Genesis 18:2–15

²He looked up, and he saw three men standing near him. ^eWhen he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed to the ground. ³Then he said, “My lord, ^fif I have found favor in your sight, please do not go on past your servant. ⁴Let a little water be brought, that you may wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree. ⁵I will bring a bit of bread so that you may strengthen yourselves. ^gThis is why you have passed your servant’s way. Later, you can continue on.”

“Yes,” they replied, “do as you have said.”

⁶So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Knead three measures ^hof fine flour and make bread.” ⁱ⁷Meanwhile, Abraham ran to the herd and got a tender, choice calf. He gave it to a young man, who hurried to prepare it. ⁸Then Abraham took curds ^jand milk, and the calf that he had prepared, and set them before the men. He served ^kthem as they ate under the tree.

Sarah Laughs

⁹“Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him.

“There, in the tent,” he answered.

¹⁰The Lord said, “I will certainly come back to you in about a year’s time, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” ^lNow Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent behind him.

¹¹Abraham and Sarah were old and getting on in years. ^mSarah had passed the age of childbearing. ^no12So she laughed to herself: “After I have become shriveled up and my lord is old, will I have delight?” ^p

¹³But the Lord asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Can I really have a baby when I’m old?’ ¹⁴Is anything impossible for the Lord? ^qAt the appointed time I will come back to you, and in about a year she will have a son.”

¹⁵Sarah denied it. “I did not laugh,” she said, because she was afraid.

But He replied, “No, you did laugh.”