But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh!”
Parallel translations
- WEB Then Sarah denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
- KJV Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
- BSB But Sarah was afraid, so she denied it and said, “I did not laugh.” “No,” replied the LORD, “but you did laugh.”
- NASB Sarah denied it, however, saying, “I did not laugh”; for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
- NLT Sarah was afraid, so she denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh.” But the Lord said, “No, you did laugh.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Frightened, Sarah denies laughing, but the LORD gently insists she did.
Overview
Fear leads Sarah to deny the truth, yet God neither destroys her nor withdraws the promise. His patient correction shows mercy toward a struggling believer. The exchange highlights both human frailty and the steadfastness of God's grace, which does not depend on our perfect faith.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Prov 28:13He who conceals his sins doesn’t prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
- 1 Jn 1:8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
- Ps 44:21won’t God search this out? For he knows the secrets of the heart.
- Eph 4:23and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
- John 2:25and because he didn’t need for anyone to testify concerning man; for he himself knew what was in man.
- John 18:25–27Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said therefore to him, “You aren’t also one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it, and said, “I am not.”
- Gen 12:13Please say that you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that my soul may live because of you.”
- John 18:17Then the maid who kept the door said to Peter, “Are you also one of this man’s disciples?” He said, “I am not.”
- Rom 3:19Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God.
- Gen 4:9Yahweh said to Cain, “Where is Abel, your brother?” He said, “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”
- Job 2:10But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job didn’t sin with his lips.
- Mark 2:8Immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you reason these things in your hearts?
- Prov 12:19Truth’s lips will be established forever, but a lying tongue is only momentary.
- Col 3:9Don’t lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his doings,
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 18:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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