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Genesis 1

The Beginning

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

3 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.5 God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.

6 And God said, "Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water."7 So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so.8 God called the vault "sky." And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.

9 And God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear." And it was so.10 God called the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters he called "seas." And God saw that it was good.

11 Then God said, "Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds." And it was so.12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.13 And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.

14 And God said, "Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years,15 and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth." And it was so.16 God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars.17 God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth,18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good.19 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.

20 And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky."21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.22 God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth."23 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.

24 And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so.25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

26 Then God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,t and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

27 So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.

28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

29 Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food." And it was so.

31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

Genesis 1

The Creation of the World

1 In the beginning ts Gods createdt the heavens and the earth.t
2 Nowt the eartht was without shape and empty,t and darknesss was over the surface of the watery deep,ts but the Spirit of Godt was movingt over the surfacet of the water.s3 God said,ts “Let there bet light.”s And there was light!4 God sawt that the light was good,t so God separatedts the light from the darkness.

5 God calledts the light “day” and the darknesst “night.” There was evening, and there was morning, marking the first day.ts
6 God said, “Let there be an expansets in the midst of the waters and let it separate watert from water.7 So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it.t It was so.t

8 God called the expanse “sky.”t There was evening, and there was morning, a second day.
9 God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one places and let dry ground appear.”t It was so.

10 God called the dry ground “land”t and the gathered waters he called “seas.” God saw that it was good.
11 God said, “Let the land produce vegetation:ts plants yielding seeds according to their kinds,s andt trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds.” It was so.12 The land produced vegetation – plants yielding seeds according to their kinds, and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. God saw that it was good.

13 There was evening, and there was morning, a third day.
14 God said, “Let there be lightss in the expanset of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them be signsts to indicate seasons and days and years,15 and let them serve as lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth.” It was so.16 God made two great lightss – the greater light to rule over the day and the lesser light to rule over the night. He made the stars also.t17 God placed the lightst in the expanse of the sky to shine on the earth,18 to preside over the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness.s God saw that it was good.

19 There was evening, and there was morning, a fourth day.
20 God said, “Let the water swarm with swarmst of living creatures and let birds flyt above the earth across the expanse of the sky.”21 God created the great sea creaturest and every living and moving thing with which the water swarmed, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. God saw that it was good.22 God blessed themt and said, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.”s

23 There was evening, and there was morning, a fifth day.
24 God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: cattle, creeping things, and wild animals, each according to its kind.”t It was so.

25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the cattle according to their kinds, and all the creatures that creep along the ground according to their kinds. God saw that it was good.

26 Then God said, “Let us makes humankindt in our image, after our likeness,ts so they may rulet over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth,s and over all the creatures that movet on the earth.”

27 God created humankindt in his own image,
in the image of God he created them,t
male and female he created them.s
28 God blessedt them and saidt to them, “Be fruitful and multiply! Fill the earth and subdue it!t Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that moves on the ground.”s29 Then God said, “I nowt give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the entire earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.s

30 And to all the animals of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to all the creatures that move on the ground – everything that has the breath of life in it – I givet every green plant for food.” It was so.

31 God saw all that he had made – and it was very good!t There was evening, and there was morning, the sixth day.

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Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.