Genesis 6

Corruption on the Earth

(Matthew 24:36–51)

1Now when men began to multiply on the face of the earth and daughters were born to them, 2the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they took as wives whomever they chose.

3So the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with man forever,#6:3 LXX and Syriac My Spirit will not remain in man forever for he is mortal; his days shall be 120 years.”

4The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and afterward as well—when the sons of God had relations with the daughters of men. And they bore them children who became the mighty men of old, men of renown.

5Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was altogether evil all the time. 6And the Lord regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7So the Lord said, “I will blot out man, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—every man and beast and crawling creature and bird of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them.”

Noah’s Favor with God

8Noah, however, found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

9This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God. 10And Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

11Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and full of violence. 12And God looked upon the earth and saw that it was corrupt; for all living creatures #6:12 Literally all flesh; similarly in verses 13, 17, and 19 on the earth had corrupted their ways.

Preparing the Ark

(Hebrews 11:7)

13Then God said to Noah, “The end of all living creatures has come before Me, because through them the earth is full of violence. Now behold, I will destroy both them and the earth.

14Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood;#6:14 Gopher is an unknown kind of tree; possibly cypress or cedar. make rooms in the ark and coat it with pitch inside and out. 15And this is how you are to build it: The ark is to be 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high.#6:15 The ark was approximately 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high (137.2 meters long, 22.9 meters wide, and 13.7 meters high). 16You are to make a roof #6:16 Or skylight or window for the ark, finish its walls a cubit from the top,#6:16 A cubit is approximately 18 inches or 45.7 centimeters. place a door in the side of the ark, and build lower, middle, and upper decks.

17And behold, I will bring floodwaters upon the earth to destroy every creature under the heavens that has the breath of life. Everything on the earth will perish. 18But I will establish My covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you.

19And you are to bring two of every living creature into the ark—male and female—to keep them alive with you. 20Two of every kind of bird and animal and crawling creature will come to you to be kept alive. 21You are also to take for yourself every kind of food that is eaten and gather it as food for yourselves and for the animals.”

22So Noah did everything precisely as God had commanded him.

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Genesis 6

Evil Increases on the Earth

1The number of people increased all over the earth, and daughters were born to them. 2The sons of God saw that the daughters of other humans were beautiful. So they married any woman they chose.

3Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not struggle with humans forever, because they are flesh and blood. They will live 120 years.”

4The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, as well as later, when the sons of God slept with the daughters of other humans and had children by them. These children were famous long ago.

5The Lord saw how evil humans had become on the earth. All day long their deepest thoughts were nothing but evil. 6The Lord was sorry that he had made humans on the earth, and he was heartbroken. 7So he said, “I will wipe off the face of the earth these humans that I created. I will wipe out not only humans, but also domestic animals, crawling animals, and birds. I’m sorry that I made them.” 8But the Lord was pleased with Noah.

Noah’s Family and the Ship

9This is the account of Noah and his descendants.

Noah had God’s approval and was a man of integrity among the people of his time. He walked with God. 10He had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

11The world was corrupt in God’s sight and full of violence. 12God saw the world and how corrupt it was because all people on earth lived evil lives.

13God said to Noah, “I have decided to put an end to all people because the earth is full of their violence. Now I’m going to destroy them along with the earth. 14Make yourself a ship of cypress wood. #6:14 Or “teakwood.” Make rooms in the ship and coat it inside and out with tar. 15This is how you should build it: the ship is to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. 16Make a roof for the ship, and leave an 18-inch-high opening at the top. Put a door in the side of the ship. Build the ship with lower, middle, and upper decks. 17I’m about to send a flood on the earth to destroy all people under the sky—every living, breathing human. Everything on earth will die.

18“But I will make my promise #6:18 Or “covenant.” to you. You, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives will go into the ship. 19Bring two of every living creature into the ship in order to keep them alive with you. They must be male and female. 20Two of every type of bird, every type of domestic animal, and every type of creature that crawls on the ground will come to you to be kept alive. 21Take every kind of food that can be eaten and store it. It will be food for you and the animals.”

22Noah did this. He did everything that God had commanded him.

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