יהוה appeared to him by the terebinths of Mamre, and he was sitting at the entrance of the tent in the heat of the day.

He lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and he saw, and ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground.

And he said, 'Adonai, if I have found favor in your eyes, please do not pass by your servant.'

Please let a little water be taken, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.

And I will take a morsel of bread, and sustain your heart; after that you may pass, because for this you have passed by your servant.' And they said, 'So do as you have spoken.'

And Avraham hurried to the tent to Sarah, and said, 'Hurry, knead three measures of fine flour, and make cakes.'

And to the herd Avraham ran, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the young man, and he hurried to prepare it.

And he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them, and he stood by them under the tree, and they ate.

And they said to him, 'Where is Sarah, your wife?' And he said, 'Behold, she is in the tent.'

And he said, 'I will return to you at this time next year, and behold, a son for Sarah your wife.' And Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, and he was behind her.

And Avraham and Sarah were old, advanced in days; it had ceased to be with Sarah the way of women.

And Sarah laughed within herself, saying, 'After I have become old, shall I have pleasure, my Adonai being old also?'

And יהוה said to Avraham, 'Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Shall I indeed bear a child, I being old?'

Is anything too difficult for יהוה? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.'

And Sarah denied, saying, 'I did not laugh,' because she was afraid. And he said, 'No, but you did laugh.'

And the men rose from there and looked toward Sodom, and Avraham went with them to send them off.

And יהוה said, 'Shall I hide from Avraham what I am doing?

For Avraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him.

For I have known him, so that he may command his children and his household after him, and they may keep the way of יהוה, to do righteousness and justice, so that יהוה may bring upon Avraham what he has spoken concerning him.'

And יהוה said, 'The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is very great, and their sin is very grave.'

I will go down now and see if they have done altogether according to its outcry which has come to me, and if not, I will know.'

And the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Avraham still stood before יהוה.

And Avraham drew near and said, 'Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

Suppose there are fifty righteous people in the city; will you indeed sweep away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people who are in its midst?

Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be it from you! Shall the Judge of all the earth not do justice?'

And יהוה said, 'If I find in Sodom fifty righteous people in the midst of the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake.'

And Avraham answered and said, 'Behold, I have ventured to speak to Adonai, I who am dust and ashes.'

Suppose the fifty righteous are lacking by five; will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?' And he said, 'I will not destroy if I find forty-five there.'

And he spoke to him again and said, 'Suppose forty are found there.' And he said, 'I will not do it for the sake of forty.'

And he said, 'Please do not let Adonai be angry, and let me speak. Suppose thirty are found there.' And he said, 'I will not do it if I find thirty there.'

And he said, 'Behold, I have ventured to speak to Adonai. Suppose twenty are found there.' And he said, 'I will not destroy for the sake of twenty.'

And he said, 'Please do not let Adonai be angry, and let me speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there.' And he said, 'I will not destroy for the sake of ten.'

And יהוה went, when he had finished speaking to Avraham, and Avraham returned to his place.