1And the LORD appeared to Abraham by the oaks (in the plains) of Mamre: as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; 2And Abraham looked up and saw three men standing near him: and when he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed toward the ground, 3And said, “My LORD, if I have found favor in Your sight, do not pass by Your servant (me), I pray You: 4Let a little water, I pray You, be fetched, so that You may wash your feet, and rest under the tree. 5Let me get you something to eat, so that you may refresh yourselves; then you may pass on, now that you have come to your servant.” And they replied, “Do as you have said.” 6And Abraham hurried into the tent, and said to Sarah, “Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and bake cakes upon the hearth.” 7Then Abraham ran out to the herd, and fetched a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man; and he hurriedly dressed it. 8And he took butter, milk, and the calf that he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, while they ate.

9And they asked him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?” And he said, “She is in the tent.” 10And He said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year; and, Sarah, your wife, shall have a son.” And Sarah heard it in the tent entrance, which was behind him. 11Now Abraham and Sarah were very old; and Sarah was far past the age of having children. 12And so Sarah laughed within herself, thinking, “After I have grown old. shall I have this pleasure, my husband being old also?” 13Then the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, and say, ‘Shall I, indeed bear a child at this old age?’ 14Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time, next year, I will return to you, and Sarah shall have a son.” 15Then Sarah denied, saying, “I did not laugh”; for she was afraid. And He said, “No; but you did laugh.”

16And the men got up to leave, and headed toward Sodom; and Abraham walked along with them. 17And the LORD said, “Shall I conceal from Abraham what I am about to do; 18Since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed through him? 19For I have chosen him, and know that he will direct his children and their families after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do what is right and just; that the LORD may bring about for Abraham all that He has promised him.” 20And so the LORD said to Abraham, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and their sin is so grievous; 21I will go down, and see whether what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached Me; and if not, I will know.”

22And the men turned, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham remained standing with the LORD. 23And Abraham came near, and asked, “Will You also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 24Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city: will You still destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are in there? 25Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and treat the righteous the same as the wicked; be that far from You. Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?” 26And the LORD said, “If I find fifty righteous within the city of Sodom, then I will spare the whole place for their sakes.” 27And Abraham responded, “Now that I, who am but dust and ashes, have taken it upon me to speak to the LORD: 28Suppose there is lacking five of the fifty righteous: will You still destroy all the city for lack of five?” And He said, “If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it.” 29And he spoke to Him yet again, and said, “Suppose there shall be only forty found there.” And He said, “I will not do it for forty's sake.” 30And he said to Him, “Oh let not the LORD be angry, and I will again speak: Suppose there shall thirty be found there.” And He said, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” 31And he said, “Now that I have taken it upon myself to speak to the LORD: Suppose there shall be twenty found there.” And He said, “I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.” 32And then Abraham said, “Oh let not the LORD be angry, and I will speak yet just once more: Suppose ten shall be found there.” And He said, “I will not destroy it for ten's sake.” 33And as soon as he had finished talking with Abraham, the LORD went His way; and Abraham returned to his place.