Genesis 18:23-32

New English Translation

²³ Abraham approached and said, “Will you really sweep away the godly along with the wicked? ²⁴ What if there are fifty godly people in the city? Will you really wipe it out and not spare^[a] the place for the sake of the fifty godly people who are in it? ²⁵ Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the godly with the wicked, treating the godly and the wicked alike! Far be it from you! Will not the judge^[b] of the whole earth do what is right?”^[c]

²⁶ So the Lord replied, “If I find in the city of Sodom fifty godly people, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

²⁷ Then Abraham asked, “Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord^[d] (although I am but dust and ashes),^{[e] 28} what if there are five less than the fifty godly people? Will you destroy^[f] the whole city because five are lacking?”^[g] He replied, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”

²⁹ Abraham^[h] spoke to him again,^[i] “What if forty are found there?” He replied, “I will not do it for the sake of the forty.”

³⁰ Then Abraham^[j] said, “May the Lord not be angry^[k] so that I may speak!^[l] What if thirty are found there?” He replied, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”

³¹ Abraham^[m] said, “Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty are found there?” He replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”

³² Finally Abraham^[n] said, “May the Lord not be angry so that I may speak just once more. What if ten are found there?” He replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”