Genesis 18:22–33

²²Then the two men left and went on towards Sodom, but the Lord remained with Abraham. ²³Abraham approached the Lord and asked, “Are you really going to destroy the innocent with the guilty? ²⁴If there are fifty innocent people in the city, will you destroy the whole city? Won’t you spare it in order to save the fifty? ²⁵Surely you won’t kill the innocent with the guilty. That’s impossible! You can’t do that. If you did, the innocent would be punished along with the guilty. That is impossible. The judge of all the earth has to act justly.”

²⁶The Lord answered, “If I find fifty innocent people in Sodom, I will spare the whole city for their sake.”

²⁷Abraham spoke again: “Please forgive my boldness in continuing to speak to you, Lord. I am only a man and have no right to say anything. ²⁸But perhaps there will be only forty-five innocent people instead of fifty. Will you destroy the whole city because there are five too few?”

The Lord answered, “I will not destroy the city if I find forty-five innocent people.”

²⁹Abraham spoke again: “Perhaps there will be only forty.”

He replied, “I will not destroy it if there are forty.”

³⁰Abraham said, “Please don’t be angry, Lord, but I must speak again. What if there are only thirty?”

He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty.”

³¹Abraham said, “Please forgive my boldness in continuing to speak to you, Lord. Suppose that only twenty are found?”

He said, “I will not destroy the city if I find twenty.”

³²Abraham said, “Please don’t be angry, Lord, and I will speak just once more. What if only ten are found?”

He said, “I will not destroy it if there are ten.” ³³After he had finished speaking with Abraham, the Lord went away, and Abraham returned home.