What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare[a] the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it?
Genesis 18:24 (NIV)
[a] Or forgive
In Genesis 18, Abraham uses the word נָשָׂא (nasah) which means “to bear,” or to carry. The picture is God carrying the weight of the consequence of our actions. To endure. It also suggests withholding judgement.
Abraham is praying for the wicked and for the righteous.