Genesis 6
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.
GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
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.
For more information about the NLT: