Genesis 18 :: New International Version (NIV)

The Three Visitors

(Heb 13:2 )

Gen 18:1The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day.

Gen 18:2

Gen 18:2Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.

Gen 18:3

Gen 18:3He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord,[fn] do not pass your servant by.

Gen 18:4

Gen 18:4Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree.

Gen 18:5

Gen 18:5Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.” “Very well,” they answered, “do as you say.”

Gen 18:6

Gen 18:6So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. “Quick,” he said, “get three seahs[fn] of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread.”

Gen 18:7

Gen 18:7Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it.

Gen 18:8

Gen 18:8He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.

Gen 18:9

Gen 18:9“Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him. “There, in the tent,” he said.

Gen 18:10

Gen 18:10Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him.

Gen 18:11

Gen 18:11Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing.

Gen 18:12

Gen 18:12So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

Gen 18:13

Gen 18:13Then the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’

Gen 18:14

Gen 18:14Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

Gen 18:15

Gen 18:15Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.” But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”

Abraham Pleads for Sodom

Gen 18:16

Gen 18:16When the men got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way.

Gen 18:17

Gen 18:17Then the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?

Gen 18:18

Gen 18:18Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.[fn]

Gen 18:19

Gen 18:19For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”

Gen 18:20

Gen 18:20Then the LORD said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous

Gen 18:21

Gen 18:21that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.”

Gen 18:22

Gen 18:22The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD.[fn]

Gen 18:23

Gen 18:23Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

Gen 18:24

Gen 18:24What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare[fn] the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it?

Gen 18:25

Gen 18:25Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

Gen 18:26

Gen 18:26The LORD said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

Gen 18:27

Gen 18:27Then Abraham spoke up again: “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes,

Gen 18:28

Gen 18:28what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five people?” “If I find forty-five there,” he said, “I will not destroy it.”

Gen 18:29

Gen 18:29Once again he spoke to him, “What if only forty are found there?” He said, “For the sake of forty, I will not do it.”

Gen 18:30

Gen 18:30Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?” He answered, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”

Gen 18:31

Gen 18:31Abraham said, “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?” He said, “For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it.”

Gen 18:32

Gen 18:32Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?” He answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.”

Gen 18:33

Gen 18:33When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.

See the NIV Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).

NIV Footnotes

(18:3)

Or eyes, Lord

(18:6)

That is, probably about 36 pounds or about 16 kilograms

(18:18)

Or will use his name in blessings (see 48:20)

(18:22)

Masoretic Text; an ancient Hebrew scribal tradition but the LORD remained standing before Abraham

(18:24)

Or forgive; also in verse 26

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