1
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And the Lord appeared to him in the vale of Mambre as he was sitting at the door of his tent, in the very heat of the day.
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2
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And when he had lifted up his eyes, there appeared to him three men standing near to him: and as soon as he saw them, he ran to meet them from the door of his tent, and adored down to the ground.
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3
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And he said: Lord, if I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away from thy servant.
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4
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But I will fetch a little water, and wash ye your feet, and rest ye under the tree.
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5
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And I will set a morsel of bread, and strengthen ye your heart, afterwards you shall pass on: for therefore are you come aside to your servant. And they said: Do as thou hast spoken.
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6
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Abraham made haste into the tent to Sara, and said to her: Make haste, temper together three measures of flour, and make cakes upon the hearth.
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7
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And he himself ran to the herd, and took from thence a calf, very tender and very good, and gave it to a young man, who made haste and boiled it.
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8
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He took also butter and milk, and the calf which he had boiled, and set before them: but he stood by them under the tree.
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9
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And when they had eaten, they said to him: Where is Sara thy wife? He answered: Lo she is in the tent.
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10
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And he said to him: I will return and come to thee at this time, life accompanying, and Sara, thy wife, shall have a son. Which when Sara heard, she laughed behind the door of the tent.
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11
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Now they were both old, and far advanced in years, and it had ceased to be with Sara after the manner of women.
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12
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And she laughed secretly, saying: After I am grown old, and my lord is an old man, shall I give myself to pleasure?
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13
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And the Lord said to Abraham: Why did Sara laugh, saying: Shall I, who am an old woman, bear a child indeed?
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14
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Is there any thing hard to God? According to appointment I will return to thee at this same time, life accompanying, and Sara shall have a son.
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15
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Sara denied, saying: I did not laugh: for she was afraid. But the Lord said: Nay; but thou didst laugh.
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16
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And when the men rose up from thence, they turned their eyes towards Sodom: and Abraham walked with them, bringing them on the way.
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17
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And the Lord said: Can I hide from Abraham what I am about to do:
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18
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Seeing he shall become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth shall be blessed?
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19
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For I know that he will command his children, and his household after him, to keep the way of the Lord, and do judgment and justice: that for Abraham's sake, the Lord may bring to effect all the things he hath spoken unto him.
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20
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And the Lord said: The cry of Sodom and Gomorrha is multiplied, and their sin is become exceedingly grievous.
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21
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I will go down and see whether they have done according to the cry that is come to me; or whether it be not so, that I may know.
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22
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And they turned themselves from thence, and went their way to Sodom: but Abraham as yet stood before the Lord.
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23
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And drawing nigh, he said: Wilt thou destroy the just with the wicked?
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24
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If there be fifty just men in the city, shall they perish withal? and wilt thou not spare that place for the sake of the fifty just, if they be therein?
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25
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Far be it from thee to do this thing, and to slay the just with the wicked, and for the just to be in like case as the wicked; this is not beseeming thee: thou who judgest all the earth, wilt not make this judgment.
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26
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And the Lord said to him: If I find in Sodom fifty just within the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.
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27
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And Abraham answered, and said: Seeing I have once begun, I will speak to my Lord, whereas I am dust and ashes.
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28
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What if there be five less than fifty just persons? wilt thou for five and forty destroy the whole city: And he said: I will not destroy it, if I find five and forty.
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29
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And again he said to him: But if forty be found there, what wilt thou do? He said: I will not destroy it for the sake of forty.
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30
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Lord, saith he, be not angry, I beseech thee, if I speak: What if thirty shall be found there? He answered: I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
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31
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Seeing, saith he, I have once begun, I will speak to my Lord: What if twenty be found there? He said: I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.
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32
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I beseech thee, saith he, be not angry, Lord, if I speak yet once more: What if ten shall be found there? And he said: I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.
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33
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And the Lord departed, after he had left speaking to Abraham: and Abraham returned to his place.
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