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The Creation

In the beginning, God created the universe.[a] When the earth[b] was as yet unformed and desolate, with the surface of the ocean depths shrouded[c] in darkness, and while the Spirit of God was hovering[d] over the surface of the waters, God said, “Let there be light!” So there was light.

God saw that the light was beautiful.[e] He[f] separated the light from the darkness, calling the light “day,” and the darkness[g] “night.” The twilight and the dawn were day one.

Then God said, “Let there be a canopy[h] between bodies of water,[i] separating bodies of water[j] from bodies of water!”[k] So God made a canopy[l] that separated the water beneath the canopy[m] from the water above it.[n] And that is what happened:[o] God called the canopy[p] “sky.”[q] The twilight and the dawn were the second day.

Then God said, “Let the water beneath the sky come together into one area, and let dry ground appear!” And that is what happened:[r] 10 God called the dry ground “land,”[s] and he called the water that had come together “oceans.” And God saw how good it was.

11 Then God said, “Let vegetation sprout all over the earth, including[t] seed-bearing plants and fruit trees, each kind containing its own seed!” And that is what happened:[u] 12 Vegetation sprouted all over the earth, including seed-bearing plants and fruit trees, each kind containing its own seed. And God saw that it was good. 13 The twilight and the dawn were the third day.

14 Then God said, “Let there be lights across[v] the sky to distinguish day from night, to act as signs for seasons,[w] days, and years, 15 to serve as lights in[x] the sky, and to shine on the earth!” And that is what happened:[y] 16 God fashioned two great lights—the larger light to shine during[z] the day and the smaller light to shine during[aa] the night—as well as stars. 17 God placed them in space[ab] to shine on the earth, 18 to differentiate between[ac] day and night, and to distinguish[ad] light from darkness. And God saw how good it was. 19 The twilight and the dawn were the fourth day.

20 Then God said, “Let the oceans swarm[ae] with living creatures, and let flying creatures soar above the earth throughout[af] the sky!” 21 So God created every kind of magnificent marine creature, every kind of living marine crawler[ag] with which the waters swarmed, and every kind of flying creature.[ah] And God saw how good it was. 22 God blessed them by saying, “Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the oceans. Let the birds multiply throughout the earth!” 23 The twilight and the dawn were the fifth day.

24 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth each kind of living creature, each kind of livestock and crawling thing, and each kind of earth’s animals!”[ai] And that is what happened:[aj] 25 God made each kind of the earth’s animals, along with every kind of livestock and crawling thing.[ak] And God saw how good it was.

26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, to be like us.[al] Let them be masters over the fish in the ocean, the birds that fly,[am] the livestock, everything that crawls on the earth, and over the earth itself!”

27 So God created mankind in his own image;
    in his own image God created them;[an]
        he created them male and female.

28 God blessed the humans by saying to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it! Be masters over the fish in the ocean, the birds that fly, and every living thing that crawls on the earth!”

29 God also told them,[ao] “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant that grows throughout[ap] the earth, along with every tree that grows seed-bearing fruit. They will produce your food. 30 I have given all green plants as food for every wild animal[aq] of the earth, every bird that flies, and to every living thing[ar] that crawls on the earth.” And that is what happened.[as]

31 Now God saw all that he had made, and indeed, it was very good! The twilight and the dawn were the sixth day.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 1:1 Lit. the heavens and the earth; i.e. space and matter
  2. Genesis 1:2 Or When God began to create the universe, the earth
  3. Genesis 1:2 The Heb. lacks shrouded
  4. Genesis 1:2 Or brooding
  5. Genesis 1:4 Or good
  6. Genesis 1:4 Lit. God
  7. Genesis 1:5 Lit. darkness he called
  8. Genesis 1:6 Or an expanse
  9. Genesis 1:6 Lit. between waters
  10. Genesis 1:6 Lit. separating waters
  11. Genesis 1:6 Lit. from waters
  12. Genesis 1:7 Or made an expanse
  13. Genesis 1:7 Or expanse
  14. Genesis 1:7 Lit. above the canopy
  15. Genesis 1:7 Lit. And so it was
  16. Genesis 1:8 Or expanse
  17. Genesis 1:8 Or Heaven
  18. Genesis 1:9 Lit. And so it was
  19. Genesis 1:10 Or Earth
  20. Genesis 1:11 The Heb. lacks including
  21. Genesis 1:11 Lit. And so it was
  22. Genesis 1:14 Lit. lights in the expanse of
  23. Genesis 1:14 I.e. sacred seasons set by the lunar calendar later utilized for Israel’s festivals and gatherings
  24. Genesis 1:15 Lit. lights in the expanse of
  25. Genesis 1:15 Lit. And so it was
  26. Genesis 1:16 Lit. to govern
  27. Genesis 1:16 Lit. to govern
  28. Genesis 1:17 Lit. the expanse of the sky
  29. Genesis 1:18 Lit. to govern
  30. Genesis 1:18 Or separate
  31. Genesis 1:20 Lit. swarm with a swarm
  32. Genesis 1:20 Lit. earth in the expanse of
  33. Genesis 1:21 Lit. living thing that crawls
  34. Genesis 1:21 Lit. winged bird
  35. Genesis 1:24 I.e., non-domesticated animals, as opposed to domesticated livestock; and so through 2:25
  36. Genesis 1:24 Lit. And so it was
  37. Genesis 1:25 Lit. thing of the earth
  38. Genesis 1:26 Lit. image, according to our likeness
  39. Genesis 1:26 Lit. birds of the sky; and so through 2:25
  40. Genesis 1:27 Lit. him
  41. Genesis 1:29 The Heb. lacks them
  42. Genesis 1:29 Lit. plant that is on the surface of
  43. Genesis 1:30 I.e., non-domesticated animals, as opposed to domesticated livestock
  44. Genesis 1:30 Lit. soul
  45. Genesis 1:30 Lit. And so it was