Genesis

And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;

1The LORD came to Abraham near the big trees of Mamre. Abraham was sitting in his tent door in the hot part of the day.

2And 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,

2He looked up and saw three men standing nearby. He ran from the tent door to meet them. He bowed down low, with his face toward the ground.

3And said, My LORD, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:

3He said, "My lord, if you are pleased with me, please stay. Do not pass by your servant."

4Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:

4"Let someone bring a little water. Wash your feet and rest under the tree."

5And 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.

5"I will bring you some bread to make you feel strong again. After that you can go on your way. That is why you came by my home." They said, "Yes. Do what you said."

6And 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.

6Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. He said, "Quick! Take three big scoops of our best flour. Mix it and bake bread."

Note"Three measures of fine meal" means about twenty quarts of good flour. "Meal" is an old word for ground-up grain, which we call flour. That much flour makes a lot of bread.

7And 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.

7Abraham ran out to his cows. He picked a young calf that was soft and good. He gave it to a servant, who hurried to cook it.

8And 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.

8Then he brought thick milk, fresh milk, and the cooked meat. He set the food in front of the men. He stood near them under the tree while they ate.

NoteThe KJV says "butter," but it means thick, soured milk, more like yogurt than the butter we spread on toast.

9And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

9They asked him, "Where is your wife Sarah?" He said, "She is in the tent."

10And 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.

10One of them said, "I will come back about this time next year. Then your wife Sarah will have a son." Sarah was behind him, listening at the tent door.

11Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

11Abraham and Sarah were both very old. Sarah was past the age when women have babies.

12Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?

12So Sarah laughed quietly inside herself. She thought, "I am worn out, and my husband is old too. Could I really have such a happy thing now?"

13And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?

13The LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh? She said, 'Can I really have a baby when I am so old?'"

14Is 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.

14"Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will come back at the right time, about a year from now. And Sarah will have a son."

15Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.

15Sarah was scared, so she said, "I did not laugh." He said, "No. You did laugh."

16And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.

16The men got up to leave and looked out toward the city of Sodom. Abraham walked along with them to send them off.

17And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;

17The LORD said, "Should I keep my plan a secret from Abraham?"

18Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

18"Abraham will become a great and strong nation. Every nation on earth will be blessed through him."

19For 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.

19"I have chosen him. He will teach his children and everyone in his house. They will follow the LORD's way and do what is right and fair. Then the LORD will give Abraham what he promised him."

20And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;

20Then the LORD said, "People are crying out about Sodom and Gomorrah. The wrong things those cities do are very bad."

21I 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.

21"I will go down and look. I want to see if they are as bad as the crying says. If they are not, I will know that too."

22And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.

22The men turned and walked on toward Sodom. But Abraham stayed standing in front of the LORD.

23And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

23Abraham came closer and said, "Will you destroy good people along with bad people?"

24Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?

24"What if there are fifty good people in the city? Will you still wipe it out? Would you not save the place for those fifty?"

NoteThe KJV word "peradventure" is not a scary word. It just means "what if" or "suppose." Abraham uses it each time he asks his question again.

25That 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?

25"You would never do such a thing. You would not kill good people along with bad people. That would treat the good and the bad the same way. You would never do that. The Judge of the whole earth will do what is right, won't he?"

26And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

26The LORD said, "If I find fifty good people in Sodom, I will spare the whole city because of them."

27And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD, which am but dust and ashes:

27Abraham said, "I have dared to speak to the Lord, and I am only dust and ashes. Still, let me ask again."

28Peradventure 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.

28"What if the fifty good people are five short? Will you destroy the whole city because five are missing?" He said, "If I find forty-five there, I will not destroy it."

29And 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.

29Abraham spoke to him again. "What if only forty are found there?" He said, "For the sake of the forty, I will not do it."

30And 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.

30Abraham said, "Please do not be angry, Lord. Let me speak again. What if only thirty are found there?" He said, "If I find thirty, I will not do it."

31And 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.

31Abraham said, "I have dared to speak to the Lord again. What if only twenty are found there?" He said, "For the sake of the twenty, I will not destroy it."

32And 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.

32Abraham said, "Please do not be angry, Lord. Let me speak just one more time. What if only ten are found there?" He said, "For the sake of the ten, I will not destroy it."

33And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

33When the LORD finished talking with Abraham, he went on his way. And Abraham went back home.