New Living Translation

King James 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.

1And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;

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 he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

3“My lord,” he said, “if it pleases you, stop here for a while.

3And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:

4Rest in the shade of this tree while water is brought to wash your feet.

4Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and 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 fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast 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.”

6And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.

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

7And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress 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.

8And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.

9“Where is Sarah, your wife?” the visitors asked. “She’s inside the tent,” Abraham replied.

9And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

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.

10And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.

11Abraham and Sarah were both very old by this time, and Sarah was long past the age of having children.

11Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

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?”

12Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?

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 said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?

14Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

14Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall 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

15Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst 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.

16And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.

17“Should I hide my plan from Abraham?” the LORD asked.

17And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;

18“For Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him.

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

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 know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

20So the LORD told Abraham, “I have heard a great outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah, because their sin is so flagrant.

20And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very 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 now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.

22The other men turned and headed toward Sodom, but the LORD remained with Abraham.

22And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.

23Abraham approached him and said, “Will you sweep away both the righteous and the wicked?

23And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy 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?

24Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?

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?”

25That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

26And the LORD replied, “If I find fifty righteous people in Sodom, I will spare the entire city for their sake.”

26And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

27Then Abraham spoke again. “Since I have begun, let me speak further to my Lord, even though I am but dust and ashes.

27And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which 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.”

28Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, 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.”

29And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake.

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.”

30And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.

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 he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.

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.”

32And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.

33When the LORD had finished his conversation with Abraham, he went on his way, and Abraham returned to his tent.

33And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.