Genesis 6
6
Chapter 6
1People began to grow in number all over the earth. They gave birth to daughters. 2The sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful. They chose for themselves any of them that they wanted to become their wives. #6:2 We do not know who ‘the sons of God’ were. They may have been men on the earth who trusted God. They may have been men who belonged to God in heaven, like angels. The ‘daughters of men’ were women who lived on the earth.
3The Lord said, ‘My Spirit will not give life to humans for ever. One day they will die. I will not let them live for more than 120 years. Then they will die.’
4The Nephilites lived on the earth at that time, and for some time after that. During that time, the sons of God were having sex with the daughters of men, who gave birth to their children. The Nephilites were famous great men and fighters.
5The Lord saw that men and women on the earth had become very bad. They thought only of evil things all the time. 6The Lord was sorry that he had made humans and put them on the earth. He became very upset. 7So the Lord said, ‘I made humans, but now I will destroy them. I will completely take them off the earth. As well as human people, I will also destroy the animals, the living things that move on the ground, and the birds. I am sorry that I made them.’
8But as for Noah, the Lord was happy about him. #6:8 Men and women turned against God. God felt very sad. Noah was different from the other people on the earth at that time. God was happy with him. The next verses tell us why God was happy about Noah.
God saves Noah
9This is the report about Noah and his family.
Noah was a good man. He was the only person at that time who lived in a completely right way. He stayed near to God in his life. 10Noah became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.
11God saw that everything on the earth had become spoiled. Everywhere, people were attacking each other. 12God saw how much the earth had become spoiled. Everyone was doing bad things. 13God said to Noah, ‘I will destroy everyone. That is what I have decided to do. Everywhere on the earth, people are attacking each other. Now I will destroy the people and also the earth. 14So make a ship for yourself. Use wood from cypress trees to make it.#6:14 Cypress trees are trees with hard wood. The ship must have rooms in it. Cover the inside and the outside of the ship with tar. #6:14 Tar stops water coming into the ship.
15This is how you will build the ship: It must be 150 metres long, 25 metres wide and 15 metres high.
16Make a roof for the ship. Leave a space 45 centimetres high all round under the roof. Put a door in the side of the ship. Inside the ship, make three floors above each other.
17I will cover the earth with deep water. I will destroy all living things, wherever they live. Everything that breathes will die. 18But I will make a covenant with you, Noah. You will go into the ship. You will take your wife with you, and also your three sons and their wives. 19You must also take two of every different kind of animal into the ship. One will be male and the other will be female. Then they will stay alive with you. 20Bring two of every different kind of bird, two of every different animal and two of every different living thing that moves along the ground. All these will come to you. You will take care of them so that they will stay alive. 21You must also take every different kind of food. That will be food for you and food for the animals.’
22Noah obeyed God. He did everything that God had told him to do.
MissionAssist 2018
Genesis 6
6
A World Gone Wrong
1Then the people began to multiply on the earth, and daughters were born to them. 2The sons of God saw the beautiful women#6:2 Hebrew daughters of men; also in 6:4. and took any they wanted as their wives. 3Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not put up with#6:3 Greek version reads will not remain in. humans for such a long time, for they are only mortal flesh. In the future, their normal lifespan will be no more than 120 years.”
4In those days, and for some time after, giant Nephilites lived on the earth, for whenever the sons of God had intercourse with women, they gave birth to children who became the heroes and famous warriors of ancient times.
5The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. 6So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart. 7And the Lord said, “I will wipe this human race I have created from the face of the earth. Yes, and I will destroy every living thing—all the people, the large animals, the small animals that scurry along the ground, and even the birds of the sky. I am sorry I ever made them.” 8But Noah found favor with the Lord.
The Story of Noah
9This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God. 10Noah was the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11Now God saw that the earth had become corrupt and was filled with violence. 12God observed all this corruption in the world, for everyone on earth was corrupt. 13So God said to Noah, “I have decided to destroy all living creatures, for they have filled the earth with violence. Yes, I will wipe them all out along with the earth!
14“Build a large boat#6:14a Traditionally rendered an ark. from cypress wood#6:14b Or gopher wood. and waterproof it with tar, inside and out. Then construct decks and stalls throughout its interior. 15Make the boat 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high.#6:15 Hebrew 300 cubits [138 meters] long, 50 cubits [23 meters] wide, and 30 cubits [13.8 meters] high. 16Leave an 18-inch opening#6:16 Hebrew an opening of 1 cubit [46 centimeters]. below the roof all the way around the boat. Put the door on the side, and build three decks inside the boat—lower, middle, and upper.
17“Look! I am about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing that breathes. Everything on earth will die. 18But I will confirm my covenant with you. So enter the boat—you and your wife and your sons and their wives. 19Bring a pair of every kind of animal—a male and a female—into the boat with you to keep them alive during the flood. 20Pairs of every kind of bird, and every kind of animal, and every kind of small animal that scurries along the ground, will come to you to be kept alive. 21And be sure to take on board enough food for your family and for all the animals.”
22So Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
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