19. I have made a special agreement with him. I did this so that he would command his children and his descendants to live the way the Lord wants them to. I did this so that they would live right and be fair. Then I, the Lord, can give him what I promised.”
20. Then the Lord said, “I have heard many times that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah are very evil.
21. I will go and see if they are as bad as I have heard. Then I will know for sure.”
22. So the men turned and started walking toward Sodom while Abraham stood there before the Lord.
23. Then Abraham approached him and asked, “Will you destroy the good people while you are destroying those who are evil?
24. What if there are fifty good people in that city? Will you still destroy it? Surely you will save the city for the fifty good people living there.
25. Surely you would not destroy the city. You would not destroy fifty good people to kill those who are evil. If that happened, those who are good would be the same as those who are evil—both would be punished. As the judge of the whole world, surely you would do the right thing!”