English Standard Version

Genesis 18:12-23 English Standard Version (ESV)

12. So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?”

13. The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’

14. Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.”

15. But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”

16. Then the men set out from there, and they looked down toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to set them on their way.

17. The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,

18. seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

19. For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.”

20. Then the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave,

21. I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.”

22. So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord.

23. Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?