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Sabato, 4 maggio 2024 - San Ciriaco ( Letture di oggi)

Genesis 18


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NEW AMERICAN BIBLENEW JERUSALEM
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 Yahweh appeared to him at the Oak of Mamre while he was sitting by the entrance of the tent duringthe hottest part 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,2 He looked up, and there he saw three men standing near him. As soon as he saw them he ran fromthe entrance of the tent to greet them, and bowed to the ground.
3 he said: "Sir, if I may ask you this favor, please do not go on past your servant.3 'My lord,' he said, 'if I find favour with you, please do not pass your servant by.
4 Let some water be brought, that you may bathe your feet, and then rest yourselves under the tree.4 Let me have a little water brought, and you can wash your feet and have a rest under the tree.
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 Let me fetch a little bread and you can refresh yourselves before going further, now that you havecome in your servant's direction.' They replied, 'Do as you say.'
6 Abraham hastened into the tent and told Sarah, "Quick, three seahs of fine flour! Knead it and make rolls."6 Abraham hurried to the tent and said to Sarah, 'Quick, knead three measures of best flour and makeloaves.'
7 He ran to the herd, picked out a tender, choice steer, and gave it to a servant, who quickly prepared it.7 Then, running to the herd, Abraham took a fine and tender calf and gave it to the servant, who hurriedto prepare it.
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 Then taking curds, milk and the calf which had been prepared, he laid al before them, and they atewhile he remained standing near them under the tree.
9 "Where is your wife Sarah?" they asked him. "There in the tent," he replied.9 'Where is your wife Sarah?' they asked him. 'She is in the tent,' he replied.
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 Then his guest said, 'I shal come back to you next year, and then your wife Sarah will have a son.'Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent behind him.
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years, and Sarah had stopped having her womanly periods.11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, wel on in years, and Sarah had ceased to have her monthlyperiods.
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 So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, 'Now that I am past the age of childbearing, and my husbandis an old man, is pleasure to come my way again?'
13 But the LORD said to Abraham: "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Shall I really bear a child, old as I am?'13 But Yahweh asked Abraham, 'Why did Sarah laugh and say, "Am I real y going to have a child nowthat I am 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 Nothing is impossible for Yahweh. I shal come back to you at the same time next year and Sarahwil have a son.'
15 Because she was afraid, Sarah dissembled, saying, "I didn't laugh." But he said, "Yes you did."15 Sarah said, 'I did not laugh,' lying because she was afraid. But he replied, 'Oh yes, you did laugh.'
16 The men set out from there and looked down toward Sodom; Abraham was walking with them, to see them on their way.16 From there the men set out and arrived within sight of Sodom, with Abraham accompanying them tospeed them on their way.
17 The LORD reflected: "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,17 Now Yahweh had wondered, 'Shall I conceal from Abraham what I am going to do,
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 as Abraham wil become a great and powerful nation and al nations on earth wil bless themselvesby him?
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 For I have singled him out to command his sons and his family after him to keep the way of Yahwehby doing what is upright and just, so that Yahweh can carry out for Abraham what he has promised him.'
20 Then the LORD said: "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and their sin so grave,20 Then Yahweh said, 'The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin is so grave,
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 that I shal go down and see whether or not their actions are at all as the outcry reaching me wouldsuggest. Then I shal know.'
22 While the two men walked on farther toward Sodom, the LORD remained standing before Abraham.22 While the men left there and went to Sodom, Yahweh remained in Abraham's presence.
23 Then Abraham drew nearer to him and said: "Will you sweep away the innocent with the guilty?23 Abraham stepped forward and said, 'Wil you really destroy the upright with the guilty?
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 Suppose there are fifty upright people in the city. Wil you really destroy it? Wil you not spare theplace for the sake of the fifty upright in it?
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 Do not think of doing such a thing: to put the upright to death with the guilty, so that upright and guiltyfare alike! Is the judge of the whole world not to act justly?'
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 Yahweh replied, 'If I find fifty upright people in the city of Sodom, I wil spare the whole placebecause of them.'
27 Abraham spoke up again: "See how I am presuming to speak to my Lord, though I am but dust and ashes!27 Abraham spoke up and said, 'It is presumptuous of me to speak to the Lord, I who am dust andashes:
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 Suppose the fifty upright were five short? Would you destroy the whole city because of five?' 'No,' hereplied, 'I shal not destroy it if I find forty-five there.'
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 Abraham persisted and said, 'Suppose there are forty to be found there?' 'I shal not do it,' he replied,'for the sake of the 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 Abraham said, 'I hope the Lord wil not be angry if I go on: Suppose there are only thirty to be foundthere?' 'I shall not do it,' he replied, 'if I find thirty there.'
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 He said, 'It is presumptuous of me to speak to the Lord: Suppose there are only twenty there?' 'I shallnot destroy it,' he replied, 'for the sake of the twenty.'
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 He said, 'I trust my Lord wil not be angry if I speak once more: perhaps there wil only be ten.' 'I shalnot destroy it,' he replied, 'for the sake of the ten.'
33 The LORD departed as soon as he had finished speaking with Abraham, and Abraham returned home.33 When he had finished talking to Abraham Yahweh went away, and Abraham returned home.