| 18“For Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. | 18Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and through him all the nations of the earth will be blessed. |
| 19I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just. Then I will do for Abraham all that I have promised.” | 19For I have chosen him, so that he will command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, in order that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has promised.” |
| 20So the LORD told Abraham, “I have heard a great outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah, because their sin is so flagrant. | 20Then the LORD said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great. Because their sin is so grievous, |
| 21I am going down to see if their actions are as wicked as I have heard. If not, I want to know.” | 21I will go down to see if their actions fully justify the outcry that has reached Me. If not, I will find out.” |
| 22The other men turned and headed toward Sodom, but the LORD remained with Abraham. | 22And the two men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD. |
| 23Abraham approached him and said, “Will you sweep away both the righteous and the wicked? | 23Abraham stepped forward and said, “Will You really sweep away the righteous with the wicked? |
| 24Suppose you find fifty righteous people living there in the city—will you still sweep it away and not spare it for their sakes? | 24What if there are fifty righteous ones in the city? Will You really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous ones who are there? |
| 25Surely you wouldn’t do such a thing, destroying the righteous along with the wicked. Why, you would be treating the righteous and the wicked exactly the same! Surely you wouldn’t do that! Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?” | 25Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?” |
| 26And the LORD replied, “If I find fifty righteous people in Sodom, I will spare the entire city for their sake.” | 26So the LORD replied, “If I find fifty righteous ones within the city of Sodom, on their account I will spare the whole place.” |
| 27Then Abraham spoke again. “Since I have begun, let me speak further to my Lord, even though I am but dust and ashes. | 27Then Abraham answered, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord—though I am but dust and ashes— |
| 28Suppose there are only forty-five righteous people rather than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And the LORD said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five righteous people there.” | 28suppose the fifty righteous ones lack five. Will You destroy the whole city for the lack of five?” He replied, “If I find forty-five there, I will not destroy it.” |
| 29Then Abraham pressed his request further. “Suppose there are only forty?” And the LORD replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the forty.” | 29Once again Abraham spoke to the LORD, “Suppose forty are found there?” He answered, “On account of the forty, I will not do it.” |
| 30“Please don’t be angry, my Lord,” Abraham pleaded. “Let me speak—suppose only thirty righteous people are found?” And the LORD replied, “I will not destroy it if I find thirty.” | 30Then Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak further. Suppose thirty are found there?” He replied, “If I find thirty there, I will not do it.” |
| 31Then Abraham said, “Since I have dared to speak to the Lord, let me continue—suppose there are only twenty?” And the LORD replied, “Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.” | 31And Abraham said, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord, suppose twenty are found there?” He answered, “On account of the twenty, I will not destroy it.” |
| 32Finally, Abraham said, “Lord, please don’t be angry with me if I speak one more time. Suppose only ten are found there?” And the LORD replied, “Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.” | 32Finally, Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak once more. Suppose ten are found there?” And He answered, “On account of the ten, I will not destroy it.” |
| 33When the LORD had finished his conversation with Abraham, he went on his way, and Abraham returned to his tent. | 33When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, He departed, and Abraham returned home. |
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