Christian Standard Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1The LORD appeared to Abraham at the oaks of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent during the heat 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.

2He looked up, and he saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them, bowed 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,

3and said, "My lord, if I have found favor with you, please do not go on past 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, that you may wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree.

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

5I will bring a bit of bread so that you may strengthen yourselves. This is why you have passed your servant's way. Later, you can continue on." "Yes," they replied, "do as you have said."

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! Knead three measures of fine flour 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."

7Abraham ran to the herd and got a tender, choice calf. He gave it to a young man, who hurried to prepare 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.

8Then Abraham took curds and milk, as well as the calf that he had prepared, and set them before the men. He served them as they ate under the 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.

9"Where is your wife Sarah?" they asked him. "There, in the tent," he answered.

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

10The LORD said, "I will certainly come back to you in about a year's time, and your wife Sarah will have a son!" Now Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent 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 getting on in years. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.

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

12So she laughed to herself: "After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I have delight?"

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

13But the LORD asked Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Can I really have a baby when I'm 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? At the appointed time I will come back to you, and in about a year she 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."

15Sarah denied it. "I did not laugh," she said, because she was afraid. But he replied, "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."

16The men got up from there and looked out over Sodom, and Abraham was walking with them to see them off.

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 what I am about to do from Abraham?

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

18Abraham is to become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him.

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

19For I have chosen him so that he will command his children and his house after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just. This is how the LORD will fulfill 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."

20Then the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is immense, and their sin is extremely serious.

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

21I will go down to see if what they have done justifies the cry that has come up to me. If not, I will find out."

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 men turned from there and went toward Sodom while Abraham remained standing before the LORD.

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

23Abraham stepped forward and said, "Will you really sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

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

24What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away instead of sparing the place for the sake of the fifty righteous 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?

25You could not possibly do such a thing: to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. You could not possibly do that! Won't the Judge of the whole earth do what is just?"

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?"

26The LORD said, "If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, 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 answered, "Since I have ventured to speak to my lord--even though I am dust and ashes--

27And Abraham replied, "Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord, although I am but dust and ashes.

28suppose the fifty righteous lack five. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?" 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."

29Then he spoke to him again, "Suppose forty are found there?" He answered, "I will not do it on account of 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 he said, "Let my lord not be angry, and I will speak further. Suppose thirty are found there?" He answered, "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."

31Then he said, "Since I have ventured to speak to my lord, suppose twenty are found there?" He replied, "I will not destroy it on account of 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."

32Then he said, "Let my lord not be angry, and I will speak one more time. Suppose ten are found there?" He answered, "I will not destroy it on account of 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."

33When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, he departed, and Abraham returned to his place.

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

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

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