圣经故事:三位天使

　　The Three Angels

　　And it came to pass that when Abraham was sitting in the door of his tent in the plains of Mamre, the Lord appeared to him in the form of three angels in the heat of the day. Abraham raised his eyes and saw three men standing before him. He ran to meet them and bowed to the ground, saying： My Lords, if I have now found favor in your sight, do not pass away, I beg you, from your servant. Let a little water be fetched and wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree. I will bring bread to refresh you. Comfort your hearts, then you may go on your way.

　　They said to him： Do as you have said. So Abraham hastened into the tent where Sarah his wife was and said： Quickly, make three measures of fine meal, knead it, and bake cakes upon the hearth. Then he ran to the herd and fetched a good and tender calf, and gave it to a young man to prepare.

　　Abraham then took butter and milk, and the calf, and set the food before the men. He stood by them under the tree while they ate. Where is Sarah, your wife？ they asked him.

　　 There, in her tent, he said. And one of the men said, Sarah your wife shall have a son.

　　Sarah, standing in the tent doorway behind him, heard this. She and Abraham were old and they were beyond the time for having children. Sarah therefore laughed to herself. Then God said to Abraham： Why did Sarah laugh, saying she is too old to have a child？ Is there anything the Lord cannot do？ At the appointed time, Sarah shall have a son.

　　Sarah denied that she had laughed, for she was afraid. But God said： No, you did laugh. The Lord did as he had promised, and Sarah bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time chosen by God, and Abraham called the son Isaac, a name which means He will laugh.