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Genesis 18
EasyEnglish Bible
Genesis 18
EasyEnglish Bible
God promises a son to Abraham
18 The Lord appeared to Abraham near the special oak trees of Mamre. It was the hot time of day and Abraham was sitting by the door of his tent. 2 Abraham looked up and he saw three men. He ran in a hurry to meet them. He bent down to the ground to respect them.[a]
3 Abraham said, ‘Please sir, stop here and let me serve you. That would make me very happy. 4 Let us bring some water so that you can all wash your feet. Then you can rest under this tree. 5 Let me also bring some food for you to eat. Now that you have come to my home, you should rest and become strong again. Then you will be ready to continue with your journey.’ The men replied, ‘That is good. Please do what you have said.’
6 Abraham went quickly to the tent. He said to Sarah, ‘Be quick! Get plenty of good flour and make bread with it.’ 7 Then Abraham ran to his cows. He chose a very nice young cow. He gave it to his servant. The servant quickly prepared it for the men to eat. 8 Then Abraham also brought some cream and some milk, as well as the meat from the cow. He put all the food in front of the men. While they ate it, Abraham stood near them, under a tree.
9 Then the men asked Abraham, ‘Where is Sarah, your wife?’ Abraham replied, ‘She is there in the tent.’
10 Then one of the men said, ‘I will certainly return to you at about this time next year. At that time Sarah, your wife, will have a son!’
Sarah was listening to all this. She was at the door of the tent, near to where they were talking. 11 Abraham and Sarah were now very old. Sarah was past the age when she could give birth to a child. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself. She thought, ‘I have become old and weak. My husband is also old. I will never have a baby and be happy like that.’
13 Then the Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh like that? She said, “I am too old to have a child.” 14 But surely, nothing is too difficult for the Lord to do. At this time next year, I will return to you and Sarah will have a son.’
15 Then Sarah was afraid. So she told a lie. She said, ‘I did not laugh.’ But the Lord said, ‘Yes, you did laugh.’
God decides to punish the people in Sodom
16 Then Abraham's visitors started to leave. They looked down in the valley towards Sodom. Abraham was walking with them to say ‘goodbye’ to them. 17 Then the Lord said to himself, ‘I should tell Abraham what I have decided to do. 18 Abraham's descendants will become a great nation of people. They will be very powerful. Through him, I will bless all the nations of the earth.[b] 19 I have chosen him so that he will teach my message to his children and their families. He will teach them to do what is right and what is fair. Then I, the Lord, will do for Abraham everything that I have promised to him.’
20 So the Lord said to Abraham, ‘I have heard how bad the people in Sodom and Gomorrah are. Everybody says that their sins are very bad. 21 So I must go down there to see if it is really true. I will see if those people are as bad as everybody says they are. Then I will know what is true.’
22 The other two men then turned away and they went towards Sodom. But Abraham stayed there to talk with the Lord.
23 Then Abraham went near to the Lord and he asked, ‘Will you destroy the good people as well as the bad people? 24 There might be 50 people in the city who live in a good way. Will you still destroy the whole city? Or will you leave it there, because there are 50 good people in it? 25 Will you kill them all, the good people and the bad people? Surely you would not do anything like that! You would not punish good people in the same way as bad people. You are the great judge of everyone on the earth. You will surely do what is right!’
26 The Lord replied, ‘If I see that there are 50 good people in the city of Sodom, I will not destroy that place. Because of those 50 good people, I will leave the city there.’
27 Then Abraham spoke again. He said, ‘I have been brave enough to speak to the Lord. I know that I am nothing more than dust and ashes.[c] 28 But let me ask you this. What will you do if there are 45 good people in the city? Will you destroy the city, because there are only five fewer good people there?’ The Lord replied, ‘If I see that there are 45 good people in the city, I will not destroy it.’
29 Abraham spoke to God again. He said, ‘What will you do if only 40 good people are there?’ The Lord said, ‘Because of 40 good people, I will not destroy the city.’
30 Then Abraham said, ‘Please do not be angry, Lord. Let me speak again. What will you do if there are only 30 good people there?’ The Lord answered, ‘I will not destroy the city if I find 30 good people there.’
31 Abraham said, ‘I have been brave to speak to you, Lord. What will you do if only 20 good people are there?’ The Lord said, ‘Because of 20 good people, I will not destroy the city.’
32 After all that, Abraham said, ‘Please do not be angry, Lord. Let me speak just one more time. If there are only ten good people there, what will you do?’ The Lord replied, ‘Because of ten good people, I will not destroy the city.’[d]
33 The Lord had finished speaking with Abraham. So he continued on his journey. Abraham returned home.
Footnotes
- 18:2 This was a visit from the Lord God himself, but Abraham did not know that until later in their meeting.
- 18:18 See Genesis 12:2-3.
- 18:27 Abraham said that he is not important enough to argue with the Lord God. He was only a human that God himself has made.
- 18:32 Abraham's nephew, Lot, was living in Sodom. Abraham did not want God to kill Lot and his family. This is why Abraham asked God not to kill everyone in the city.
Genesis 18
Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero
Genesis 18
Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero
Alendo Atatu a Abrahamu
18 Yehova anadza kwa Abrahamu pafupi ndi mitengo ikuluikulu ya thundu ya ku Mamre. Abrahamu nʼkuti atakhala pansi pa khoma la tenti yake masana, dzuwa likutentha. 2 Tsono Abrahamu atakweza maso ake patali anangoona anthu atatu atayima cha potero. Atawaona, ananyamuka mofulumira kuti awachingamire. Atafika anaweramitsa mutu pansi mwa ulemu nati, 3 “Ngati mwandikomera mtima, mbuye wanga, musamulambalale mtumiki wanu. 4 Ndikupatseniko timadzi pangʼono kuti nonse musambitse mapazi anu ndi kupumula pansi pa mtengo uwu. 5 Tsono ndikutengereniko kachakudya kuti mudye kuti mwina nʼkupezako mphamvu zopitirizira ulendo wanu. Inu mwafika kumalo kwa mtumiki wanu.”
Ndipo iwo anamuyankha nati, “Zikomo kwambiri, chita monga wanenera.”
6 Choncho Abrahamu anafulumira kupita kwa Sara mʼtenti nati, “Tafulumira, tenga mabeseni atatu a ufa wosalala, ukande ndi kupanga buledi.”
7 Kenaka Abrahamu anakatenga mwana wangʼombe wonenepa ndi wofewa bwino ndi kupatsa wantchito wake amene anachita changu kukonza ndiwoyo. 8 Tsono Abrahamu anatenga chambiko, mkaka ndi mwana wangʼombe wokonzedwa uja nazipereka kwa anthu aja. Alendowo akudya, Abrahamu ankawayangʼana atayimirira pansi pa mtengo.
9 Anthuwo anafunsa Abrahamu kuti, “Mkazi wako Sara ali kuti?”
Iye anati, “Ali mu tentimu.”
10 Tsono mmodzi mwa iwo anati, “Mosakayikira ndidzabweranso pa nthawi ngati yomwe ino chaka chamawa, ndipo Sara mkazi wako adzakhala ndi mwana wamwamuna.”
Koma Sara amene anali kumbuyo kwa Abrahamu pa khoma la tenti ankamva zonsezi. 11 Abrahamu ndi Sara anali okalamba kale ndipo anali ndi zaka zambiri. Sara nʼkuti atapyola kale pa msinkhu oti nʼkubereka. 12 Choncho anangoseka nati mu mtima mwake, “Kodi munthu wothayitha ngati ine ndingasangalalenso kugona pamodzi ndi mbuye wanga? Mwamuna wanga nayenso ndi wokalamba.”
13 Ndipo Yehova anati kwa Abrahamu, “Nʼchifukwa chiyani Sara anaseka nʼkumati, ‘Moti ine nʼkudzakhaladi ndi mwana mmene ndakalambiramu?’ 14 Kodi pali chimene chikhoza kumukanika Yehova? Pa nthawi yake, ngati yomwe ino chaka chamawa ndidzabweranso, ndipo Sara adzabala mwana wamwamuna.”
15 Koma Sara ndi mantha ananama nati, “Sindinaseke.”
Koma Iye anati, “Inde iwe unaseka.”
Abrahamu Apembedzera Sodomu
16 Kenaka anthu aja ananyamuka ndi kumapita, molunjika ku Sodomu. Ndipo Abrahamu anayenda nawo pamodzi kuwaperekeza. 17 Tsono Yehova anati mu mtima mwake, “Kodi ndingamubisire Abrahamu chimene ndikuti ndichite posachedwa? 18 Abrahamu adzakhaladi mtundu wa anthu waukulu ndi wamphamvu, ndipo mitundu yonse ya anthu pa dziko lapansi adzadalitsika kudzera mwa iye. 19 Pakuti ndasankha iyeyu kuti adzatsogolere ana ake ndi a pa banja lake, kuti asunge mawu a Yehova pochita zoyenera ndi zachilungamo. Choncho Yehova adzachita kwa Abrahamu chimene anamulonjeza iye.”
20 Ndipo Yehova anati kwa Abrahamu, “Kulirira Gomora kwakula ndipo tchimo lawo lafika poyipa kwambiri 21 choncho ndikuti ndipiteko ndikaone ngati zimene achita zilidi zoyipa monga mmene madandawulo andipezera Ine. Ngati sizili choncho, ndikadziwa.”
22 Anthu aja anatembenuka nʼkumapita, kulowera ku Sodomu, koma Abrahamu anali chiyimirire pamaso pa Yehova. 23 Kenaka Abrahamu anasendera kufupi ndi Iye nati, “Kodi mudzawonongera kumodzi wolungama ndi woyipa? 24 Nanga bwanji patakhala anthu makumi asanu olungama mu mzindamo? Kodi mudzawonongadi onse osausiyako mzindawo chifukwa cha anthu makumi asanu olungama omwe ali mʼmenemo? 25 Ndithu simungachite zimenezi, kupha anthu olungama pamodzi ndi oyipa. Nʼzosatheka kuti inu nʼkufananitsa olungama ndi oyipa. Kodi woweruza wa dziko lapansi nʼkulephera kuchita chilungamo?”
26 Yehova anati, “Nditapeza anthu makumi asanu olungama mu mzinda wa Sodomu, ndidzasiya malo onsewo osawawononga chifukwa cha iwo.”
27 Ndipo Abrahamu anayankhulanso nati, “Tsono poti ndalimba mtima kuyankhula ndi Ambuye, ngakhale kuti ndine fumbi ndi phulusa chabe, 28 bwanji anthu olungama atacheperapo ndi asanu pa anthu makumi asanu? Kodi mudzawononga mzinda wonse chifukwa cha asanuwo?”
Iye anati, “Nditapezamo anthu 45, sindidzawuwononga.”
29 Kenakanso anayankhula kwa Iye nati, “Bwanji atangopezekamo anthu 40 okha?”
Iye anayankha, “Chifukwa cha anthu 40 amenewa, sindidzatero.”
30 Ndipo Abrahamu anati, “Pepanitu musandipsere mtima Ambuye, koma mundilole kuti ndiyankhule. Nanga mutapezekamo anthu makumi atatu okha?”
Iye anayankha, “Sindidzatero ngati atapezekamo anthu makumi atatu.”
31 Abrahamu anati, “Tsono poti ndalimba mtima chonchi kumayankhula ndi Ambuye, bwanji atangopezeka anthu makumi awiri okha?”
Iye anati, “Chifukwa cha anthu makumi awiriwo, sindidzawuwononga.”
32 Kenaka Abrahamu anati, “Pepani Ambuye musandipsere mtima, ndingoyankhula kamodzi kokhaka basi. Bwanji atangopezeka khumi okha mʼmenemo?”
Iye anayankha nati, “Chifukwa cha khumiwo, sindidzawuwononga.”
33 Yehova atatsiriza kuyankhula ndi Abrahamu, anachoka ndipo Abrahamu anabwerera ku nyumba yake.
Genesis 18
New International Version
Genesis 18
New International Version
The Three Visitors
18 The Lord appeared to Abraham(A) near the great trees of Mamre(B) while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent(C) in the heat of the day. 2 Abraham looked up(D) and saw three men(E) standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.(F)
3 He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes,(G) my lord,[a] do not pass your servant(H) by. 4 Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet(I) and rest under this tree. 5 Let me get you something to eat,(J) 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.”
6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. “Quick,” he said, “get three seahs[b] of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread.”(K)
7 Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf(L) and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. 8 He then brought some curds(M) and milk(N) and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them.(O) While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.
9 “Where is your wife Sarah?”(P) they asked him.
“There, in the tent,(Q)” he said.
10 Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year,(R) and Sarah your wife will have a son.”(S)
Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. 11 Abraham and Sarah were already very old,(T) and Sarah was past the age of childbearing.(U) 12 So Sarah laughed(V) to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord(W) is old, will I now have this pleasure?”
13 Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’(X) 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord?(Y) I will return to you at the appointed time next year,(Z) and Sarah will have a son.”(AA)
15 Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”
But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”
Abraham Pleads for Sodom
16 When the men(AB) got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way. 17 Then the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham(AC) what I am about to do?(AD) 18 Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation,(AE) and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.[c] 19 For I have chosen him(AF), so that he will direct his children(AG) and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord(AH) by doing what is right and just,(AI) so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”(AJ)
20 Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom(AK) and Gomorrah is so great(AL) and their sin so grievous(AM) 21 that I will go down(AN) and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.”
22 The men(AO) turned away and went toward Sodom,(AP) but Abraham remained standing before the Lord.[d](AQ) 23 Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?(AR) 24 What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare[e] the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it?(AS) 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing(AT)—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous(AU) and the wicked alike.(AV) Far be it from you! Will not the Judge(AW) of all the earth do right?”(AX)
26 The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.(AY)”
27 Then 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,(AZ) 28 what 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.”
29 Once again he spoke to him, “What if only forty are found there?”
He said, “For the sake of forty, I will not do it.”
30 Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry,(BA) but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?”
He answered, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
31 Abraham 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.”
32 Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more.(BB) What if only ten can be found there?”
He answered, “For the sake of ten,(BC) I will not destroy it.”
33 When the Lord had finished speaking(BD) with Abraham, he left,(BE) and Abraham returned home.(BF)
Footnotes
- Genesis 18:3 Or eyes, Lord
- Genesis 18:6 That is, probably about 36 pounds or about 16 kilograms
- Genesis 18:18 Or will use his name in blessings (see 48:20)
- Genesis 18:22 Masoretic Text; an ancient Hebrew scribal tradition but the Lord remained standing before Abraham
- Genesis 18:24 Or forgive; also in verse 26
Genesis 18
King James Version
Genesis 18
King James Version
18 And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,
3 And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:
4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:
5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.
6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.
7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.
8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.
9 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.
10 And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
13 And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?
14 Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
16 And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
17 And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I 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?
19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
20 And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the Lord.
23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
26 And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:
28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.
29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake.
30 And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.
32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.
33 And the Lord went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.
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Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero (CCL)
The Word of God in Contemporary Chichewa Copyright © 2002, 2016 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide. Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Mwini © 2002, 2016 ndi Biblica, Inc.® Kugwiritsa ntchito mwachilolezo. Umwini ndi otetezedwa pa dziko lonse.
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