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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" /><title>Genesis 18 NLT</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="../topmenuchap/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">Bible</a> > <a href="../">NLT</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 Living Translation</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/nlt/esv/genesis/18.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></td></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="hdg">A Son Is Promised to Sarah</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>The LORD appeared again to Abraham near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. One day Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest part of the day. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>He looked up and noticed three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran to meet them and welcomed them, bowing low to the ground.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>“My lord,” he said, “if it pleases you, stop here for a while. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>Rest in the shade of this tree while water is brought to wash your feet. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>And since you’ve honored your servant with this visit, let me prepare some food to refresh you before you continue on your journey.”</p><p class="reg">“All right,” they said. “Do as you have said.”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>So Abraham ran back to the tent and said to Sarah, “Hurry! Get three large measures<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">a</span></a> of your best flour, knead it into dough, and bake some bread.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>Then Abraham ran out to the herd and chose a tender calf and gave it to his servant, who quickly prepared it. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>When the food was ready, Abraham took some yogurt and milk and the roasted meat, and he served it to the men. As they ate, Abraham waited on them in the shade of the trees.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>“Where is Sarah, your wife?” the visitors asked.</p><p class="reg">“She’s inside the tent,” Abraham replied.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>Then one of them said, “I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!”</p><p class="reg">Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>Abraham and Sarah were both very old by this time, and Sarah was long past the age of having children. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>So she laughed silently to herself and said, “How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master—my husband—is also so old?”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>Then the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>Sarah was afraid, so she denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh.”</p><p class="reg">But the LORD said, “No, you did laugh.”</p><p class="hdg">Abraham Intercedes for Sodom</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>Then the men got up from their meal and looked out toward Sodom. As they left, Abraham went with them to send them on their way.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>“Should I hide my plan from Abraham?” the LORD asked. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>“For Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just. Then I will do for Abraham all that I have promised.”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>So the LORD told Abraham, “I have heard a great outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah, because their sin is so flagrant. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>I am going down to see if their actions are as wicked as I have heard. If not, I want to know.”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>The other men turned and headed toward Sodom, but the LORD remained with Abraham. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>Abraham approached him and said, “Will you sweep away both the righteous and the wicked? <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>Suppose you find fifty righteous people living there in the city—will you still sweep it away and not spare it for their sakes? <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>Surely you wouldn’t do such a thing, destroying the righteous along with the wicked. Why, you would be treating the righteous and the wicked exactly the same! Surely you wouldn’t do that! Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>And the LORD replied, “If I find fifty righteous people in Sodom, I will spare the entire city for their sake.”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>Then Abraham spoke again. “Since I have begun, let me speak further to my Lord, even though I am but dust and ashes. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>Suppose there are only forty-five righteous people rather than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?”</p><p class="reg">And the LORD said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five righteous people there.”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>Then Abraham pressed his request further. “Suppose there are only forty?”</p><p class="reg">And the LORD replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the forty.”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>“Please don’t be angry, my Lord,” Abraham pleaded. “Let me speak—suppose only thirty righteous people are found?”</p><p class="reg">And the LORD replied, “I will not destroy it if I find thirty.”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span>Then Abraham said, “Since I have dared to speak to the Lord, let me continue—suppose there are only twenty?”</p><p class="reg">And the LORD replied, “Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span>Finally, Abraham said, “Lord, please don’t be angry with me if I speak one more time. Suppose only ten are found there?”</p><p class="reg">And the LORD replied, “Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/18-33.htm"><b>33</b></a></span>When the LORD had finished his conversation with Abraham, he went on his way, and Abraham returned to his tent.</p><A name="footnotes"></a><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="fn">a</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">18:6 </span><span class="ft">Hebrew </span><span class="it">3 seahs,</span><span class="ft"> about half a bushel or 22 liters.</span><br></span></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center"><em>Holy Bible</em>, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of <a href="http://www.tyndale.com">Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.</a>, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. 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