Genesis 18
1 The Lord appeared to Abraham at the oaks of Mamre. Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent as the day became really hot.
耶和華在幔利橡樹那裏向亞伯拉罕顯現出來。那時正熱，亞伯拉罕坐在帳棚門口，
2 He looked up and all of a sudden he saw three men standing there. As soon as he saw them, he ran over to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
舉目觀看，見有三個人在對面站着。他一見，就從帳棚門口跑去迎接他們，俯伏在地，
3 He said, “Sir, if you please, don't continue your journey without spending some time here with me, your servant.
說：「我主，我若在你眼前蒙恩，求你不要離開僕人往前去。
4 Let me have some water brought so you can wash your feet and rest under the tree.
容我拿點水來，你們洗洗腳，在樹下歇息歇息。
5 Also let me bring some food so you can get your strength back before you go on your way, now that you've come to visit me here.” “That would be fine,” they answered. “Please do as you've suggested.”
我再拿一點餅來，你們可以加添心力，然後往前去。你們既到僕人這裏來，理當如此。」他們說：「就照你說的行吧。」
6 Abraham hurried back to the tent and told Sarah, “Quick! Make some bread using three large measures of the best flour. Knead the dough and bake the bread.”
亞伯拉罕急忙進帳棚見撒拉，說：「你速速拿三細亞細麵調和做餅。」
7 Then Abraham ran to the cattle herd and chose a good, young calf and gave it to his servant who quickly killed and cooked it.
亞伯拉罕又跑到牛群裏，牽了一隻又嫩又好的牛犢來，交給僕人，僕人急忙預備好了。
8 Then he took some yogurt, milk, and the cooked meat, and placed the food in front of them. He stood nearby under a tree while they ate.
亞伯拉罕又取了奶油和奶，並預備好的牛犢來，擺在他們面前，自己在樹下站在旁邊，他們就吃了。
9 “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him. “Over there, inside the tent,” he replied.
他們問亞伯拉罕說：「你妻子撒拉在哪裏？」他說：「在帳棚裏。」
10 Then one said, “I promise you that I will come back to visit you about this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son.” Sarah was listening, hiding just inside the entrance to the tent behind him.
三人中有一位說：「到明年這時候，我必要回到你這裏；你的妻子撒拉必生一個兒子。」撒拉在那人後邊的帳棚門口也聽見了這話。
11 Abraham and Sarah were old, getting on in years. Sarah was well past the age of having children.
亞伯拉罕和撒拉年紀老邁，撒拉的月經已斷絕了。
12 Sarah was laughing inside, saying to herself, “Now that I'm old and worn out, how would I experience pleasure? My husband is old too!”
撒拉心裏暗笑，說：「我既已衰敗，我主也老邁，豈能有這喜事呢？」
13 The Lord asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and ask, ‘How could it possibly be true that I'll have a child now I'm so old?’
耶和華對亞伯拉罕說：「撒拉為甚麼暗笑，說：『我既已年老，果真能生養嗎？』
14 Is anything too difficult for the Lord to do? I will come back next year when I said I would, in the spring, and Sarah will have a son.”
耶和華豈有難成的事嗎？到了日期，明年這時候，我必回到你這裏，撒拉必生一個兒子。」
15 Sarah denied it because she was afraid, claiming, “I didn't laugh.” “Yes, you did laugh,” the Lord replied.
撒拉就害怕，不承認，說：「我沒有笑。」那位說：「不然，你實在笑了。」
16 Then the men left. They looked down on Sodom and headed in that direction. Abraham accompanied them part of the way.
三人就從那裏起行，向所多瑪觀看，亞伯拉罕也與他們同行，要送他們一程。
17 Then the Lord said, “Should I keep from Abraham what I'm going to do?
耶和華說：「我所要做的事豈可瞞着亞伯拉罕呢？
18 Abraham will definitely become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations on earth will be blessed through him.
亞伯拉罕必要成為強大的國；地上的萬國都必因他得福。
19 I've chosen him so that he will teach his sons and their families to follow the way of the Lord by doing what is right and good, so that I, the Lord, can do for Abraham what I promised.”
我眷顧他，為要叫他吩咐他的眾子和他的眷屬遵守我的道，秉公行義，使我所應許亞伯拉罕的話都成就了。」
20 Then the Lord said, “There are many complaints made against Sodom and Gomorrah because they sin so blatantly.
耶和華說：「所多瑪和蛾摩拉的罪惡甚重，聲聞於我。
21 I ‘m going to see if these complaints that have reached me are completely true. I'll know if they're not.”
我現在要下去，察看他們所行的，果然盡像那達到我耳中的聲音一樣嗎？若是不然，我也必知道。」
22 The two men turned and went towards Sodom, but the Lord stayed there with Abraham.
二人轉身離開那裏，向所多瑪去；但亞伯拉罕仍舊站在耶和華面前。
23 Abraham came to him and asked: “Are you really going to wipe out the good people along with the wicked?
亞伯拉罕近前來，說：「無論善惡，你都要剿滅嗎？
24 What if there are fifty good people in the town? Are you still going to wipe it out despite the fifty good people there?
假若那城裏有五十個義人，你還剿滅那地方嗎？不為城裏這五十個義人饒恕其中的人嗎？
25 No, you can't do something like that! You can't kill the good with the wicked, otherwise you would be treating the good and the wicked in the same way. You can't do that! Isn't the Judge of all the earth going to do the right thing?”
將義人與惡人同殺，將義人與惡人一樣看待，這斷不是你所行的。審判全地的主豈不行公義嗎？」
26 “If I find fifty good people in Sodom, I'll spare the whole town because of them,” the Lord replied.
耶和華說：「我若在所多瑪城裏見有五十個義人，我就為他們的緣故饒恕那地方的眾人。」
27 “Since I've started, let me go on speaking to my Lord, even though I'm nothing but dust and ashes,” Abraham continued.
亞伯拉罕說：「我雖然是灰塵，還敢對主說話。
28 “What if there are forty-five good people, just five less? Are you still going to wipe out the whole town just because there are five fewer people?” “I won't destroy it if I find forty-five,” the Lord replied.
假若這五十個義人短了五個，你就因為短了五個毀滅全城嗎？」他說：「我在那裏若見有四十五個，也不毀滅那城。」
29 Abraham spoke up again and he asked the Lord, “What if only forty can be found?” “I won't do it for the sake of the forty,” the Lord replied.
亞伯拉罕又對他說：「假若在那裏見有四十個怎麼樣呢？」他說：「為這四十個的緣故，我也不做這事。」
30 “My Lord, please don't get angry with me,” Abraham went on. “Let me ask this—what if only thirty were found?” “I won't do it if I find thirty,” the Lord replied.
亞伯拉罕說：「求主不要動怒，容我說，假若在那裏見有三十個怎麼樣呢？」他說：「我在那裏若見有三十個，我也不做這事。」
31 “I admit I've been very bold to speak to my Lord like this,” Abraham said. “What if only twenty are found there?” “I won't do it for the sake of the twenty,” the Lord replied.
亞伯拉罕說：「我還敢對主說話，假若在那裏見有二十個怎麼樣呢？」他說：「為這二十個的緣故，我也不毀滅那城。」
32 “Please don't get angry with me, my Lord,” Abraham said. “Just let me ask one more thing. What if only ten are found there?” “I won't destroy it for the sake of the ten,” the Lord replied.
亞伯拉罕說：「求主不要動怒，我再說這一次，假若在那裏見有十個呢？」他說：「為這十個的緣故，我也不毀滅那城。」
33 The Lord left once he had finished speaking with Abraham, and Abraham went home.
耶和華與亞伯拉罕說完了話就走了；亞伯拉罕也回到自己的地方去了。
