| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Later, the LORD appeared to Abraham by the oaks belonging to Mamre. As Abraham was sitting near the entrance to his tent during the hottest part of the day, | 1Then the LORD appeared to Abraham at the oaks of Mamre while he was sitting in the entrance of his tent during the heat of the day. |
| 2he glanced up and saw three men standing there, not far from him. As soon as he noticed them, Abraham ran from the tent entrance to greet them and bowed low to the ground. | 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 and bowed to the ground. |
| 3"My lords," he told them, "if I have found favor with you, please don't leave your servant. | 3Then he said, "My lord, if I have found favor in your sight, please do not go on past your servant. |
| 4I'll have some water brought to wash your feet while you rest under the tree. | 4Let a little water be brought, that you may wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree. |
| 5I'll bring some food for you, and after that you may continue your journey, since you have come to visit your servant." So they replied, "Okay! Do what you've proposed." | 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." |
| 6Abraham hurried into the tent and told Sarah, "Quick! Take three measures of the best flour, knead it, and make some flat bread." | 6So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, "Quick! Knead three measures of fine flour and make bread." |
| 7Next, Abraham ran to the herd, found a choice and tender calf, and gave it to the young men, who went off in a hurry to prepare it. | 7Meanwhile, Abraham ran to the herd and got a tender, choice calf. He gave it to a young man, who hurried to prepare it. |
| 8Then he took curds, milk, and the calf that had been prepared, placed the food in front of them, and stood near them under the tree while they ate. | 8Then Abraham took curds and milk, and the calf that he had prepared, and set them before the men. He served them as they ate under the tree." |
| 9The men asked him, "Where is your wife Sarah?" "There, in the tent," he replied. | 9Where is your wife Sarah?" they asked him." There, in the tent," he answered. |
| 10Then one of them said, "I will certainly return to you in about a year's time. By then, your wife Sarah will have borne a son." Now Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him. | 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. |
| 11Abraham and Sarah were old—really old —and Sarah was beyond the age of childbearing. | 11Abraham and Sarah were old and getting on in years. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. |
| 12That's why Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, "After I'm so old and my husband is old, too, am I going to have sex?" | 12So she laughed to herself: "After I have become shriveled up and my lord is old, will I have delight?" |
| 13The LORD asked Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and think, 'Am I really going to bear a child, since I'm so old?' | 13But the LORD asked Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Can I really have a baby when I'm old? |
| 14Is anything impossible for the LORD? At the time set for it, I will return to you—about a year from now—and Sarah will have a son." | 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." |
| 15But Sarah denied it. "I didn't laugh," she claimed, because she was afraid. The LORD replied, "No! You did laugh!" | 15Sarah denied it. "I did not laugh," she said, because she was afraid. But He replied, "No, you did laugh." |
| 16After this, the men set out from there and looked out over Sodom. Abraham went with them to send them off. | 16The men got up from there and looked out over Sodom, and Abraham was walking with them to see them off. |
| 17"Should I hide from Abraham what I'm about to do," the LORD asked, | 17Then the LORD said, "Should I hide what I am about to do from Abraham? |
| 18"since Abraham's descendants will become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him? | 18Abraham is to become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. |
| 19Indeed, I've made myself known to him in order that he may encourage his sons and his household that is born after him to keep the way of the LORD, and to do what is right and just, so that the LORD may bring about for Abraham what he has promised." | 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." |
| 20The LORD also said, "How great is the disapproval of Sodom and Gomorrah! Their sin is so very serious! | 20Then the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is immense, and their sin is extremely serious. |
| 21I'm going down to see whether they've acted according to the protests that have reached me. If not, I wish to know." | 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." |
| 22Then two of the men turned away from there and walked toward Sodom, while Abraham remained standing in the presence of the LORD. | 22The men turned from there and went toward Sodom while Abraham remained standing before the LORD. |
| 23Abraham approached and asked, "Will you actually destroy the righteous along with the wicked? | 23Abraham stepped forward and said, "Will You really sweep away the righteous with the wicked? |
| 24Perhaps there are 50 righteous ones within the city. Will you actually destroy it and not forgive the place for the sake of the 50 righteous that are found there? | 24What if there are 50 righteous people in the city? Will You really sweep it away instead of sparing the place for the sake of the 50 righteous people who are in it? |
| 25Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous along with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike! The Judge of all the earth will do what is right, won't he?" | 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 all the earth do what is just?" |
| 26The LORD said, "If I find 50 righteous people within Sodom, I'll forgive the whole place for their sake." | 26The LORD said, "If I find 50 righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake." |
| 27Abraham answered, "Look, even though I am only dust and ashes, I've ventured to speak to my LORD. | 27Then Abraham answered, "Since I have ventured to speak to the Lord--even though I am dust and ashes-- |
| 28What if there are five less than 50 righteous ones? Will you bring destruction upon the city because of those five?" The LORD said, "I won't destroy it if I find 45 there." | 28suppose the 50 righteous lack five. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?" He replied, "I will not destroy it if I find 45 there." |
| 29Abraham continued to speak to him, asking, "What if 40 are found there?" The LORD replied, "I won't do it for the sake of those 40." | 29Then he spoke to Him again, "Suppose 40 are found there?" He answered, "I will not do it on account of 40." |
| 30Abraham then asked, "I hope my LORD will not be angry if I speak. What if 30 are found there?" The LORD answered, "I won't do it for the sake of those 30." | 30Then he said, "Let the Lord not be angry, and I will speak further. Suppose 30 are found there?" He answered, "I will not do it if I find 30 there." |
| 31"Look," Abraham said, "I've presumed to speak to my LORD… so what if 20 are found there?" "For the sake of those 20," the LORD responded, "I won't destroy it." | 31Then he said, "Since I have ventured to speak to the Lord, suppose 20 are found there?" He replied, "I will not destroy it on account of 20." |
| 32Finally, Abraham inquired, "I hope my LORD will not be angry if I speak only once more. What if ten are found there?" He replied, "For the sake of those ten I won't destroy it." | 32Then he said, "Let the Lord not be angry, and I will speak one more time. Suppose 10 are found there?" He answered, "I will not destroy it on account of 10." |
| 33As soon as he finished talking to Abraham, the LORD left and Abraham returned to where he had been sitting. | 33When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, He departed, and Abraham returned to his place. |
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