Genesis

The Creation of the World and over the night, and to separate the light

1 In the beginning, God created the heavens

and the earth. 2 The earth was without form
and void, and darkness was over the face of the
from the darkness. And God saw that it was
good. 19 And there was evening and there was
morning, the fourth day.
20 And God said, “Let the waters swarm with
deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over
the face of the waters. swarms of living creatures, and let birds7 fly
3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and above the earth across the expanse of the heav­
there was light. 4 And God saw that the light ens.” 21 So God created the great sea creatures
was good. And God separated the light from and every living creature that moves, with
the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and which the waters swarm, according to their
the darkness he called Night. And there was kinds, and every winged bird according to its
evening and there was morning, the first day. kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 And God
6 And God said, “Let there be an expanse1 blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply
in the midst of the waters, and let it sepa­ and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds mul­
rate the waters from the waters.” 7 And God tiply on the earth.” 23 And there was evening and
made2 the expanse and separated the waters there was morning, the fifth day.
24 And God said, “Let the earth bring forth
that were under the expanse from the waters
that were above the expanse. And it was so. living creatures according to their kinds—live­
8 And God called the expanse Heaven.3 And stock and creeping things and beasts of the earth
there was evening and there was morning, according to their kinds.” And it was so. 25 And
the second day. God made the beasts of the earth according
9 And God said, “Let the waters under the to their kinds and the livestock according to
heavens be gathered together into one place, their kinds, and everything that creeps on the
and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. ground according to its kind. And God saw that
10 God called the dry land Earth,4 and the waters it was good.
26 Then God said, “Let us make man8 in our
that were gathered together he called Seas. And
God saw that it was good. image, after our likeness. And let them have
11 And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegeta­ dominion over the fish of the sea and over the
tion, plants5 yielding seed, and fruit trees bear­ birds of the heavens and over the livestock and
ing fruit in which is their seed, each according over all the earth and over every creeping thing
to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. 12 The that creeps on the earth.”
earth brought forth vegetation, plants yield­ 27
So God created man in his own image,
ing seed according to their own kinds, and
in the image of God he created him;
trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each
male and female he created them.
according to its kind. And God saw that it was
28 And God blessed them. And God said to
good. 13 And there was evening and there was
morning, the third day. them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the
14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the earth and subdue it and have dominion over
expanse of the heavens to separate the day the fish of the sea and over the birds of the
from the night. And let them be for signs and heavens and over every living thing that moves
for seasons,6 and for days and years, 15 and let on the earth.” 29 And God said, “Behold, I have
them be lights in the expanse of the heavens given you every plant yielding seed that is on
to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed
16 And God made the two great lights—the in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30 And
greater light to rule the day and the lesser to every beast of the earth and to every bird of
light to rule the night—and the stars. 17 And the heavens and to everything that creeps on
God set them in the expanse of the heavens to the earth, everything that has the breath of life,
give light on the earth, 18 to rule over the day I have given every green plant for food.” And
1 Or a canopy; also verses 7, 8, 14, 15, 17, 20 2 Or fashioned; also verse 16 3 Or Sky; also verses 9, 14, 15, 17, 20, 26, 28, 30; 2:1 4 Or Land; also verses 11, 12, 22, 24, 25, 26, 28, 30;
2:1 5 Or small plants; also verses 12, 29 6 Or appointed times 7 Or flying things; see Leviticus 11:19-20 8 The Hebrew word for man (adam) is the generic term for mankind and
becomes the proper name Adam
Gen e s i s 1:31 2
it was so. 31 And God saw everything that he saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the
had made, and behold, it was very good. And garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of
there was evening and there was morning, the good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day
sixth day. that you eat4 of it you shall surely die.”
18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good
The Seventh Day, God Rests

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that the man should be alone; I will make him
Thus the heavens and the earth were fin­ a helper fit for5 him.” 19 Now out of the ground
ished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the the Lord God had formed6 every beast of the
seventh day God finished his work that he had field and every bird of the heavens and brought
done, and he rested on the seventh day from them to the man to see what he would call
all his work that he had done. 3 So God blessed them. And whatever the man called every liv­
the seventh day and made it holy, because on it ing creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave
God rested from all his work that he had done names to all livestock and to the birds of the
in creation. heavens and to every beast of the field. But for
The Creation of Man and Woman Adam7 there was not found a helper fit for him.
21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall
4 These are the generations
upon the man, and while he slept took one of
of the heavens and the earth when they
his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And
were created,
the rib that the Lord God had taken from the
in the day that the Lord God made the
man he made8 into a woman and brought her
earth and the heavens.
to the man. 23 Then the man said,
5 When no bush of the field1 was yet in the
“ This at last is bone of my bones
land2 and no small plant of the field had yet
and flesh of my flesh;
sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused she shall be called Woman,
it to rain on the land, and there was no man to because she was taken out of Man.”9
work the ground, 6 and a mist3 was going up
24
Therefore a man shall leave his father and his
from the land and was watering the whole face
of the ground— 7 then the Lord God formed mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall
the man of dust from the ground and breathed become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife
into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man were both naked and were not ashamed.
became a living creature. 8 And the Lord God The Fall

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planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there Now the serpent was more crafty than any
he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out other beast of the field that the Lord God
of the ground the Lord God made to spring had made.
up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and He said to the woman, “Did God actually say,
good for food. The tree of life was in the midst ‘You10 shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”
of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may
of good and evil. eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but
10 A river flowed out of Eden to water the
God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the
garden, and there it divided and became four tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither
rivers. 11 The name of the first is the Pishon. It shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the ser­
is the one that flowed around the whole land pent said to the woman, “You will not surely
of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 And the gold die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it
of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone your eyes will be opened, and you will be like
are there. 13 The name of the second river is God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the
the Gihon. It is the one that flowed around the woman saw that the tree was good for food,
whole land of Cush. 14 And the name of the and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that
third river is the Tigris, which flows east of the tree was to be desired to make one wise,11
Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates. she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave
15 The Lord God took the man and put him
some to her husband who was with her, and
in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened,
16 And the Lord God commanded the man, and they knew that they were naked. And they
1 Or open country 2 Or earth; also verse 6 3 Or spring 4 Or when you eat 5 Or corresponding to; also verse 20 6 Or And out of the ground the Lord God formed 7 Or the man
8 Hebrew built 9 The Hebrew words for woman (ishshah) and man (ish) sound alike 10 In Hebrew you is plural in verses 1-5 11 Or to give insight
 3 Gen e s i s 4:1 2
sewed fig leaves together and made themselves 19
By the sweat of your face
loincloths. you shall eat bread,
8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God
till you return to the ground,
walking in the garden in the cool1 of the day, for out of it you were taken;
and the man and his wife hid themselves from for you are dust,
the presence of the Lord God among the trees and to dust you shall return.”
of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the 20 The man called his wife’s name Eve, be­
man and said to him, “Where are you?”2 10 And
he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, cause she was the mother of all living.5 21 And
and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife
myself.” 11 He said, “Who told you that you were garments of skins and clothed them.
22 Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man
naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I
commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, has become like one of us in knowing good
“The woman whom you gave to be with me, she and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and
gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” 13 Then the take also of the tree of life and eat, and live for­
Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that ever—” 23 therefore the Lord God sent him out
you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent from the garden of Eden to work the ground
deceived me, and I ate.” from which he was taken. 24 He drove out the
14 The Lord God said to the serpent, man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he
placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that
“ Because you have done this, turned every way to guard the way to the tree
cursed are you above all livestock of life.
and above all beasts of the field;
on your belly you shall go, Cain and Abel
and dust you shall eat
all the days of your life.
15 I will put enmity between you and the
4 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she
conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have
gotten6 a man with the help of the Lord.” 2 And
woman, again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was
and between your offspring3 and her a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the
offspring; ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to
he shall bruise your head, the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground,
4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his
and you shall bruise his heel.”
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flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord
To the woman he said,
had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for
“ I will surely multiply your pain in child­ Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain
bearing; was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The Lord
in pain you shall bring forth children. said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has
Your desire shall be for4 your husband, your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not
and he shall rule over you.” be accepted?7 And if you do not do well, sin is
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crouching at the door. Its desire is for8 you, but
And to Adam he said, you must rule over it.”
8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother.9 And when
“ Because you have listened to the voice of
your wife they were in the field, Cain rose up against his
and have eaten of the tree brother Abel and killed him. 9 Then the Lord
of which I commanded you, said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He
‘ You shall not eat of it,’ said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?”
10 And the Lord said, “What have you done?
cursed is the ground because of you;
in pain you shall eat of it all the days of The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to
your life; me from the ground. 11 And now you are cursed
18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for from the ground, which has opened its mouth
you; to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.
and you shall eat the plants of the field. 12 When you work the ground, it shall no longer

1 Hebrew wind 2 In Hebrew you is singular in verses 9 and 11 3 Hebrew seed; so throughout Genesis 4 Or against 5 Eve sounds like the Hebrew for life-giver and resembles the
word for living 6 Cain sounds like the Hebrew for gotten 7 Hebrew will there not be a lifting up [of your face]? 8 Or against 9 Hebrew; Samaritan, Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate add
Let us go out to the field
Gen e s i s 4:13 4
yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive him Seth. 4 The days of Adam after he fathered
and a wanderer on the earth.” 13 Cain said to the Seth were 800 years; and he had other sons and
Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can daughters. 5 Thus all the days that Adam lived
bear.1 14 Behold, you have driven me today away were 930 years, and he died.
from the ground, and from your face I shall be 6 When Seth had lived 105 years, he fathered
hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on Enosh. 7 Seth lived after he fathered Enosh 807
the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”
15 Then the Lord said to him, “Not so! If anyone
years and had other sons and daughters. 8 Thus
all the days of Seth were 912 years, and he died.
kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sev­ 9 When Enosh had lived 90 years, he fathered
enfold.” And the Lord put a mark on Cain, lest
any who found him should attack him. 16 Then Kenan. 10 Enosh lived after he fathered Kenan
Cain went away from the presence of the Lord 815 years and had other sons and daughters.
11 Thus all the days of Enosh were 905 years,
and settled in the land of Nod,2 east of Eden.
17 Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and he died.
and bore Enoch. When he built a city, he called 12 When Kenan had lived 70 years, he fathered

the name of the city after the name of his son, Mahalalel. 13 Kenan lived after he fathered
Enoch. 18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad Mahalalel 840 years and had other sons and
fathered Mehujael, and Mehujael fathered daughters. 14 Thus all the days of Kenan were
Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. 910 years, and he died.
19 And Lamech took two wives. The name of the
15 When Mahalalel had lived 65 years,
one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.
20 Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those
he fathered Jared. 16 Mahalalel lived after he
fathered Jared 830 years and had other sons and
who dwell in tents and have livestock. 21 His
brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of daughters. 17 Thus all the days of Mahalalel were
all those who play the lyre and pipe. 22 Zillah 895 years, and he died.
18 When Jared had lived 162 years he fathered
also bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all
instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Enoch. 19 Jared lived after he fathered Enoch
Tubal-cain was Naamah. 800 years and had other sons and daughters.
23 Lamech said to his wives: 20 Thus all the days of Jared were 962 years,

and he died.
“ Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; 21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered
you wives of Lamech, listen to what I
say: Methuselah. 22 Enoch walked with God5 after
I have killed a man for wounding me, he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had
a young man for striking me. other sons and daughters. 23 Thus all the days
24 If Cain’s revenge is sevenfold, of Enoch were 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with
then Lamech’s is seventy-sevenfold.” God, and he was not,6 for God took him.
25 When Methuselah had lived 187 years,
25 And Adam knew his wife again, and she

bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, he fathered Lamech. 26 Methuselah lived after
“God has appointed3 for me another offspring he fathered Lamech 782 years and had other
instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.” 26 To Seth sons and daughters. 27 Thus all the days of
also a son was born, and he called his name Methuselah were 969 years, and he died.
28 When Lamech had lived 182 years, he
Enosh. At that time people began to call upon
the name of the Lord. fathered a son 29 and called his name Noah,
Adam’s Descendants to Noah saying, “Out of the ground that the Lord has

5
cursed this one shall bring us relief       7 from our
This is the book of the generations of
Adam. When God created man, he made work and from the painful toil of our hands.”
30 Lamech lived after he fathered Noah 595 years
him in the likeness of God. 2 Male and female he
created them, and he blessed them and named and had other sons and daughters. 31 Thus all
them Man4 when they were created. 3 When the days of Lamech were 777 years, and he died.
32 After Noah was 500 years old, Noah
Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in
his own likeness, after his image, and named fathered Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
1 Or My guilt is too great to bear 2 Nod means wandering 3 Seth sounds like the Hebrew for he appointed 4 Hebrew adam 5 Septuagint pleased God 6 Septuagint was not found
7 Noah sounds like the Hebrew for rest