人类的邪恶

人类在地上逐渐增多,生了女儿。 上帝的儿子们[a]看见人的女儿漂亮,就随意选来做妻子。 耶和华说:“人既然是血肉之躯,我的灵不会永远住在人的里面,然而人还可以活一百二十年。” 从那时起,地上出现了一些巨人,他们是上古有名的勇士,是上帝的儿子和人的女儿所生的后代。

耶和华看见人罪恶深重,心中终日思想恶事, 就后悔在地上造了人,心里伤痛, 说:“我要把所造的人从地上除掉,连同一切飞禽走兽和爬虫都除掉,我后悔造了他们。” 只有挪亚在耶和华面前蒙恩。

上帝命挪亚造方舟

以下是有关挪亚的记载。

挪亚是个义人,在当时的世代是个纯全无过的人,他与上帝同行。 10 挪亚生了三个儿子:闪、含和雅弗。

11 当时的世界在上帝眼中非常败坏,充满了暴行。 12 上帝看见世界败坏了,因为世人行为败坏。 13 祂对挪亚说:“世人恶贯满盈,他们的结局到了。我要把他们跟大地一起毁灭。 14 你要为自己用歌斐木建造一艘方舟,里面要有舱房,内外都要涂上柏油。 15 你建造的方舟要长一百三十三米,宽二十二米,高十三米。 16 舟顶要有五十厘米高的透光口,门开在方舟的侧面,整艘方舟要分为上、中、下三层。 17 看啊,我要使洪水在地上泛滥,毁灭天下。地上一切有气息的生灵都要灭亡。 18 但我要跟你立约,你与妻子、儿子和儿媳都可以进方舟。 19 每种动物你要带两只进方舟,雌雄各一只,好保存它们的生命。 20 各种飞禽走兽和爬虫要按种类每样一对到你那里,好保住生命。 21 你要为自己和这些动物预备各种食物,贮存起来。”

22 挪亚就照着上帝的吩咐把事情都办好了。

Footnotes

  1. 6:2 上帝的儿子”可能指塞特的后代,天使或有权势的人。

The Corruption of Mankind

Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were [a]beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. Then the Lord said, “(A)My Spirit shall not [b]strive with man forever, [c](B)because he also is flesh; [d]nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” 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.

Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that (D)every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (E)The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was (F)grieved [e]in His heart. The Lord 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 [f]sky; for (H)I am sorry that I have made them.” But (I)Noah (J)found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a (K)righteous man, [g](L)blameless in his [h]time; Noah (M)walked with God. 10 Noah [i]became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

11 Now the earth was (N)corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was (O)filled with violence. 12 God looked on 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 shall [j]cover it inside and out with pitch. 15 This is how you shall make it: the length of the ark three hundred [k]cubits, its breadth fifty [l]cubits, and its height thirty [m]cubits. 16 You shall make a [n]window for the ark, and finish it to a cubit from [o]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 Behold, (R)I, even 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 perish. 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

  1. Genesis 6:2 Lit good
  2. Genesis 6:3 Or rule in; some ancient versions read abide in
  3. Genesis 6:3 Or in his going astray he is flesh
  4. Genesis 6:3 Or therefore
  5. Genesis 6:6 Lit to
  6. Genesis 6:7 Lit heavens
  7. Genesis 6:9 Lit complete, perfect; or having integrity
  8. Genesis 6:9 Lit generations
  9. Genesis 6:10 Lit begot
  10. Genesis 6:14 Or pitch
  11. Genesis 6:15 I.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in.
  12. Genesis 6:15 I.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in.
  13. Genesis 6:15 I.e. One cubit equals approx 18 in.
  14. Genesis 6:16 Or roof
  15. Genesis 6:16 Lit above

Wickedness in the World

When human beings began to increase in number on the earth(A) and daughters were born to them, the sons of God(B) saw that the daughters(C) of humans were beautiful,(D) and they married(E) any of them they chose. Then the Lord said, “My Spirit(F) will not contend with[a] humans forever,(G) for they are mortal[b];(H) their days will be a hundred and twenty years.”

The Nephilim(I) were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans(J) and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.(K)

The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth,(L) and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.(M) The Lord regretted(N) that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth(O) the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.(P) But Noah(Q) found favor in the eyes of the Lord.(R)

Noah and the Flood

This is the account(S) of Noah and his family.

Noah was a righteous man, blameless(T) among the people of his time,(U) and he walked faithfully with God.(V) 10 Noah had three sons: Shem,(W) Ham and Japheth.(X)

11 Now the earth was corrupt(Y) in God’s sight and was full of violence.(Z) 12 God saw how corrupt(AA) the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways.(AB) 13 So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy(AC) both them and the earth.(AD) 14 So make yourself an ark of cypress[c] wood;(AE) make rooms in it and coat it with pitch(AF) inside and out. 15 This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high.[d] 16 Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit[e] high all around.[f] Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks. 17 I am going to bring floodwaters(AG) on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish.(AH) 18 But I will establish my covenant with you,(AI) and you will enter the ark(AJ)—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. 19 You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you.(AK) 20 Two(AL) of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind(AM) of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive.(AN) 21 You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.”

22 Noah did everything just as God commanded him.(AO)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 6:3 Or My spirit will not remain in
  2. Genesis 6:3 Or corrupt
  3. Genesis 6:14 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  4. Genesis 6:15 That is, about 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high or about 135 meters long, 23 meters wide and 14 meters high
  5. Genesis 6:16 That is, about 18 inches or about 45 centimeters
  6. Genesis 6:16 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.