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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>Genesis 18 New American Bible</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/genesis/18.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmcc/genesis/18-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com/catholic">Bible</a> > <a href="../">NABRE</a> > Genesis 18</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../genesis/17.htm" title="Genesis 17">◄</a> Genesis 18 <a href="../genesis/19.htm" title="Genesis 19">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">New American Bible Revised Edition</td><td width="1%" valign="top"></td></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><section id="ch01018" class="chapter"> <h1 id="cn01018" class="cn"></h1> <p class="pf"><span class="hemb">Abraham’s Visitors.</span> <span id="v01018001" class="ver">1</span><a id="rfn01018001-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn01018001-1">*</a> The <span class="tetr">Lord</span> appeared to Abraham by the oak of Mamre, as he sat in the entrance of his tent, while the day was growing hot. <span id="v01018002" class="ver">2</span>Looking up, he saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them; and bowing to the ground,<a id="ren01018002-a" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en01018002-a">a</a> <span id="v01018003" class="ver">3</span>he said: “Sir,<a id="rfn01018003-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn01018003-1">*</a> if it please you, do not go on past your servant. <span id="v01018004" class="ver">4</span>Let some water be brought, that you may bathe your feet, and then rest under the tree. <span id="v01018005" class="ver">5</span>Now that you have come to your servant, let me bring you a little food, that you may refresh yourselves; and afterward you may go on your way.” “Very well,” they replied, “do as you have said.”</p> <p><span id="v01018006" class="ver">6</span>Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick, three measures<a id="rfn01018006-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn01018006-1">*</a> of bran flour! Knead it and make bread.” <span id="v01018007" class="ver">7</span>He ran to the herd, picked out a tender, choice calf, and gave it to a servant, who quickly prepared it. <span id="v01018008" class="ver">8</span>Then he got some curds<a id="rfn01018008-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn01018008-1">*</a> and milk, as well as the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them, waiting on them under the tree while they ate.</p> <p><span id="v01018009" class="ver">9</span>“Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him. “There in the tent,” he replied. <span id="v01018010" class="ver">10</span>One of them<a id="rfn01018010-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn01018010-1">*</a> said, “I will return to you about this time next year, and Sarah will then have a son.” Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, just behind him.<a id="ren01018010-b" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en01018010-b">b</a> <span id="v01018011" class="ver">11</span>Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years, and Sarah had stopped having her menstrual periods.<a id="ren01018011-c" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en01018011-c">c</a> <span id="v01018012" class="ver">12</span>So Sarah laughed<a id="rfn01018012-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn01018012-1">*</a> to herself and said, “Now that I am worn out and my husband is old, am I still to have sexual pleasure?” <span id="v01018013" class="ver">13</span>But the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> said to Abraham: “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really bear a child, old as I am?’ <span id="v01018014" class="ver">14</span>Is anything too marvelous for the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> to do? At the appointed time, about this time next year, I will return to you, and Sarah will have a son.”<a id="ren01018014-d" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en01018014-d">d</a> <span id="v01018015" class="ver">15</span>Sarah lied, saying, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid. But he said, “Yes, you did.”</p> <p class="psec"><span class="hemb">Abraham Intercedes for Sodom.</span> <span id="v01018016" class="ver">16</span>With Abraham walking with them to see them on their way, the men set out from there and looked down toward Sodom. <span id="v01018017" class="ver">17</span>The <span class="tetr">Lord</span> considered: Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, <span id="v01018018" class="ver">18</span>now that he is to become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth are to find blessing in him?<a id="ren01018018-e" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en01018018-e">e</a> <span id="v01018019" class="ver">19</span>Indeed, I have singled him out that he may direct his children and his household in the future to keep the way of the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> by doing what is right and just, so that the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> may put into effect for Abraham the promises he made about him. <span id="v01018020" class="ver">20</span><a id="ren01018020-f" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en01018020-f">f</a> So the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> said: The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and their sin so grave,<a id="rfn01018020-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn01018020-1">*</a> <span id="v01018021" class="ver">21</span>that I must go down to see whether or not their actions are as bad as the cry against them that comes to me. I mean to find out.</p> <p><span id="v01018022" class="ver">22</span>As the men turned and walked on toward Sodom, Abraham remained standing before the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>. <span id="v01018023" class="ver">23</span>Then Abraham drew near and said: “Will you really sweep away the righteous with the wicked? <span id="v01018024" class="ver">24</span>Suppose there were fifty righteous people in the city; would you really sweep away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people within it? <span id="v01018025" class="ver">25</span>Far be it from you to do 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! Should not the judge of all the world do what is just?”<a id="ren01018025-g" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en01018025-g">g</a> <span id="v01018026" class="ver">26</span>The <span class="tetr">Lord</span> replied: If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake. <span id="v01018027" class="ver">27</span>Abraham spoke up again: “See how I am presuming to speak to my Lord, though I am only dust and ashes!<a id="ren01018027-h" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en01018027-h">h</a> <span id="v01018028" class="ver">28</span>What if there are five less than fifty righteous people? Will you destroy the whole city because of those five?” I will not destroy it, he answered, if I find forty-five there. <span id="v01018029" class="ver">29</span>But Abraham persisted, saying, “What if only forty are found there?” He replied: I will refrain from doing it for the sake of the forty. <span id="v01018030" class="ver">30</span>Then he said, “Do not let my Lord be angry if I go on. What if only thirty are found there?” He replied: I will refrain from doing it if I can find thirty there. <span id="v01018031" class="ver">31</span>Abraham went on, “Since I have thus presumed to speak to my Lord, what if there are no more than twenty?” I will not destroy it, he answered, for the sake of the twenty. <span id="v01018032" class="ver">32</span>But he persisted: “Please, do not let my Lord be angry if I speak up this last time. What if ten are found there?” For the sake of the ten, he replied, I will not destroy it.<a id="ren01018032-i" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en01018032-i">i</a></p> <p><span id="v01018033" class="ver">33</span>The <span class="tetr">Lord</span> departed as soon as he had finished speaking with Abraham, and Abraham returned home.</p> </section> <br /><h1 class="cn"><a class="xref" href="intro.htm"><span class="ac">Book Introduction</span></a></h1><h1 class="cn"><a class="xref" href="footnotes.htm"><span class="ac">Footnotes</span></a></h1></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the <i>New American Bible, revised edition</i> © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span></div></div></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="../genesis/17.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Genesis 17"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Genesis 17" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../genesis/19.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Genesis 19"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Genesis 19" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhchap.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>