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.”