Genesis 18:10–33

¹⁰Then one said, “I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him.^{* 11}Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.^{* 12}So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I have grown old, and my husband is old, shall I be fruitful?”^{* 13}The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ ¹⁴Is anything too wonderful for the Lord? At the set time I will return to you, in due season, and Sarah shall have a son.”^{* 15}But Sarah denied, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “Yes, you did laugh.”

Judgment Pronounced on Sodom

¹⁶Then the men set out from there, and they looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to set them on their way. ¹⁷The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, ¹⁸seeing that Abraham shall become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?^{h* 19}No, for I have chosenⁱ him, that he may charge his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”^{* 20}Then the Lord said, “How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin!^{* 21}I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me, and if not, I will know.”^*

²²So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the Lord.^{j* 23}Then Abraham came near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?^{* 24}Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty righteous who are in it?^{* 25}Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”^{* 26}And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake.” ²⁷Abraham answered, “Let me take it upon myself to speak to my lord, I who am but dust and ashes.^{* 28}Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” ²⁹Again he spoke to him, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.” ³⁰Then he said, “Oh, do not let my lord be angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” ³¹He said, “Let me take it upon myself to speak to my lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.” ³²Then he said, “Oh, do not let my lord be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.”^{* 33}And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.