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18:1  One hot summer afternoon while Abraham was sitting by the entrance to his tent near the sacred trees of Mamre, the Lord appeared to him.
18:2  Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. He quickly ran to meet them, bowed with his face to the ground,
18:3  and said, “Please come to my home where I can serve you.
18:4  I'll have some water brought, so you can wash your feet, then you can rest under a tree.
18:5  Let me get you some food to give you strength before you leave. I would be honored to serve you.” “Thank you very much,” they answered. “We accept your offer.”
18:6  Abraham went quickly to his tent and said to Sarah, “Hurry! Get a large sack of flour and make some bread.”
18:7  After saying this, he rushed off to his herd of cattle and picked out one of the best calves, which his servant quickly prepared.
18:8  He then served his guests some yogurt and milk together with the meat. While they were eating, he stood near them under the tree,
18:9  and they asked, “Where's your wife Sarah?” “She is right there in the tent,” Abraham answered.
18:10  One of the guests was the Lord, and he said, “I'll come back about this time next year, and when I do, Sarah will already have a son.” Sarah was behind Abraham, listening at the entrance to the tent.
18:11  Abraham and Sarah were very old, and Sarah was well past the age for having children.
18:12  So she laughed and said to herself, “Now that I am worn out and my husband is old, will I really know such happiness?”
18:13  The Lord asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Does she doubt that she can have a child in her old age?
18:14  I am the Lord! There is nothing too difficult for me. I'll come back next year at the time I promised, and Sarah will already have a son.”
18:15  Sarah was so frightened that she lied and said, “I didn't laugh.” “Yes, you did!” he answered.
18:16  When the three men got ready to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked part of the way with them.
18:17  The Lord said to himself, “I should tell Abraham what I am going to do,
18:18  since his family will become a great and powerful nation that will be a blessing to all the other nations on earth.
18:19  I have chosen him to teach his family to obey me forever and to do what is right and fair. If they do, I will give Abraham many descendants, just as I promised.”
18:20  The Lord said, “Abraham, I have heard that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah are doing all kinds of evil things.
18:21  Now I am going down to see for myself if those people really are that bad. If they aren't, I would like to know.”
18:22  The men turned and started toward Sodom. But the Lord stayed with Abraham.
18:23  And Abraham asked him, “Lord, when you destroy the evil people, are you also going to destroy those who are good?
18:24  Wouldn't you spare the city if there are only 50 good people in it?
18:25  You surely wouldn't let them be killed when you destroy the evil ones. You are the judge of all the earth, and you do what is right.”
18:26  The Lord replied, “If I find 50 good people in Sodom, I will save the city to keep them from being killed.”
18:27  Abraham answered, “I am nothing more than the dust of the earth. Please forgive me, Lord, for daring to speak to you like this.
18:28  But suppose there are only 45 good people in Sodom. Would you still wipe out the whole city?” “If I find 45 good people,” the Lord replied, “I won't destroy the city.”
18:29  “Suppose there are just 40 good people?” Abraham asked. “Even for them,” the Lord replied, “I won't destroy the city.”
18:30  Abraham said, “Please don't be angry, Lord, if I ask you what you will do if there are only 30 good people in the city.” “If I find 30,” the Lord replied, “I still won't destroy it.”
18:31  Then Abraham said, “I don't have any right to ask you, Lord, but what would you do if you find only 20?” “Because of them, I won't destroy the city,” was the Lord's answer.
18:32  Finally, Abraham said, “Please don't get angry, Lord, if I speak just once more. Suppose you find only 10 good people there.” “For the sake of 10 good people,” the Lord told him, “I still won't destroy the city.”
18:33  After speaking with Abraham, the Lord left, and Abraham went back home.