Genesis 18

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 The LORD appeared to Abraham by the terebinth of Mamre, as he sat in the entrance of his tent, while the day was growing hot.	1 And the Lord appeared to him in the vale of Mambre as he was sitting at the door of his tent, in the very heat of the day.
2 Looking up, he saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them; and bowing to the ground,
3 he said: "Sir, if I may ask you this favor, please do not go on past your servant.	3 And when he had lifted up his eyes, there appeared to him three men standing near him: and as soon as he saw them he ran to meet them from the door of his tent, and adored down to the ground.
4 Let some water be brought, that you may bathe your feet, and then rest yourselves under the tree.	4 And he said: Lord, if I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away from thy servant:
5 Now that you have come this close 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."	5 But I will fetch a little water, and wash ye your feet, and rest ye under the tree.
6 Abraham hastened into the tent and told Sarah, "Quick, three seahs of fine flour! Knead it and make rolls."	6 And I will set a morsel of bread, and strengthen ye your heart, afterwards you shall pass on: for therefore are you come aside to your servant. And they said: Do as thou hast spoken.
7 He ran to the herd, picked out a tender, choice steer, and gave it to a servant, who quickly prepared it.	7 Abraham made haste into the tent to Sera, and said to her: Make haste, temper together three measures of flour, and make cakes upon the hearth.
8 Then he got some curds and milk, as well as the steer that had been prepared, and set these before them; and he waited on them under the tree while they ate.	8 And he himself ran to the herd, and took from thence a calf very tender and very good, and gave it to a young man: who made haste and boiled it.
9 "Where is your wife Sarah?" they asked him. "There in the tent," he replied.	9 He took also butter and milk, and the calf which he had boiled, and set before them: but he stood by them under the tree.
10 One of them said, "I will surely 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.	10 And when they had eaten, they said to him: Where is Sara thy wife? He answered: Lo, she is in the tent.
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years, and Sarah had stopped having her womanly periods.	11 And he said to him: I will return and come to thee at this time, life accompanying and Sara thy wife shall have a son. Which when Sara heard, she laughed behind the door of the tent.
12 So Sarah laughed to herself and said, "Now that I am so withered and my husband is so old, am I still to have sexual pleasure?"	12 Now they were both old, and far advanced in years, and it had ceased to be with Sara after the manner of women.
13 But the LORD said to Abraham: "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Shall I really bear a child, old as I am?'	13 And she laughed secretly, saying: After I am grown old
14 Is anything too marvelous for the LORD to do? At the appointed time, about this time next year, I will return to you, and Sarah will have a son."	14 And the Lord said to Abraham: Why did Sera laugh, saying: Shall I who am an old woman bear a child indeed ?
15 Because she was afraid, Sarah dissembled, saying, "I didn't laugh." But he said, "Yes you did."	15 Is there any thing hard to God? according to appointment I will return to thee at this same time, life accompanying, and Sara shall have a son.
16 The men set out from there and looked down toward Sodom; Abraham was walking with them, to see them on their way.	16 Sara denied, saying: I did not laugh: for she was afraid. But the Lord said, Nay: but thou didst laugh:
17 The LORD reflected: "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,	17 And when the men rose up from thence, they turned their eyes towards Sodom: and Abraham walked with them, bringing them on the way.
18 now that he is to become a great and populous nation, and all the nations of the earth are to find blessing in him?	18 And the Lord said: Can I hide from Abraham what I am about to do:
19 Indeed, I have singled him out that he may direct his sons and his posterity to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD may carry into effect for Abraham the promises he made about him."	19 Seeing he shall become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth shall be blessed?
20 Then the LORD said: "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and their sin so grave,	20 For I know that he will command his children, and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord, and do judgment and justice: that for Abraham's sake the Lord may bring to effect all the things he hath spoken unto him.
21 that I must go down and see whether or not their actions fully correspond to the cry against them that comes to me. I mean to find out."	21 And the Lord said: The cry of Sodom and Gomorrha is multiplied, and their sin is become exceedingly grievous.
22 While the two men walked on farther toward Sodom, the LORD remained standing before Abraham.	22 I will go down and see whether they have done according to the cry that is come to me: or whether it be not so, that I may know.
23 Then Abraham drew nearer to him and said: "Will you sweep away the innocent with the guilty?	23 And they turned themselves from thence, and went their way to Sodom: but Abraham as yet stood before the Lord.
24 Suppose there were fifty innocent people in the city; would you wipe out the place, rather than spare it for the sake of the fifty innocent people within it?	24 And drawing nigh he said: Wilt thou destroy the just with the wicked?
25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, to make the innocent die with the guilty, so that the innocent and the guilty would be treated alike! Should not the judge of all the world act with justice?"	25 If there be fifty just men in the city, shall they perish withal? and wilt thou not spare that place for the sake of the fifty just, if they be therein?
26 The LORD replied, "If I find fifty innocent people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake."	26 Far be it from thee to do this thing, and to slay the just with the wicked, and for the just to be in like case as the wicked, this is not beseeming thee: thou who judgest all the earth, wilt not make this judgment.
27 Abraham spoke up again: "See how I am presuming to speak to my Lord, though I am but dust and ashes!	27 And the Lord said to him: If I And in Sodom fifty just within the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.
28 What if there are five less than fifty innocent people? Will you destroy the whole city because of those five?" "I will not destroy it," he answered, "if I find forty-five there."	28 And Abraham answered, and said: Seeing I have once begun, I will speak to my Lord, whereas I am dust and ashes.
29 But Abraham persisted, saying, "What if only forty are found there?" He replied, "I will forebear doing it for the sake of the forty."	29 What if there be Ave less than fifty just persons? wilt thou for five and forty destroy the whole city? And he said: I will not destroy it, if I find five and forty.
30 Then he said, "Let not my Lord grow impatient if I go on. What if only thirty are found there?" He replied, "I will forebear doing it if I can find but thirty there."	30 And again he said to him: But if forty be found there, what wilt thou do? He said: I will not destroy it for the sake of forty.
31 Still he went on, "Since I have thus dared 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."	31 Lord, saith he, be not angry, I beseech thee, if I speak: What if thirty shall be found there? He answered: I will not do it, if I And thirty there.
32 But he still persisted: "Please, let not my Lord grow angry if I speak up this last time. What if there are at least ten there?" "For the sake of those ten," he replied, "I will not destroy it."	32 Seeing, saith he, I have once begun, I will speak to my Lord. What if twenty be found there? He said: I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.
33 The LORD departed as soon as he had finished speaking with Abraham, and Abraham returned home.	33 I beseech thee, saith he, be not angry, Lord, if I speak yet once more: What if tell should be found there ? And he said: I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.