Genesis 18:16-33

16Then 1the men rose up from there, and looked down toward Sodom; and Abraham was walking with them to send them off. 172The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham 3what I am about to do, 18since Abraham will surely become a great and 4mighty nation, and in him 5all the nations of the earth will be blessed? 19For I have 67chosen him, so that he may 8command his children and his household after him to 9keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring upon Abraham 10what He has spoken about him.” 20And the Lord said, “11The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave. 21I will 12go down now, and see if they have done entirely according to its outcry, which has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”

22Then 13the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham was still standing before 14the Lord. 23Abraham came near and said, “15Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will You indeed sweep it away and not 16spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it? 25Far be it from You to do 17such 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 18the Judge of all the earth 19deal justly?” 26So the Lord said, “20If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will 21spare the whole place on their account.” 27And Abraham replied, “Now behold, I have 22ventured to speak to the Lord, although I am but 23dust and ashes. 28Suppose 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.” 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, “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.” 31And he said, “Now behold, I have 24ventured 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, “25Oh 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.” 33As soon as He had finished speaking to Abraham 26the Lord departed, and Abraham returned to his place.