Genesis 12

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you.	1 The LORD said to Abram: "Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father's house to a land that I will show you.
2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.	2 "I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who curses you I will curse; and by you all the families of the earth shall bless themselves. "	3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the communities of the earth shall find blessing in you."
4 So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-fiveyears old when he departed from Haran.	4 Abram went as the LORD directed him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.
5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions which they had gathered, and the persons that they had gotten in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they had come to the land of Canaan,	5 Abram took his wife Sarai, his brother's son Lot, all the possessions that they had accumulated, and the persons they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan,
6 Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land.	6 Abram passed through the land as far as the sacred place at Shechem, by the terebinth of Moreh. (The Canaanites were then in the land.)
7 Then the LORD appeared to Abram, and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." So he built there an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him.	7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." So Abram built an altar there to the LORD who had appeared to him.
8 Thence he removed to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.	8 From there he moved on to the hill country east of Bethel, pitching his tent with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. He built an altar there to the LORD and invoked the LORD by name.
9 And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the Negeb.	9 Then Abram journeyed on by stages to the Negeb.
10 Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land.	10 There was famine in the land; so Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, since the famine in the land was severe.
11 When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, "I know that you are a woman beautiful to behold;	11 When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai: "I know well how beautiful a woman you are.
12 and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife'; then they will kill me, but they will let you live.	12 When the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'She is his wife'; then they will kill me, but let you live.
13 Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared on your account."	13 Please say, therefore, that you are my sister, so that it may go well with me on your account and my life may be spared for your sake."
14 When Abram entered Egypt the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.	14 When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw how beautiful the woman was; and when Pharaoh's courtiers saw her,
15 And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.	15 they praised her to Pharaoh. So she was taken into Pharaoh's palace.
16 And for her sake he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep, oxen, he-asses, menservants, maidservants, she-asses, and camels.	16 On her account it went very well with Abram, and he received flocks and herds, male and female slaves, male and female asses, and camels.
17 But the LORD afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife.	17 But the LORD struck Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Abram's wife Sarai.
18 So Pharaoh called Abram, and said, "What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?	18 Then Pharaoh summoned Abram and said to him: "How could you do this to me! Why didn't you tell me she was your wife?
19 Why did you say, 'She is my sister,' so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife, take her, and be gone."	19 Why did you say, 'She is my sister,' so that I took her for my wife? Here, then, is your wife. Take her and be gone!"
20 And Pharaoh gave men orders concerning him; and they set him on the way, with his wife and all that he had.	20 Then Pharaoh gave men orders concerning him, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and all that belonged to him.