Genesis, 18

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

1. Yahweh appeared to Abraham near the oak of Mamre. Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent, in the heat of the day,

2. And 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,

2. when he looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them. He bowed to the ground

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

3. and said, "My Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass your servant by.

4. Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:

4. Let a little water be brought. Wash your feet and then rest under the trees.

5. And 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.

5. I shall fetch some bread so that you can be refreshed and continue on your way, since you have come to your servant." They then said, "Do as you say."

6. And 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.

6. Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said to her, "Quick, take three measures of flour, knead it and make cakes."

7. And 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.

7. Abraham then ran to the herd, took a fine, tender calf, gave it to the servant who hurried to prepare it.

8. And 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.

8. He took butter and milk and together with the calf he had prepared laid it all before them. And while he remained standing, they ate.

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

9. They then asked, "Where is Sarah, your wife?" Abraham answered, "She is in the tent."

10. And 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.

10. And the visitor said, "At this same time next year I will return and Sarah by then will have a son." Now Sarah was behind him, listening at the entrance to the tent.

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

11. Abraham and Sarah were old, well on in years, and Sarah no longer had her monthly periods.

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

12. Sarah laughed to herself saying, "Now that I am old and worn and my husband is an old man, am I to have this pleasure?"

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

13. Yahweh said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying: 'Am I really going to have a child now that I am old?'

14. Is 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.

14. Is there anything that is impossible for God? At this same time next year I will return and Sarah by then will have a son."

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

15. Sarah denied saying, "I did not laugh," for she was afraid. But he said, "You did laugh."

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

16. The men went away and turned towards Sodom. Abraham walked with them to set them on their way.

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

17. And Yahweh said, "Can I conceal from Abraham what I am about to do?

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

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

19. For 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.

19. for I have chosen him to command his sons and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that Yahweh may bring about for Abraham what he has promised him."

20. And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;

20. Then Yahweh said, "How great is the cry for justice against Sodom and Gomorrah! And how grievous is their sin!

21. I 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.

21. I am going down to see if they have done all that they are charged with in the outcry that has reached me. If it is not so, I will know."

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

22. The men with him turned away and went towards Sodom, but Yahweh remained standing before Abraham.

23. And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

23. Abraham went forward and said, "Will you really let the just perish with the wicked?

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

24. Perhaps there are fifty good people in the town. Are you really going to let them perish? Would you not spare the place for the sake of these fifty righteous people?

25. That 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?

25. It would not be at all like you to do such a thing and you can't let the good perish with the wicked, nor treat the good and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the judge of all the earth be just?"

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

26. Yahweh said, "If I find fifty good people in Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake."

27. And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which [am but] dust and ashes:

27. Abraham spoke up again, "I know that I am very bold to speak like this to my Lord, I who am only dust and ashes!

28. Peradventure 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].

28. But perhaps the number of the good is five less than fifty. Will you destroy the town because of five?" Yahweh replied, "I will not destroy the town if I find forty-five good people there."

29. And 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.

29. Again Abraham said to him, "Perhaps there will be only forty." He answered, "For the sake of forty I will not do it."

30. And 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.

30. Abraham went on, saying, "May my Lord not be angry, but let me speak. Maybe only thirty good people will be found in the town." Yahweh answered, "I will not destroy it if I find thirty there."

31. And 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.

31. Abraham said, "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to my Lord, what if only twenty can be found?" He said, "For the sake of twenty I will not destroy the place."

32. And 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.

32. But Abraham insisted, "May my Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found?" And Yahweh answered, "For the sake of ten good people, I will not destroy Sodom."

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

33. When Yahweh had finished speaking with Abraham, he left and Abraham went home.