Genesis 18:10-33

10He said, “1I will certainly return to you 2at this time next year; and behold, your wife Sarah will have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door, which was behind him. 11Now 3Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; Sarah was 4past 5childbearing. 12So Sarah laughed 6to herself, saying, “7After I have become old, am I to have pleasure, my 8lord being old also?” 13But the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I actually give birth to a child, when I am so old?’ 149Is anything too 10difficult for the Lord? At the 11appointed time I will return to you, 12at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” 15Sarah denied it, however, saying, “I did not laugh”; for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh.”

16Then 13the men rose up from there, and looked down toward Sodom; and Abraham was walking with them to send them off. 1714The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham 15what I am about to do, 18since Abraham will certainly become a great and 16mighty nation, and in him 17all the nations of the earth will be blessed? 19For I have 1819chosen him, so that he may 20command his children and his household after him to 21keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring upon Abraham 22what He has spoken about him.” 20And the Lord said, “23The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave. 21I will 24go down now and see whether they have done entirely as the outcry, which has come to Me indicates; and if not, I will know.”

22Then 25the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham was still standing before 26the Lord. 23Abraham approached and said, “27Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24Suppose there are fifty righteous people within the city; will You indeed sweep it away and not 28spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it? 25Far be it from You to do 29such a thing, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not 30the Judge of all the earth 31deal justly?” 26So the Lord said, “32If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will 33spare the entire place on their account.” 27And Abraham replied, “Now behold, I have 34ventured to speak to the Lord, although I am only 35dust and ashes. 28Suppose the fifty righteous are lacking five, will You destroy the entire city because of five?” And He said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” 29And he 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 36ventured 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, “37Oh 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 38the Lord departed, and Abraham returned to his place.