Genesis 18:16-33 - Abraham's Plea For Sodom
16 Then the men stood up from thence and looked toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. 17 And the LORD said, "Can I hide from Abraham that thing which I am about to do, 18 seeing that Abraham shall be a great and a mighty people, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 For I know him that he will command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do after right and conscience, that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that he hath promised him." 20 And the LORD said, "The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and their sin is exceeding grievous. 21 I will go down and see whether they have done altogether according to that cry which is come unto me or not, that I may know."
22 And the men departed thence and went to Sodomward. But Abraham stood yet before the LORD, 23 and drew near and said, "Wilt thou destroy the righteous with the wicked? 24 If there be fifty righteous within the city, wilt thou destroy it and not spare the place for the sake of fifty righteous that are therein? 25 That be far from thee, that thou shouldest do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked, and that the righteous should be as the wicked: that be far from thee. Should not the Judge of all the world do according to right?"
26 And the LORD said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, I will spare all the place for their sakes."
27 And Abraham answered and said, "Behold, I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD, and yet am but dust and ashes. 28 What though there lack five of fifty righteous, wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five?" And he said, "If I find there forty and five I will not destroy them."
29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, "What if there be forty found there?" And he said, "I will not do it for forty's sake."
30 And he said, "O let not my LORD be angry, that I speak. What if there be found thirty there?" And he said, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there."
31 And he said, "Oh, see, I have begun to speak unto my LORD, what if there be twenty found there?" And he said, "I will not destroy them for twenty's sake."
32 And he said, "O let not my LORD be angry, that I speak yet, but even once more only. What if ten be found there?" And he said, "I will not destroy them for ten's sake." 33 And the LORD went his way as soon as he had left communing with Abraham. And Abraham returned unto his place.