| International Standard Version | NET 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, | 1The LORD appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest time 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. | 2Abraham looked up and saw three men standing across from him. When he saw them he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground. |
| 3"My lords," he told them, "if I have found favor with you, please don't leave your servant. | 3He said, "My lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by and leave your servant. |
| 4I'll have some water brought to wash your feet while you rest under the tree. | 4Let a little water be brought so that you may all wash your feet and rest 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." | 5And let me get a bit of food so that you may refresh yourselves since you have passed by your servant's home. After that you may be on your way." "All right," they replied, "you may do as you say." |
| 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! Take three measures of fine flour, knead it, 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. | 7Then Abraham ran to the herd and chose a fine, tender calf, and gave it to a servant, who quickly prepared 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. | 8Abraham then took some curds and milk, along with the calf that had been prepared, and placed the food before them. They ate while he was standing near them under a tree. |
| 9The men asked him, "Where is your wife Sarah?" "There, in the tent," he replied. | 9Then they asked him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" He replied, "There, in the tent." |
| 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. | 10One of them said, "I will surely return to you when the season comes round again, and your wife Sarah will have a son!" (Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, not far behind him. |
| 11Abraham and Sarah were old—really old —and Sarah was beyond the age of childbearing. | 11Abraham and Sarah were old and advancing in years; Sarah had long since passed menopause.) |
| 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 Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, "After I am worn out will I have pleasure, especially when my husband is old too?" |
| 13The LORD asked Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and think, 'Am I really going to bear a child, since I'm so old?' | 13The LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child when I am 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? I will return to you when the season comes round again and Sarah 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!" | 15Then Sarah lied, saying, "I did not laugh," because she was afraid. But the LORD said, "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. | 16When the men got up to leave, they looked out over Sodom. (Now Abraham was walking with them to see them on their way.) |
| 17"Should I hide from Abraham what I'm about to do," the LORD asked, | 17Then the LORD said, "Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? |
| 18"since Abraham's descendants will become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him? | 18After all, Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations on the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using his name. |
| 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." | 19I have chosen him so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just. Then the LORD will give 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! | 20So the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so blatant |
| 21I'm going down to see whether they've acted according to the protests that have reached me. If not, I wish to know." | 21that I must go down and see if they are as wicked as the outcry suggests. If not, I want to know." |
| 22Then two of the men turned away from there and walked toward Sodom, while Abraham remained standing in the presence of the LORD. | 22The two men turned and headed toward Sodom, but Abraham was still standing before the LORD. |
| 23Abraham approached and asked, "Will you actually destroy the righteous along with the wicked? | 23Abraham approached and said, "Will you sweep away the godly along 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 fifty godly people in the city? Will you really wipe it out and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty godly 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?" | 25Far be it from you to do such a thing--to kill the godly with the wicked, treating the godly and the wicked alike! Far be it from you! Will not the judge of the whole earth do what is right?" |
| 26The LORD said, "If I find 50 righteous people within Sodom, I'll forgive the whole place for their sake." | 26So the LORD replied, "If I find in the city of Sodom fifty godly people, 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 asked, "Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord (although I am but 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." | 28what if there are five less than the fifty godly people? Will you destroy the whole city because five are lacking?" He replied, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five 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." | 29Abraham spoke to him again, "What if forty are found there?" He replied, "I will not do it for the sake of the forty." |
| 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 Abraham said, "May the Lord not be angry so that I may speak! What if thirty are found there?" He replied, "I will not do it if I find thirty 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." | 31Abraham said, "Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty are found there?" He replied, "I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty." |
| 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." | 32Finally Abraham said, "May the Lord not be angry so that I may speak just once more. What if ten are found there?" He replied, "I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten." |
| 33As soon as he finished talking to Abraham, the LORD left and Abraham returned to where he had been sitting. | 33The LORD went on his way when he had finished speaking to Abraham. Then Abraham returned home. |
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