1天正熱的時候，亞巴郎坐在帳幕門口，上主在瑪默勒橡樹林那裡，給他顯現出來。 1And 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.
2他舉目一望，見有三人站在對面。他一見就由帳幕門口跑去迎接他們，俯伏在地， 2And when he had lifted up his eyes, there appeared to him three men standing near 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.
3說：「我主如果我蒙你垂愛，請你不要由你僕人這裡走過去， 3And he said: Lord, if I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away from thy servant:
4我叫人拿點水來，洗洗你們的腳，然後在樹下休息休息。 4But I will fetch a little water, and wash ye your feet, and rest ye under the tree.
5你們既然路過你僕人這裡，等我拿點餅來，吃點點心，然後再走。」他們答說：「就照你所說的做罷！」 5And 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.
6亞巴郎趕快進入帳幕，到撒辣前說：「你快拿三斗細麵，和一和，作些餅。」 6Abraham 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.
7遂又跑到牛群中，選了一頭又嫩又肥的牛犢，交給僕人，要他趕快煮好。 7And 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.
8亞巴郎遂拿了凝乳和牛奶，及預備好了的牛犢，擺在他們面前；他們吃的時候，自己在樹下侍候。 8He took also butter and milk, and the calf which he had boiled, and set before them: but he stood by them under the tree.
9他們對他說：「你的妻子撒辣在那裡？」他答說：「在帳幕裡。」 9And when they had eaten, they said to him: Where is Sara thy wife? He answered: Lo, she is in the tent.
10其中一位說：「明年此時我必回到你這裡，那時，你的妻子撒辣要有一個兒子。」撒辣其時正在那人背後的帳幕門口竊聽。 10And 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.
11亞巴郎和撒辣都已年老，年紀很大，而且撒辣的月經早已停止。 11Now they were both old, and far advanced in years, and it had ceased to be with Sara after the manner of women.
12撒辣遂心裡竊笑說：「現在，我已衰老，同我年老的丈夫，還有這喜事嗎？」 12And she laughed secretly, saying: After I am grown old and my lord is an old man, shall I give myself to pleasure?
13上主對亞巴郎說：「撒辣為什麼笑？且說：像我這樣老，真的還能生育？ 13And the Lord said to Abraham: Why did Sara laugh, saying: Shall I who am an old woman bear a child indeed?
14為上主豈有難事？明年這時，我必要回到你這裡，那時撒辣必有一個兒子。」 14Is 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.
15撒辣害怕了，否認說：「我沒有笑。」但是那位說：「不，你實在笑了。」 15Sara denied, saying: I did not laugh: for she was afraid. But the Lord said, Nay: but thou didst laugh:
16後來那三人由那裡起身，望著索多瑪前行；亞巴郎送他們，也一同前行。 16And when the men rose up from thence, they turned their eyes towards Sodom: and Abraham walked with them, bringing them on the way.
17上主說：「我要作的事，豈能瞞著亞巴郎？ 17And the Lord said: Can I hide from Abraham what I am about to do:
18因為他要成為一強大而又興盛的民族，地上所有的民族，都要因他蒙受祝福； 18Seeing he shall become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth shall be blessed?
19何況我揀選了他，是要他訓令自己的子孫和未來的家族，保持上主的正道，實行公義正道，好使上主能實現他對亞巴郎所許的事。」 19For 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.
20上主於是說：「控告索多瑪和哈摩辣的聲音實在很大，他們的罪惡實在深重！ 20And the Lord said: The cry of Sodom and Gomorrha is multiplied, and their sin is become exceedingly grievous.
21我要下去看看，願意知道：是否他們所行的全如達到我前的呼聲一樣。」 21I 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.
22三人中有二人轉身向索多瑪走去；亞巴郎卻仍立在上主面前。 22And they turned themselves from thence, and went their way to Sodom: but Abraham as yet stood before the Lord.
23亞巴郎近前來說：「你真要將義人同惡人一起消滅嗎？ 23And drawing nigh he said: Wilt thou destroy the just with the wicked?
24假如城中有五十個義人，你還要消滅嗎？不為其中的那五十個義人，赦免那地方嗎？ 24If 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?
25你決不能如此行事，將義人同惡人一併誅滅；將義人如惡人一樣看待，你決不能！審判全地的主，豈能不行公義？」 25Far 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.
26上主答說：「假如我在索多瑪城中找出了五十個義人，為了他們我要赦免整個地方。」 26And the Lord said to him: If I find in Sodom fifty just within the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.
27亞巴郎接著說： 27And Abraham answered, and said: Seeing I have once begun, I will speak to my Lord, whereas I am dust and ashes.
28「我雖只是塵埃灰土，膽敢再對我主說：假如五十個義人中少了五個怎樣？你就為了少五個而毀滅全城嗎？」他答說：「假如我在那裡找到四十五個，我不毀滅。」 28What 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.
29亞巴郎再向他進言說：「假如在那裡找到四十個怎樣？」他答說：「為了這四十個我也不做這事。」 29And 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.
30亞巴郎說：「求我主且勿動怒，容我再進一言：假如在那裡找到三十個怎樣？」他答說：「假如在那裡我找到三十個，我也不做這事。」 30Lord, 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.
31亞巴郎說：「我再放膽對我主進一言：假如在那裡找到二十個怎樣？」他答說：「為了這二十個，我也不毀滅。」 31Seeing, 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.
32亞巴郎說：「求我主且勿動怒，容我最後一次進言：假如在那裡找到十個怎樣？」他答說：「為了這十個我也不毀滅。」 32I beseech thee, saith he, be not angry, Lord, if I speak yet once more: What if ten should be found there? And he said: I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.
33上主向亞巴郎說完話就走了；亞巴郎也回家去了。 33And the Lord departed, after he had left speaking to Abraham: and Abraham returned to his place.
注释
18:1-33
本段所述似乎是亚巴郎见的一种神视。叁位旅客中有一位是天主（17节），另两位为天使(19:1)。教父多以这叁位为天主圣叁的预像。由天主预许撒辣生子的事，证明天主的全能和他任意的召选。
18:9-15
论述撒辣老年生子的事，亦见於希11:11；罗4:19-21。
18:22
因亚巴郎能「立在上主面前」，故被人称为「天主的朋友」。由此可知他在天主前转求的能力是多麽大。
18:23-33
由天主同亚巴郎之间的对话，证明圣者的祈祷有多大的效能；此外尚有梅瑟（出17:11；户21:7）、厄里亚（列上18:36）、亚毛斯（7:1）、耶肋米亚（14:19; 37:3; 42:2；加下15:12-16）。圣教会依赖圣人的转达即基於此，见雅5:16-18；宗7:60。