English Standard Version ESV
The Message Bible MSG
1 And the Lord appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day.
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God appeared to Abraham at the Oaks of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent. It was the hottest part of the day.
2 He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth
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He looked up and saw three men standing. He ran from his tent to greet them and bowed before them.
3 and said, “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant.
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He said, "Master, if it please you, stop for a while with your servant.
4 Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree,
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I'll get some water so you can wash your feet. Rest under this tree.
5 while I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.”
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I'll get some food to refresh you on your way, since your travels have brought you across my path." They said, "Certainly. Go ahead."
6 And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.”
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Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. He said, "Hurry. Get three cups of our best flour; knead it and make bread."
7 And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly.
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Then Abraham ran to the cattle pen and picked out a nice plump calf and gave it to the servant who lost no time getting it ready.
8 Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate.
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Then he got curds and milk, brought them with the calf that had been roasted, set the meal before the men, and stood there under the tree while they ate.
9 They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is in the tent.”
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The men said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" He said, "In the tent."
10 The Lord said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him.
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One of them said, "I'm coming back about this time next year. When I arrive, your wife Sarah will have a son." Sarah was listening at the tent opening, just behind the man.
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah.
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Abraham and Sarah were old by this time, very old. Sarah was far past the age for having babies.
12 So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?”
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Sarah laughed within herself, "An old woman like me? Get pregnant? With this old man of a husband?"
13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’
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God said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh saying, 'Me? Have a baby? An old woman like me?'
14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.”
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Is anything too hard for God? I'll be back about this time next year and Sarah will have a baby."
15 But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
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Sarah lied. She said, "I didn't laugh," because she was afraid. But he said, "Yes you did; you laughed."
16 Then the men set out from there, and they looked down toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to set them on their way.
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When the men got up to leave, they set off for Sodom. Abraham walked with them to say good-bye.
17 The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,
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Then God said, "Shall I keep back from Abraham what I'm about to do?
18 seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
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Abraham is going to become a large and strong nation; all the nations of the world are going to find themselves blessed through him.
19 For I have chosen him, that he may command 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 to Abraham what he has promised him.”
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Yes, I've settled on him as the one to train his children and future family to observe God's way of life, live kindly and generously and fairly, so that God can complete in Abraham what he promised him."
20 Then the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave,
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God continued, "The cries of the victims in Sodom and Gomorrah are deafening; the sin of those cities is immense.
21 I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.”
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I'm going down to see for myself, see if what they're doing is as bad as it sounds. Then I'll know."
22 So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord.
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The men set out for Sodom, but Abraham stood in God's path, blocking his way.
23 Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
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Abraham confronted him, "Are you serious? Are you planning on getting rid of the good people right along with the bad?
24 Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it?
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What if there are fifty decent people left in the city; will you lump the good with the bad and get rid of the lot?
25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death 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?”
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Wouldn't you spare the city for the sake of those fifty innocents? I can't believe you'd do that, kill off the good and the bad alike as if there were no difference between them. Doesn't the Judge of all the Earth judge with justice?"
26 And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
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God said, "If I find fifty decent people in the city of Sodom, I'll spare the place just for them."
27 Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes.
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Abraham came back, "Do I, a mere mortal made from a handful of dirt, dare open my mouth again to my Master?
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.”
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What if the fifty fall short by five - would you destroy the city because of those missing five?" He said, "I won't destroy it if there are forty-five."
29 Again he spoke to him and said, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.”
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Abraham spoke up again, "What if you only find forty?" "Neither will I destroy it if for forty."
30 Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.”
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He said, "Master, don't be irritated with me, but what if only thirty are found?" "No, I won't do it if I find thirty."
31 He said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.”
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He pushed on, "I know I'm trying your patience, Master, but how about for twenty?" "I won't destroy it for twenty."
32 Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.”
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He wouldn't quit, "Don't get angry, Master - this is the last time. What if you only come up with ten?" "For the sake of only ten, I won't destroy the city."
33 And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
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When God finished talking with Abraham, he left. And Abraham went home.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.