Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

And two angels came to Sodom at evening. Lot was sitting in the gate of the city when they arrived. He rose up quickly to meet them, bowing low with his face toward the ground.

Lot said, "Please, my lords, come and stay at my house tonight. Wash your feet and rest for a while. You can leave early tomorrow morning." But they replied, "No, we'll stay right here in the street all night."

Lot insisted, and they finally agreed to enter his home. He welcomed them warmly and prepared an unleavened meal, which they ate together. However, before they could settle down for the night, a mob of older and younger men from Sodom surrounded Lot's house on all sides.

They shouted at Lot, "Where are the men who came to your house tonight? Bring them out to us!" Lot went outside and shut the door behind him. He said to the crowd, "Please, brothers, don't act so wickedly."

Lot then proposed a shocking solution: "Look, I have two daughters who have never been with a man. Let me bring them out for you to do as you see fit, but spare these men." The mob's response was immediate and aggressive. They said, "Back off!" and pressed in closer, threatening to break down the door.

The angels took matters into their own hands, pulling Lot into his house and slamming the door shut behind him. Then they struck the crowd at the entrance with blindness, whether old or young didn't matter.

The angels told Lot, "Do you have anyone else here—your son-in-law, your sons, and your daughters—and anything else in the city? Bring them out of this place right away." They explained that the reason for their visit was to destroy Sodom because its people had become so corrupt that God could no longer tolerate it.

Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law who were married to his daughters. He pleaded with them, "Get up and get out of here as quickly as you can. The Lord is about to destroy the city." However, they thought he was joking and didn't take him seriously.

The angels rushed Lot along, saying, "Come on! Take your wife and two daughters with you; don't delay or look back!" But Lot lingered, and the angels had to grab his hand and those of his family members. They led them out of the city, showing mercy to Lot because they were pleased with him.

When they reached the outside, one of the angels said, "Run for your life! Don't even look back or stay in this plain. Head for the mountains instead; otherwise you'll be consumed." But Lot begged, "No, please don't make me go that far. You've been so kind to me by saving my life. I couldn't possibly survive if evil catches up with me on the mountain."

Lot said again, "You've shown such kindness to me and saved my life. I'd be putting myself in greater danger if I went to the mountains." Then he added, "This nearby city is small; let me escape there instead. It's a tiny place where I can live safely."

The angel replied, "Okay, I'll spare that city you've chosen for yourself. Hurry and get out of here! Don't wait until I act on my decision." As a result, the name of the city became Zoar.

It was still early morning when Lot arrived in Zoar, but the sun had already risen over the earth. Then God sent down burning sulfur and fire from heaven to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, along with all their inhabitants and everything that grew on the ground.

Lot's wife looked back at the destruction behind them. She was instantly turned into a pillar of salt.

Meanwhile, Abraham had set out early in the morning to see what would happen to the city he had been watching from a distance. He saw the smoke rising like a furnace over Sodom and Gomorrah, along with all the surrounding plain.

Lot left Zoar and moved to the mountains with his two daughters because they were afraid to stay there any longer. They took up residence in a cave.

The firstborn daughter said to her younger sister, "Our father is old, and since no men are living around here anymore, we'll get him drunk tonight so that we can... you know." The younger sister agreed, and they made their father drink wine that night. Unbeknownst to Lot, the firstborn went in to lie with him.

The next day, the firstborn said to her younger sister, "I slept with Father last night; let's do it again tonight when he's drunk." They got their father drunk once more, and this time the younger daughter had sex with him while he was passed out.

Both daughters became pregnant by their father. The firstborn gave birth to a son whom she named Moab. He is the ancestor of the Moabites even today. The younger daughter also bore a son whom she called Benammi; he's the ancestor of the Ammonites to this day.