« | Genesis 18 | » |
1 And God appeared to him by the oak of Mamre, as he sat by the door of his tent in the heat of the day.
2 And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men stood before him; and having seen them, he ran to meet them from the door of his tent, and bowed himself to the ground.
3 And he said, Lord, if indeed I have found grace in Your sight, pass not by Your servant.
4 Let water now be brought, and let them wash your feet, and refresh yourselves under the tree.
5 And I will bring bread, and you shall eat, and after this you shall depart on your journey, on account of which refreshment you have turned aside to your servant. And he said, So do, as you have said.
6 And Abraham hastened to the tent to Sarah, and said to her, Quickly, knead three measures of fine flour, and make cakes.
7 And Abraham ran to the herd, and took a young calf, tender and good, and gave it to his servant, and he hastened to prepare it.
8 And he took butter and milk, and the calf which he had prepared; and he set them before them, and they did eat, and he stood by them under the tree.
9 And He said to him, Where is Sarah your wife? And he answered and said, Behold, in the tent.
10 And He said, I will return and come to you according to this period seasonably, and Sarah your wife shall have a son; and Sarah heard at the door of the tent, being behind him.
11 And Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in days, and the custom of women ceased with Sarah.
12 And Sarah laughed in herself, saying, The thing has not as yet happened to me, even until now, and my lord is old.
13 And the Lord said to Abraham, Why is it that Sarah has laughed in herself, saying, Shall I then indeed bear? But I have grown old.
14 Shall anything be impossible with the Lord? At the appointed time I shall return to you, and Sarah shall have a son.
15 But Sarah denied [it], saying, I did not laugh, for she was afraid. And He said to her, No, but you did laugh!
16 And the men, having risen up from there, looked towards Sodom and Gomorrah. And Abraham went with them, attending to them on their journey.
17 And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham My servant what things I intend to do?
18 But Abraham shall become a great and populous nation, and in him shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.
19 For I know that he will order his sons, and his house after him, and they will keep the ways of the Lord, to do justice and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham all things whatsoever He has spoken to him.
20 And the Lord said, The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah has been increased towards Me, and their sins are very great.
21 I will therefore go down and see, if they completely correspond with the cry which comes to Me, and if not, I will know.
22 And the men, having departed from there, came to Sodom; and the Lord stood before Abraham.
23 And Abraham drew near and said, Would You destroy the righteous with the wicked, and shall the righteous be as the wicked?
24 Should there be fifty righteous in the city, will You destroy them? Will You not spare the whole place for the sake of the fifty righteous, if they be in it?
25 Far be it from You to do such at thing, so as to destroy the righteous with the wicked, so the righteous shall be as the wicked: far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
26 And the Lord said, If there should be in Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole city, and the whole place for their sakes.
27 And Abraham answered and said, Now I have begun to speak to my Lord, and I am [but] dust and ashes.
28 But if the fifty righteous should be diminished to forty-five, will You destroy the whole city because of the five that are lacking? And He said, I will not destroy it, if I should find there forty-five.
29 And he continued to speak to Him still, and said, But if there should be found there forty? And He said, I will not destroy it for the forty's sake.
30 And he said, Will there be anything against me, Lord, if I shall speak? But if there be found there thirty? And He said, I will not destroy it for the thirty's sake.
31 And he said, Since I am able to speak to the Lord, what if there should be found there twenty? And He said, I will not destroy it, if I should find there twenty.
32 And he said, Will there be anything against me, Lord, if I speak yet once [more]? But if there should be found there ten? And He said, I will not destroy it for the ten's sake.
33 And the Lord departed, when He left off speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
The Apostles’ Bible Complete (ABC)
The Apostles’ Bible Complete (ABC) is a modern translation of the Bible that strives to offer a clear and faithful rendering of the scriptures in contemporary language. This translation is designed to be accessible to a wide audience, providing an easy-to-read yet accurate version of the biblical text. The ABC translation aims to bridge the gap between the ancient languages in which the Bible was originally written and the modern vernacular, making it an ideal choice for both personal study and public reading.
One of the notable features of the Apostles’ Bible Complete is its dedication to maintaining the integrity of the original manuscripts. The translators of the ABC worked meticulously with the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts to ensure that their translation accurately reflects the original meaning and intent of the scriptures. By employing a balance of formal equivalence (word-for-word) and dynamic equivalence (thought-for-thought) translation techniques, the ABC aims to preserve the nuances and richness of the original languages while ensuring readability and clarity for modern readers.
The ABC also incorporates extensive cross-references and study aids to enhance the reader’s understanding of the biblical text. These tools include footnotes that provide historical and cultural context, as well as explanations of difficult or ambiguous passages. This approach helps readers to grasp the deeper meanings of the scriptures and to see how different parts of the Bible interconnect. The inclusion of these study aids makes the ABC particularly useful for those who are new to the Bible, as well as for more experienced readers who are looking to deepen their understanding of the text.
Despite its strengths, the Apostles’ Bible Complete has faced some criticisms. Some readers feel that the translation could benefit from further refinement in certain passages, as the balance between formal and dynamic equivalence can sometimes lead to inconsistencies in style and tone. Others have noted that while the study aids are helpful, they can occasionally overwhelm the main text, making it difficult to focus on the scripture itself. Nonetheless, the ABC remains a valuable and respected translation, appreciated for its commitment to accuracy, clarity, and accessibility, and for its ability to bring the ancient words of the Bible to life for contemporary readers.