[18:1] The Lord appeared to Abraham at the sacred trees of Mamre. As Abraham was sitting at the entrance of his tent during the hottest part of the day,
[18:2] he looked up and saw three men standing there. As soon as he saw them, he ran out to meet them. Bowing down with his face touching the ground,
[18:3] he said, “Sirs, please do not pass by my home without stopping; I am here to serve you.
[18:4] Let me bring some water for you to wash your feet; you can rest here beneath this tree.
[18:5] I will also bring a bit of food; it will give you strength to continue your journey. You have honored me by coming to my home, so let me serve you.” They replied, “Thank you; we accept.”
[18:6] Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick, take a sack of your best flour, and bake some bread.”
[18:7] Then he ran to the herd and picked out a calf that was tender and fat, and gave it to a servant, who hurried to get it ready.
[18:8] He took some cream, some milk, and the meat, and set the food before the men. There under the tree he served them himself, and they ate.
[18:9] Then they asked him, “Where is your wife Sarah?” “She is there in the tent,” he answered.
[18:10] One of them said, “Nine months from now I will come back, and your wife Sarah will have a son.” Sarah was behind him, at the door of the tent, listening.
[18:11] Abraham and Sarah were very old, and Sarah had stopped having her monthly periods.
[18:12] So Sarah laughed to herself and said, “Now that I am old and worn out, can I still enjoy sex? And besides, my husband is old too.”
[18:13] Then the Lord asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Can I really have a child when I am so old?’
[18:14] Is anything too hard for the Lord? As I said, nine months from now I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”
[18:15] Because Sarah was afraid, she denied it. “I didn't laugh,” she said. “Yes, you did,” he replied. “You laughed.”