²⁰ And the Lord said, “Because ^(A)the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their ^(B)sin is very grave, ^21 (C)I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, ^(D)I will know.”

²² Then the men turned away from there ^(E)and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. ²³ And Abraham ^(F)came near and said, ^(G)“Would You also ^(H)destroy the ^(I)righteous with the wicked? ²⁴ Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it? ²⁵ Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so ^(J)that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! ^(K)Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

²⁶ So the Lord said, ^(L)“If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.”

²⁷ Then Abraham answered and said, “Indeed now, I who am ^(M)but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: ²⁸ Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You destroy all of the city for lack of five?”

So He said, “If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it.”

²⁹ And he spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose there should be forty found there?”

So He said, “I will not do it for the sake of forty.”

³⁰ Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose thirty should be found there?”

So He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”

³¹ And he said, “Indeed now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose twenty should be found there?”

So He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.”

³² Then he said, ^(N)“Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?”

^(O)And He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.” ³³ So the Lord went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.

The Lord’s Goodness to the Faithful

A Psalm of David.

⁸ But let us who are of the day be sober, ^(A)putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. ⁹ For ^(B)God did not appoint us to wrath, ^(C)but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, ^10 (D)who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.

¹¹ Therefore ^[a]comfort each other and ^[b]edify one another, just as you also are doing.

Various Exhortations

¹² And we urge you, brethren, ^(E)to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and ^[c]admonish you, ¹³ and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. ^(F)Be at peace among yourselves.

¹⁴ Now we ^[d]exhort you, brethren, ^(G)warn those who are ^[e]unruly, ^(H)comfort the fainthearted, ^(I)uphold the weak, ^(J)be patient with all. ^15 (K)See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always ^(L)pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.

^16 (M)Rejoice always, ^17 (N)pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

^19 (O)Do not quench the Spirit. ^20 (P)Do not despise prophecies.

The Model Prayer^(A)

11 Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”

² So He said to them, “When you pray, say:

A Friend Comes at Midnight

⁵ And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; ⁶ for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; ⁷ and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? ⁸ I say to you, ^(D)though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.

Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking^(E)

^9 (F)“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; ^(G)seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. ^11 (H)If a son asks for ^[e]bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? ¹² Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? ¹³ If you then, being evil, know how to give ^(I)good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”