¹⁷ Then the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham^(A) what I am about to do?^{(B) 18} Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation,^(C) and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.^{[a] 19} For I have chosen him^(D), so that he will direct his children^(E) and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord^(F) by doing what is right and just,^(G) so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”^(H)

²⁰ Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom^(I) and Gomorrah is so great^(J) and their sin so grievous^{(K) 21} that I will go down^(L) and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.”

²² The men^(M) turned away and went toward Sodom,^(N) but Abraham remained standing before the Lord.^{[b](O) 23} Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?^{(P) 24} What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare^[c] the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it?^{(Q) 25} Far be it from you to do such a thing^(R)—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous^(S) and the wicked alike.^(T) Far be it from you! Will not the Judge^(U) of all the earth do right?”^(V)