Genesis 6
New Living Translation
A World Gone Wrong
6 Then the people began to multiply on the earth, and daughters were born to them. 2 The sons of God saw the beautiful women[a] and took any they wanted as their wives. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not put up with[b] 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.”
4 In 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.
5 The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. 6 So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart. 7 And 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.” 8 But Noah found favor with the Lord.
The Story of Noah
9 This 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. 10 Noah was the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11 Now God saw that the earth had become corrupt and was filled with violence. 12 God observed all this corruption in the world, for everyone on earth was corrupt. 13 So 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[c] from cypress wood[d] and waterproof it with tar, inside and out. Then construct decks and stalls throughout its interior. 15 Make the boat 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high.[e] 16 Leave an 18-inch opening[f] 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. 18 But I will confirm my covenant with you. So enter the boat—you and your wife and your sons and their wives. 19 Bring a pair of every kind of animal—a male and a female—into the boat with you to keep them alive during the flood. 20 Pairs 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. 21 And be sure to take on board enough food for your family and for all the animals.”
22 So Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him.
Footnotes
- 6:2 Hebrew daughters of men; also in 6:4.
- 6:3 Greek version reads will not remain in.
- 6:14a Traditionally rendered an ark.
- 6:14b Or gopher wood.
- 6:15 Hebrew 300 cubits [138 meters] long, 50 cubits [23 meters] wide, and 30 cubits [13.8 meters] high.
- 6:16 Hebrew an opening of 1 cubit [46 centimeters].
Genesis 6
English Standard Version
Increasing Corruption on Earth
6 When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, (A)“My Spirit shall not abide in[a] man forever, (B)for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” 4 The Nephilim[b] were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.
5 (C)The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every (D)intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And (E)the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it (F)grieved him to his heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah (G)found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
Noah and the Flood
9 These are the generations of Noah. (H)Noah was a righteous man, (I)blameless in his generation. Noah (J)walked with God. 10 And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11 Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God (K)saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, (L)for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. 13 And God said to Noah, (M)“I have determined to make an end of all flesh,[c] for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14 Make yourself an ark of gopher wood.[d] Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. 15 This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark 300 cubits,[e] its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. 16 Make a roof[f] for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks. 17 (N)For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die. 18 But (O)I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you. 19 And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female. 20 Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground, according to its kind, two of every sort shall come in to you to keep them alive. 21 Also take with you every sort of food that is eaten, and store it up. It shall serve as food for you and for them.” 22 (P)Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.
Footnotes
- Genesis 6:3 Or My Spirit shall not contend with
- Genesis 6:4 Or giants
- Genesis 6:13 Hebrew The end of all flesh has come before me
- Genesis 6:14 Transliterated from Hebrew; the identity of this tree is uncertain
- Genesis 6:15 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
- Genesis 6:16 Or skylight
Genesis 6
Lexham English Bible
Prelude to the Flood
6 And it happened that, when humankind began to multiply on the face of the ground, daughters were born to them. 2 Then[a] the sons of God saw the daughters of humankind, that they were beautiful. And they took for themselves wives from all that they chose. 3 And Yahweh said, “My Spirit shall not abide with humankind forever in that he is also flesh. And his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” 4 The Nephilim were upon the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God went into the daughters of humankind, and they bore children to them.
5 And Yahweh saw that the evil of humankind was great upon the earth, and every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was always[b] only evil. 6 And Yahweh regretted that he had made humankind on the earth, and he was grieved in his heart.[c] 7 And Yahweh said, “I will destroy humankind whom I created from upon the face of the earth, from humankind, to animals, to creeping things, and to the birds of heaven,[d] for I regret that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of Yahweh.
9 These are the generations[e] of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, without defect in his generations. Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah fathered three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11 And the earth was corrupted before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth. 13 And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before me, for the earth was filled with violence because of them. Now, look, I am going to destroy them along with the earth. 14 Make for yourself an ark of cypress wood; you must make the ark with rooms, then[f] you must cover it with pitch, inside and outside. 15 And this is how you must make it: the length of the ark, three hundred cubits; its width fifty cubits; its height, thirty cubits. 16 You must make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above.[g] And as for the door of the ark, you must put it in its side. You must make it with a lower, second, and a third deck.
17 And I, behold, I am about to bring the flood waters over the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life from under the heaven;[h] everything that is on the earth shall perish. 18 And I will establish my covenant with you, and you must go into the ark—you, and your sons, and your wife, and the wives of your sons with you. 19 And of every living thing, from all flesh, you must bring two from every kind into the ark to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. 20 From the birds according to their[i] kind, and from the animals according to their[j] kind, from every creeping thing on the ground according to its[k] kind—two from every kind shall come to you to keep them alive. 21 And as for you, take for yourself from every kind of food that is eaten. And you must gather it to yourself. And it shall be for you and for them for food.” 22 And Noah did according to all that God commanded him; thus he did.
Footnotes
- Genesis 6:2 Or “And”
- Genesis 6:5 Literally “every day”
- Genesis 6:6 Literally “he was grieved to his heart”
- Genesis 6:7 Or “the sky”
- Genesis 6:9 Or “family records”
- Genesis 6:14 Or “and”
- Genesis 6:16 Literally “to one cubit you must finish it from above”
- Genesis 6:17 Or “the sky”
- Genesis 6:20 Or “its”
- Genesis 6:20 Or “its”
- Genesis 6:20 Or “their”
Genesis 6
Legacy Standard Bible
The Nephilim and the Daughters of Men
6 Now it happened, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, 2 that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were good in appearance; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. 3 Then Yahweh said, “(A)My Spirit shall not [a]strive with man forever [b](B)because he indeed is flesh; [c]nevertheless his days shall be 120 years.” 4 The (C)Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.
5 Then Yahweh saw that the evil of man was great on the earth, and that (D)every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 (E)And Yahweh regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was (F)grieved [d]in His heart. 7 And Yahweh said, “(G)I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the [e]sky; for (H)I regret that I have made them.” 8 But (I)Noah (J)found favor in the eyes of Yahweh.
The Generations of Noah
9 These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a (K)righteous man, [f](L)blameless among those in his generations; Noah (M)walked with God. 10 And Noah [g]became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11 Now the earth was (N)corrupt before God, and the earth was (O)filled with violence. 12 And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for (P)all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.
13 Then God said to Noah, “(Q)The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth. 14 Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and you shall [h]cover it inside and out with pitch. 15 Now this is how you shall make it: the length of the ark [i]300 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. 16 You shall make a [j]window for the ark, and complete it to one [k]cubit from [l]the top; and set the door of the ark in the side of it; you shall make it with lower, second, and third decks. 17 As for Me, behold (R)I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall breathe its last. 18 But I will establish (S)My covenant with you; and (T)you shall enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. 19 (U)And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. 20 (V)Of the birds after their kind, and of the animals after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive. 21 As for you, take for yourself some of all (W)food which is edible, and gather it to yourself; and it shall be for food for you and for them.” 22 (X)Thus Noah did; according to all that God had commanded him, so he did.
Footnotes
- Genesis 6:3 Or rule in; some ancient versions abide in
- Genesis 6:3 Or in his going astray he is flesh
- Genesis 6:3 Or therefore
- Genesis 6:6 Lit to
- Genesis 6:7 Lit heavens
- Genesis 6:9 Or having integrity; lit complete, perfect
- Genesis 6:10 Lit begot
- Genesis 6:14 Or pitch
- Genesis 6:15 Approx. 450 ft. long, 75 ft. wide, and 45 ft. high or 135 m, 23 m, and 14 m
- Genesis 6:16 Or roof
- Genesis 6:16 A cubit was approx. 18 in. or 45 cm
- Genesis 6:16 Lit above
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
.png)
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software
Legacy Standard Bible Copyright ©2021 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org For Permission to Quote Information visit https://www.LSBible.org.