(KJV) Genesis 18¹

⥃The Three Visitors

[1] And the Lord appeared² unto him in the plains of Mamre³: and he sat⁴ in the tent door in the heat of the day; [2] And he⁵ lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three⁶ men stood by him: and when he saw [them], he ran⁷ to meet them from the tent door, and bowed⁸ himself toward the ground, [3] And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour⁹ in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: [4] Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet¹⁰, and rest yourselves under the tree¹¹: [5] And I¹² will fetch a morsel of bread¹³, and comfort¹⁴ ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come¹⁵ to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said. [6] And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly¹⁶ three¹⁷ measures of fine meal, knead [it], and make cakes upon the hearth. [7] And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave [it] unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.¹⁸ [8] And he took¹⁹ butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set [it] before them; and he stood²⁰ by them under the tree, and they²¹ did eat.

⥃Sarah Laughs at the Promise

[9] And they said unto him, Where²² [is] Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in²³ the tent. [10] And he said²⁴, I will certainly return unto thee according²⁵ to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah²⁶ thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard [it] in the tent door, which [was] behind him. [11] Now Abraham and Sarah [were] old²⁷ [and] well stricken in age; [and] it ceased to be with Sarah after the²⁸ manner of women. [12] Therefore Sarah laughed²⁹ within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my³⁰ lord being old also? [13] And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore³¹ did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? [14] Is³² any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will³³ return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. [15] Then Sarah denied³⁴, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay³⁵; but thou didst laugh.

⥃Abraham Intercedes for Sodom

[16] And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring³⁶ them on the way. [17] And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;³⁷ [18] Seeing that Abraham shall surely become³⁸ a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? [19] For I³⁹ know him, that he will command⁴⁰ his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the⁴¹ Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. [20] And the Lord said, Because the cry⁴² of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin⁴³ is very grievous; [21] I will go down⁴⁴ now, and see⁴⁵ whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know⁴⁶. [22] And the men⁴⁷ turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood⁴⁸ yet before the Lord.

[23] And Abraham drew⁴⁹ near, and said, Wilt⁵⁰ thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? [24] Peradventure there⁵¹ be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare⁵² the place for the fifty righteous that [are] therein? [25] That be far⁵³ from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the⁵⁴ righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall⁵⁵ not the Judge⁵⁶ of all the earth do right? [26] And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.⁵⁷ [27] And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have⁵⁸ taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which [am but] dust⁵⁹ and ashes: [28] Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt⁶⁰ thou destroy all the city for [lack of] five? And he said, If I⁶¹ find there forty and five, I will not destroy [it]. [29] And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do [it] for forty’s sake.⁶² [30] And he said [unto him], Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do [it], if I find thirty there.⁶³ [31] And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy [it] for twenty’s sake.⁶⁴ [32] And he said, Oh⁶⁵ let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not⁶⁶ destroy [it] for ten’s sake. [33] And the⁶⁷ Lord went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham⁶⁸ returned unto his place.