The Tower of Babylon

11 At one time the whole earth had the same language and vocabulary.[a] As people[b] migrated from the east,[c] they found a valley in the land of Shinar and settled there.(A) They said to each other, “Come, let us make oven-fired bricks.” They used brick for stone and asphalt for mortar.(B) And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the sky.(C) Let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise, we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”

Then the Lord came down(D) to look over the city and the tower that the men were building. The Lord said, “If they have begun to do this as one people all having the same language, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let Us go down there and confuse[d] their language[e] so that they will not understand one another’s speech.”[f] So from there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth,(E) and they stopped building the city. Therefore its name is called Babylon,[g](F) for there the Lord confused the language of the whole earth, and from there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

From Shem to Abram

10 These are the family records(G) of Shem. Shem lived 100 years and fathered Arpachshad two years after the flood. 11 After he fathered Arpachshad, Shem lived 500 years and fathered other sons and daughters. 12 Arpachshad lived 35 years[h] and fathered Shelah. 13 After he fathered Shelah, Arpachshad lived 403 years and fathered other sons and daughters. 14 Shelah lived 30 years and fathered Eber. 15 After he fathered Eber, Shelah lived 403 years and fathered other sons and daughters. 16 Eber lived 34 years and fathered Peleg. 17 After he fathered Peleg, Eber lived 430 years and fathered other sons and daughters. 18 Peleg lived 30 years and fathered Reu. 19 After he fathered Reu, Peleg lived 209 years and fathered other sons and daughters. 20 Reu lived 32 years and fathered Serug. 21 After he fathered Serug, Reu lived 207 years and fathered other sons and daughters. 22 Serug lived 30 years and fathered Nahor. 23 After he fathered Nahor, Serug lived 200 years and fathered other sons and daughters. 24 Nahor lived 29 years and fathered Terah.(H) 25 After he fathered Terah, Nahor lived 119 years and fathered other sons and daughters. 26 Terah lived 70 years and fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

27 These are the family records of Terah. Terah fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran, and Haran fathered Lot. 28 Haran died in his native land, in Ur of the Chaldeans, during his father Terah’s lifetime. 29 Abram and Nahor took wives: Abram’s wife was named Sarai,(I) and Nahor’s wife was named Milcah.(J) She was the daughter of Haran, the father of both Milcah and Iscah. 30 Sarai was unable to conceive;(K) she did not have a child.

31 Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot (Haran’s son), and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife, and they set out together from Ur of the Chaldeans(L) to go to the land of Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there. 32 Terah lived 205 years and died in Haran.

The Call of Abram

12 The Lord said to Abram:

Go out from your land,
your relatives,
and your father’s house
to the land that I will show you.(M)
I will make you into a great nation,(N)
I will bless you,(O)
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.[i](P)
I will bless those who bless you,
I will curse those who treat you with contempt,(Q)
and all the peoples[j] on earth
will be blessed[k] through you.[l](R)

So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran.(S) He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated, and the people he had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land to the site of Shechem,(T) at the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.”(U) So he built an altar there to the Lord who had appeared to him. From there he moved on to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. He built an altar to Yahweh there, and he called on the name of Yahweh.(V) Then Abram journeyed by stages to the Negev.

Abram in Egypt

10 There was a famine in the land,(W) so Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine in the land was severe. 11 When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “Look, I know what a beautiful woman you are. 12 When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ They will kill me but let you live.(X) 13 Please say you’re my sister so it will go well for me because of you, and my life will be spared on your account.” 14 When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. 15 Pharaoh’s officials saw her and praised her to Pharaoh, so the woman was taken to Pharaoh’s household. 16 He treated Abram well because of her, and Abram acquired flocks and herds, male and female donkeys, male and female slaves, and camels.

17 But the Lord struck Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Abram’s wife Sarai.(Y) 18 So Pharaoh sent for Abram and said, “What have you done to me? Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She’s my sister,’ so that I took her as my wife? Now, here is your wife. Take her and go!” 20 Then Pharaoh gave his men orders about him, and they sent him away with his wife and all he had.

Abram and Lot Separate

13 Then Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev(Z)—he, his wife, and all he had, and Lot with him. Abram was very rich[m] in livestock, silver, and gold. He went by stages from the Negev to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had formerly been, to the site where he had built the altar. And Abram called on the name of Yahweh there.(AA)

Now Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had flocks, herds, and tents. But the land was unable to support them as long as they stayed together, for they had so many possessions that they could not stay together,(AB) and there was quarreling between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock.(AC) At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land.(AD)

Then Abram said to Lot, “Please, let’s not have quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, since we are relatives.[n] Isn’t the whole land before you? Separate from me: if you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left.”

10 Lot looked out and saw that the entire Jordan Valley(AE) as far as[o] Zoar(AF) was well watered everywhere like the Lord’s garden(AG) and the land of Egypt. This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.(AH) 11 So Lot chose the entire Jordan Valley for himself. Then Lot journeyed eastward, and they separated from each other. 12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, but Lot lived in the cities of the valley and set up his tent near Sodom. 13 Now the men of Sodom were evil, sinning greatly[p] against the Lord.(AI)

14 After Lot had separated from him, the Lord said to Abram, “Look from the place where you are. Look north and south, east and west,(AJ) 15 for I will give you and your offspring forever all the land that you see.(AK) 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth,(AL) so that if anyone could count the dust of the earth, then your offspring could be counted. 17 Get up and walk around the land, through its length and width, for I will give it to you.”

18 So Abram moved his tent and went to live near the oaks of Mamre at Hebron,(AM) where he built an altar to the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 11:1 Lit one lip and the same words
  2. Genesis 11:2 Lit they
  3. Genesis 11:2 Or migrated eastward
  4. Genesis 11:7 Or confound
  5. Genesis 11:7 Lit lip
  6. Genesis 11:7 Lit understand each man the lip of his companion
  7. Genesis 11:9 In Hb, the name Babylon sounds like the word “confuse.”
  8. Genesis 11:12 LXX reads years and fathered Cainan. 13 After he fathered Cainan, Arphachshad lived 430 years and fathered [other] sons and daughters, and he died. Cainan lived 130 years and fathered Shelah. After he fathered Shelah, Cainan lived 330 years and fathered [other] sons and daughters, and he died; Gn 10:24; Lk 3:35-36
  9. Genesis 12:2 Or great. Be a blessing!
  10. Genesis 12:3 Lit clans
  11. Genesis 12:3 Or will find blessing
  12. Genesis 12:3 Or will bless themselves by you
  13. Genesis 13:2 Lit heavy
  14. Genesis 13:8 Lit brothers
  15. Genesis 13:10 Lit Valley as you go to
  16. Genesis 13:13 Lit evil and sinful

The Tower of Babel

11 Now the whole world had one language(A) and a common speech. As people moved eastward,[a] they found a plain in Shinar[b](B) and settled there.

They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks(C) and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone,(D) and tar(E) for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens,(F) so that we may make a name(G) for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered(H) over the face of the whole earth.”(I)

But the Lord came down(J) to see the city and the tower the people were building. The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language(K) they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us(L) go down(M) and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”(N)

So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth,(O) and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel[c](P)—because there the Lord confused the language(Q) of the whole world.(R) From there the Lord scattered(S) them over the face of the whole earth.

From Shem to Abram(T)

10 This is the account(U) of Shem’s family line.

Two years after the flood, when Shem was 100 years old, he became the father[d] of Arphaxad.(V) 11 And after he became the father of Arphaxad, Shem lived 500 years and had other sons and daughters.

12 When Arphaxad had lived 35 years, he became the father of Shelah.(W) 13 And after he became the father of Shelah, Arphaxad lived 403 years and had other sons and daughters.[e]

14 When Shelah had lived 30 years, he became the father of Eber.(X) 15 And after he became the father of Eber, Shelah lived 403 years and had other sons and daughters.

16 When Eber had lived 34 years, he became the father of Peleg.(Y) 17 And after he became the father of Peleg, Eber lived 430 years and had other sons and daughters.

18 When Peleg had lived 30 years, he became the father of Reu.(Z) 19 And after he became the father of Reu, Peleg lived 209 years and had other sons and daughters.

20 When Reu had lived 32 years, he became the father of Serug.(AA) 21 And after he became the father of Serug, Reu lived 207 years and had other sons and daughters.

22 When Serug had lived 30 years, he became the father of Nahor.(AB) 23 And after he became the father of Nahor, Serug lived 200 years and had other sons and daughters.

24 When Nahor had lived 29 years, he became the father of Terah.(AC) 25 And after he became the father of Terah, Nahor lived 119 years and had other sons and daughters.

26 After Terah had lived 70 years, he became the father of Abram,(AD) Nahor(AE) and Haran.(AF)

Abram’s Family

27 This is the account(AG) of Terah’s family line.

Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor(AH) and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot.(AI) 28 While his father Terah was still alive, Haran died in Ur of the Chaldeans,(AJ) in the land of his birth. 29 Abram and Nahor(AK) both married. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai,(AL) and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milkah;(AM) she was the daughter of Haran, the father of both Milkah and Iskah. 30 Now Sarai was childless because she was not able to conceive.(AN)

31 Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot(AO) son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law(AP) Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans(AQ) to go to Canaan.(AR) But when they came to Harran,(AS) they settled there.

32 Terah(AT) lived 205 years, and he died in Harran.

The Call of Abram

12 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household(AU) to the land(AV) I will show you.(AW)

“I will make you into a great nation,(AX)
    and I will bless you;(AY)
I will make your name great,
    and you will be a blessing.[f](AZ)
I will bless those who bless you,
    and whoever curses you I will curse;(BA)
and all peoples on earth
    will be blessed through you.(BB)[g]

So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot(BC) went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old(BD) when he set out from Harran.(BE) He took his wife Sarai,(BF) his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated(BG) and the people(BH) they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan,(BI) and they arrived there.

Abram traveled through the land(BJ) as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh(BK) at Shechem.(BL) At that time the Canaanites(BM) were in the land. The Lord appeared to Abram(BN) and said, “To your offspring[h] I will give this land.(BO)(BP) So he built an altar there to the Lord,(BQ) who had appeared to him.

From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel(BR) and pitched his tent,(BS) with Bethel on the west and Ai(BT) on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.(BU)

Then Abram set out and continued toward the Negev.(BV)

Abram in Egypt(BW)

10 Now there was a famine in the land,(BX) and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe.(BY) 11 As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai,(BZ) “I know what a beautiful woman(CA) you are. 12 When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live. 13 Say you are my sister,(CB) so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.”

14 When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was a very beautiful woman.(CC) 15 And when Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace. 16 He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.(CD)

17 But the Lord inflicted(CE) serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household(CF) because of Abram’s wife Sarai. 18 So Pharaoh summoned Abram. “What have you done to me?”(CG) he said. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife?(CH) 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’(CI) so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!” 20 Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had.

Abram and Lot Separate

13 So Abram went up from Egypt(CJ) to the Negev,(CK) with his wife and everything he had, and Lot(CL) went with him. Abram had become very wealthy(CM) in livestock(CN) and in silver and gold.

From the Negev(CO) he went from place to place until he came to Bethel,(CP) to the place between Bethel and Ai(CQ) where his tent had been earlier and where he had first built an altar.(CR) There Abram called on the name of the Lord.(CS)

Now Lot,(CT) who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together.(CU) And quarreling(CV) arose between Abram’s herders and Lot’s. The Canaanites(CW) and Perizzites(CX) were also living in the land(CY) at that time.

So Abram said to Lot,(CZ) “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me,(DA) or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives.(DB) Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.”(DC)

10 Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain(DD) of the Jordan toward Zoar(DE) was well watered, like the garden of the Lord,(DF) like the land of Egypt.(DG) (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom(DH) and Gomorrah.)(DI) 11 So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company: 12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan,(DJ) while Lot(DK) lived among the cities of the plain(DL) and pitched his tents near Sodom.(DM) 13 Now the people of Sodom(DN) were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord.(DO)

14 The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west.(DP) 15 All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring[i] forever.(DQ) 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.(DR) 17 Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land,(DS) for I am giving it to you.”(DT)

18 So Abram went to live near the great trees of Mamre(DU) at Hebron,(DV) where he pitched his tents. There he built an altar to the Lord.(DW)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 11:2 Or from the east; or in the east
  2. Genesis 11:2 That is, Babylonia
  3. Genesis 11:9 That is, Babylon; Babel sounds like the Hebrew for confused.
  4. Genesis 11:10 Father may mean ancestor; also in verses 11-25.
  5. Genesis 11:13 Hebrew; Septuagint (see also Luke 3:35, 36 and note at Gen. 10:24) 35 years, he became the father of Cainan. 13 And after he became the father of Cainan, Arphaxad lived 430 years and had other sons and daughters, and then he died. When Cainan had lived 130 years, he became the father of Shelah. And after he became the father of Shelah, Cainan lived 330 years and had other sons and daughters
  6. Genesis 12:2 Or be seen as blessed
  7. Genesis 12:3 Or earth / will use your name in blessings (see 48:20)
  8. Genesis 12:7 Or seed
  9. Genesis 13:15 Or seed; also in verse 16

Children and Parents

Children, obey(A) your parents as you would the Lord,[a] because this is right. Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment[b] with a promise, so that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life in the land.[c](B)[d] Fathers, don’t stir up anger(C) in your children, but bring them up in the training(D) and instruction of the Lord.

Slaves and Masters

Slaves, obey your human[e] masters(E) with fear and trembling,(F) in the sincerity(G) of your heart, as to Christ. Don’t work only while being watched, in order to please men, but as slaves of Christ, do God’s will(H) from your heart.[f] Serve with a good attitude, as to the Lord and not to men,(I) knowing that whatever good each one does, slave or free, he will receive this back from the Lord. And masters, treat your slaves the same way, without threatening(J) them, because you know that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism(K) with Him.(L)

Christian Warfare

10 Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength.(M) 11 Put on(N) the full armor(O) of God so that you can stand against the tactics[g] of the Devil. 12 For our battle is not against flesh(P) and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,(Q) against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil(R) in the heavens.(S) 13 This is why you must take up the full armor(T) of God, so that you may be able to resist(U) in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. 14 Stand,(V) therefore,

with truth(W) like a belt around your waist,
righteousness(X) like armor on your chest,(Y)
15 and your feet sandaled with readiness
for the gospel of peace.[h]
16 In every situation take the shield(Z) of faith,(AA)
and with it you will be able to extinguish
all the flaming arrows of the evil one.(AB)
17 Take the helmet(AC) of salvation,
and the sword(AD) of the Spirit,(AE)
which is God’s word.

18 Pray(AF) at all times in the Spirit(AG) with every prayer and request, and stay alert(AH) in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. 19 Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness(AI) the mystery of the gospel. 20 For this I am an ambassador(AJ) in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough in Him to speak as I should.

Paul’s Farewell

21 Tychicus,(AK) our dearly loved brother and faithful servant[i] in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me so that you may be informed. 22 I am sending him to you for this very reason, to let you know how we are and to encourage(AL) your hearts.(AM)

23 Peace to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father(AN) and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all who have undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.[j][k]

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 6:1 Lit parents in the Lord
  2. Ephesians 6:2 Or is a preeminent commandment
  3. Ephesians 6:3 Or life on the earth
  4. Ephesians 6:3 Ex 20:12
  5. Ephesians 6:5 Lit according to the flesh
  6. Ephesians 6:6 Lit from soul
  7. Ephesians 6:11 Or schemes, or tricks
  8. Ephesians 6:15 Ready to go tell others about the gospel
  9. Ephesians 6:21 Or deacon
  10. Ephesians 6:24 Other mss add Amen.
  11. Ephesians 6:24 Lit all who love our Lord Jesus Christ in incorruption

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.(A) “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”[a](B)

Fathers,[b] do not exasperate your children;(C) instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.(D)

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect(E) and fear, and with sincerity of heart,(F) just as you would obey Christ.(G) Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ,(H) doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people,(I) because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do,(J) whether they are slave or free.

And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours(K) is in heaven, and there is no favoritism(L) with him.

The Armor of God

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord(M) and in his mighty power.(N) 11 Put on the full armor of God,(O) so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,(P) but against the rulers, against the authorities,(Q) against the powers(R) of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.(S) 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God,(T) so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,(U) with the breastplate of righteousness in place,(V) 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.(W) 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith,(X) with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.(Y) 17 Take the helmet of salvation(Z) and the sword of the Spirit,(AA) which is the word of God.(AB)

18 And pray in the Spirit(AC) on all occasions(AD) with all kinds of prayers and requests.(AE) With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying(AF) for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me,(AG) that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly(AH) make known the mystery(AI) of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador(AJ) in chains.(AK) Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Final Greetings

21 Tychicus,(AL) the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. 22 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are,(AM) and that he may encourage you.(AN)

23 Peace(AO) to the brothers and sisters,[c] and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.[d]

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 6:3 Deut. 5:16
  2. Ephesians 6:4 Or Parents
  3. Ephesians 6:23 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family.
  4. Ephesians 6:24 Or Grace and immortality to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ.