²⁹ So when God destroyed the cities of the plain,^(A) he remembered^(B) Abraham, and he brought Lot out of the catastrophe^(C) that overthrew the cities where Lot had lived.^(D)

⁵ It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity^(A) that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness^(B) of these nations,^(C) the Lord your God will drive them out^(D) before you, to accomplish what he swore^(E) to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.^(F)

8 But God remembered^(A) Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth,^(B) and the waters receded.

²³ Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?^{(A) 24} What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare^[a] the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it?^{(B) 25} Far be it from you to do such a thing^(C)—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous^(D) and the wicked alike.^(E) Far be it from you! Will not the Judge^(F) of all the earth do right?”^(G)

²⁶ The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.^(H)”

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,^{(I) 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,^(J) 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.^(K) What if only ten can be found there?”

He answered, “For the sake of ten,^(L) I will not destroy it.”

³³ When the Lord had finished speaking^(M) with Abraham, he left,^(N) and Abraham returned home.^(O)

⁷ and if he rescued Lot,^(A) a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless^(B)

³¹ Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices.^{(A) 32} I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign Lord. Be ashamed^(B) and disgraced for your conduct, people of Israel!^(C)