Genesis 6

The Sins of Everyone on Earth

1There began to be many human beings on the earth. And daughters were born to them. 2The sons of God saw that the daughters of human beings were beautiful. So they married any of them they chose. 3Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not struggle with human beings forever. They will have only 120 years to live.”

4The Nephilim were on the earth in those days. That was when the sons of God went to the daughters of human beings. Children were born to them. The Nephilim were famous heroes who lived long ago. Nephilim were also on the earth later on.

5The Lord saw how bad the sins of everyone on earth had become. They only thought about evil things. 6The Lord was very sad that he had made human beings on the earth. His heart was filled with pain. 7So the Lord said, “I created human beings, but I will wipe them out. I will also destroy the animals, the birds in the sky, and the creatures that move along the ground. I am very sad that I have made human beings.” 8But the Lord was very pleased with Noah.

Noah and the Flood

9Here is the story of Noah’s family line.

Noah was a godly man. He was without blame among the people of his time. He walked faithfully with God. 10Noah had three sons. Their names were Shem, Ham and Japheth.

11The earth was very sinful in God’s eyes. It was full of people who did mean and harmful things. 12God saw how sinful the earth had become. All its people were living very sinful lives. 13So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to everyone. They have filled the earth with their harmful acts. I am certainly going to destroy them and the earth. 14So make yourself an ark out of cypress wood. Make rooms in it. Cover it with tar inside and out. 15Here is how I want you to build it. The ark has to be 450 feet long. It has to be 75 feet wide and 45 feet high. 16Make a roof for it. Leave below the roof an opening all the way around that is a foot and a half high. Put a door in one side of the ark. Make lower, middle and upper decks. 17I am going to bring a flood on the earth. It will destroy all life under the sky. It will destroy every living creature that breathes. Everything on earth will die. 18But I will make my covenant with you. You will go into the ark. Your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives will enter it with you. 19Bring a male and a female of every living thing into the ark. They will be kept alive with you. 20Two of every kind of bird will come to you. Two of every kind of animal will also come to you. And so will two of every kind of creature that moves along the ground. All of them will be kept alive with you. 21Take every kind of food that you will need. Store it away as food for you and them.”

22Noah did everything just as God commanded him.

Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®

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Berĕshith (Genesis) 6

1And it came to be, when men began to increase on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them,

2that the sons of Elohim saw the daughters of men, that they were good. And they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.

3And יהוה said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever in his going astray. He is flesh, and his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”

4The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of Elohim came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, the men of name.

5And יהוה saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

6And יהוה was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.

7And יהוה said, “I am going to wipe off man whom I have created from the face of the ground, both man and beast, creeping creature and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.”

8But Noaḥ found favour in the eyes of יהוה.

9This is the genealogy of Noaḥ. Noaḥ was a righteous man, perfect in his generations. Noaḥ walked with Elohim.

10And Noaḥ brought forth three sons: Shĕm, Ḥam, and Yapheth.

11And the earth was corrupt before Elohim, and the earth was filled with violence.

12And Elohim looked upon the earth and saw that it was corrupt – for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth –

13and Elohim said to Noaḥ, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them. And see, I am going to destroy them from the earth.

14“Make yourself an ark of gopherwood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with a covering.#Pitch, tar or other.

15“And this is how you are to make it: The length of the ark is three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits.

16“Make a window for the ark, and complete it to a cubit from above. And set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks.

17“And see, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life from under the heavens – all that is on the earth is to die.

18“And I shall establish My covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you.

19“And of all the living of all flesh, two of each, you are to bring into the ark, to keep them alive with you – a male and a female.

20“Of the birds after their kind, and of the cattle after their kind, and of all creeping creatures of the ground after their kind, two of each are to come to you, to keep them alive.

21“As for you, take of all food that is eaten and gather it to yourself. And it shall be food for you and for them.”

22And Noaḥ did according to all that Elohim commanded him, so he did.

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