Genesis 18:16-33
New American Standard Bible
16 Then (A)the men rose up from there, and looked down toward Sodom; and Abraham was walking with them to send them off. 17 (B)The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham (C)what I am about to do, 18 since Abraham will certainly become a great and [a]mighty nation, and in him (D)all the nations of the earth will be blessed? 19 For I have [b](E)chosen him, so that he may (F)command his children and his household after him to (G)keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring upon Abraham (H)what He has spoken about him.” 20 And the Lord said, “(I)The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave. 21 I will (J)go down now and see whether they have done entirely as the outcry, which has come to Me indicates; and if not, I will know.”
Abraham Appeals for Sodom
22 Then (K)the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham was still standing before (L)the Lord. 23 Abraham approached and said, “(M)Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there are fifty righteous people within the city; will You indeed sweep it away and not [c]spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it? 25 Far be it from You to do [d]such a thing, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not (N)the Judge of all the earth [e]deal justly?” 26 So the Lord said, “(O)If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will [f]spare the entire place on their account.” 27 And Abraham replied, “Now behold, I have [g]ventured to speak to the Lord, although I am only (P)dust and ashes. 28 Suppose the fifty righteous are lacking five, will You destroy the entire city because of five?” And He said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” 29 And he spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose forty are found there?” And He said, “I will not do it on account of the forty.” 30 Then he said, “Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak; suppose thirty are found there?” And He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.” 31 And he said, “Now behold, I have [h]ventured to speak to the Lord; suppose twenty are found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it on account of the twenty.” 32 Then he said, “(Q)Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak only this once: suppose ten are found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it on account of the ten.” 33 As soon as He had finished speaking to Abraham (R)the Lord departed, and Abraham returned to his place.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Genesis 18:18 Or populous
- Genesis 18:19 Lit known
- Genesis 18:24 Or forgive
- Genesis 18:25 Lit like this thing
- Genesis 18:25 Lit do justice
- Genesis 18:26 Or forgive
- Genesis 18:27 Or resolved
- Genesis 18:31 Or resolved
Genesis 18:16-33
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Judgment Pronounced on Sodom
16 Then the men set out from there, and they looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to set them on their way. 17 The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, 18 seeing that Abraham shall become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?[a](A) 19 No, for I have chosen[b] him, that he may charge 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 about for Abraham what he has promised him.”(B) 20 Then the Lord said, “How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin!(C) 21 I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me, and if not, I will know.”(D)
22 So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the Lord.[c](E) 23 Then Abraham came near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?(F) 24 Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty righteous who are in it?(G) 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous 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?”(H) 26 And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake.” 27 Abraham answered, “Let me take it upon myself to speak to my lord, I who am but dust and ashes.(I) 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.” 29 Again he spoke to him, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.” 30 Then he said, “Oh, do not let my lord be angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” 31 He said, “Let me take it upon myself to speak to my lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.” 32 Then he said, “Oh, do not let my lord be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.”(J) 33 And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
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New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.