Genesis 1
New King James Version
The History of Creation(A)
1 In the (B)beginning (C)God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was (D)without form, and void; and darkness [a]was on the face of the deep. (E)And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
3 (F)Then God said, (G)“Let there be (H)light”; and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the (I)darkness He called Night. [b]So the evening and the morning were the first day.
6 Then God said, (J)“Let there be a [c]firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” 7 Thus God made the firmament, (K)and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were (L)above the firmament; and it was so. 8 And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day.
9 Then God said, (M)“Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and (N)let the dry land appear”; and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good.
11 Then God said, “Let the earth (O)bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the (P)fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13 So the evening and the morning were the third day.
14 Then God said, “Let there be (Q)lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and (R)seasons, and for days and years; 15 and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so. 16 Then God made two great [d]lights: the (S)greater light to rule the day, and the (T)lesser light to rule the night. He made (U)the stars also. 17 God set them in the firmament of the (V)heavens to give light on the earth, 18 and to (W)rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 So the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
20 Then God said, “Let the waters abound with an abundance of living [e]creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the [f]firmament of the heavens.” 21 So (X)God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, (Y)“Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23 So the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
24 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”; and it was so. 25 And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
26 Then God said, (Z)“Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; (AA)let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over [g]all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man (AB)in His own image; in the image of God He created him; (AC)male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, (AD)“Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and (AE)subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that [h]moves on the earth.”
29 And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; (AF)to you it shall be for food. 30 Also, to (AG)every beast of the earth, to every (AH)bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is [i]life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it was so. 31 Then (AI)God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Footnotes
- Genesis 1:2 Words in italic type have been added for clarity. They are not found in the original Hebrew or Aramaic.
- Genesis 1:5 Lit. And evening was, and morning was, a day, one.
- Genesis 1:6 expanse
- Genesis 1:16 luminaries
- Genesis 1:20 souls
- Genesis 1:20 expanse
- Genesis 1:26 Syr. all the wild animals of
- Genesis 1:28 moves about on
- Genesis 1:30 a living soul
Genesis 1
Expanded Bible
The Beginning of the World
1 ·In the beginning [or In the beginning when] God created [C this Hebrew verb is used only when God is the one creating] the ·sky [heavens] and the earth. 2 ·The [or…the] earth ·had no form and was empty [or was a formless void]. Darkness covered the ·ocean [deep], and ·God’s Spirit [or a mighty wind] was ·moving [hovering] over the water.
3 Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, so he ·divided [separated] the light from the darkness. 5 God ·named [called] the light “day” and the darkness “night.” ·Evening passed, and morning came [L There was evening and there was morning; C in the OT a day begins at nightfall]. This was the first day.
6 Then God said, “Let there be ·something to divide the water in two [L a firmament/dome/expanse in the midst of the waters to separate/divide the waters from the waters].” 7 So God made the ·air [L firmament; dome; expanse; C rain clouds] and placed some of the water above the ·air [L firmament; dome; expanse] and some below it [C referring to the rain and the oceans, lakes, and rivers]. 8 God ·named [called] the ·air [L firmament/dome/expanse] “·sky [heaven].” Evening passed, and morning came [1:5]. This was the second day.
9 Then God said, “Let the water under the ·sky [heavens] be gathered together so the dry land will appear.” And it happened. 10 God ·named [called] the dry land “earth” and [L he called] the water that was gathered together “seas.” God saw that this was good.
11 Then God said, “Let the earth produce ·plants [vegetation]—some to make grain for seeds and ·others to make fruits with seeds in them. Every seed will produce more of its own kind of plant [L fruit trees on earth bearing fruit according to its own kind/species that has seed in them].” And it happened. 12 The earth ·produced [brought forth] plants with grain for seeds and trees that made fruits with seeds in them. ·Each seed grew its own kind of plant [L …according to its kind/species]. God saw that all this was good. 13 Evening passed, and morning came [1:5]. This was the third day.
14 Then God said, “Let there be lights in the ·sky [L firmament/dome/expanse of the heavens] to ·separate [divide] day from night. ·These lights will be used for [L They will be] signs, seasons, days, and years. 15 They will be in the ·sky [L firmament/dome/expanse] to give light to the earth.” And it happened.
16 So God made the two ·large [great] lights. He made the ·brighter [L greater] light to rule the day and made the ·smaller [lesser] light to rule the night. ·He also made the stars [L …and the stars]. 17 God put all these in the sky to shine on the earth, 18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to ·separate [divide] the light from the darkness. God saw that all these things were good. 19 Evening passed, and morning came [1:5]. This was the fourth day.
20 Then God said, “Let the water ·be filled with living things [L swarm with living creatures], and let birds fly in the ·air [L firmament/dome/expanse] above the earth.”
21 So God created [1:1] the large sea ·animals [or monsters] and every living thing that ·moves [L swarms] in the sea. The sea is filled with these living things, with each one ·producing more of its own kind [L according to its kind/species]. He also ·made [or created; 1:1] every bird that flies, and each bird ·produced more of its own kind [L according to its kind/species]. God saw that this was good. 22 God blessed them and said, “·Have many young ones so that you may grow in number [T Be fruitful and multiply]. ·Fill […and fill] the water of the seas, and let the birds ·grow in number [multiply] on the earth.” 23 Evening passed, and morning came [1:5]. This was the fifth day.
24 Then God said, “Let the earth be filled with ·animals [living creatures], ·each producing more of its own kind [L according to their kind/species]. Let there be ·tame animals [beasts; livestock] and small crawling animals and wild animals, ·and let each produce more of its kind [L according to their kind/species].” And it happened.
25 So God made the wild animals, the ·tame animals [beasts; livestock], and all the small crawling animals ·to produce more of their own kind [L according to their kind/species]. God saw that this was good.
26 Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image and likeness. And let them ·rule [T have dominion] over the fish in the sea and the birds in the ·sky [heavens], over the ·tame animals [beasts; livestock], over all the earth, and over all the small crawling animals on the earth.”
27 So God created [1:1] ·human beings [T man; C the Hebrew adam can mean human beings, humankind, person, man, or the proper name Adam] in his image [C reflecting God’s nature/character and representing him in the world]. In the image of God he created them. He created them male and female. 28 God blessed them and said [L to them], “·Have many children and grow in number [T Be fruitful and multiply]. ·Fill […and fill] the earth and ·be its master [subdue it]. ·Rule [T Have dominion] over the fish in the sea and over the birds in the ·sky [heavens] and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
29 God said, “Look, I have given you all the plants that have grain for seeds [L on the face of the earth] and all the trees whose fruits have seeds in them. They will be food for you. 30 I have given all the green plants as food for every wild animal, every bird of the ·air [sky; heavens], and every small ·crawling [creeping] animal.” And it happened. 31 God looked at everything he had made, and it was ·very [exceedingly] good. Evening passed, and morning came [1:5]. This was the sixth day.
Genesis 1
1599 Geneva Bible
The First Book of Moses, called [a]Genesis
1 1 God created the heaven and the earth. 3 The light and the darkness, 8 The firmament, 9 He separateth the water from the earth. 16 He createth the sun, the moon, and the stars. 21 He createth the fish, birds, beasts, 26 He createth man, and giveth him rule over all creatures, 29 And provideth nurture for man and beast.
1 In the [b]beginning (A)God created the heaven and the earth.
2 And the earth was [c][d]without form and void, and [e]darkness was upon the [f]deep, and the Spirit of God [g]moved upon the [h]waters.
3 Then God said, (B)Let there be light: And there was [i]light.
4 And God saw the light that it was good, and God separated [j]the light from the darkness.
5 And God called the Light, Day, and the darkness he called Night. [k]So the evening and the morning were the first day.
6 ¶ Again God said, (C)Let there be a [l]firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.
7 Then God made the firmament, and separated the waters, which were [m]under the firmament, from the waters which were (D)above the firmament: and it was so.
8 And God called the firmament, [n]Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day.
9 ¶ God said again, (E)Let the waters under the heaven be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
10 And God called the dry land, Earth, and he called the gathering together of the waters, Seas: and God saw that it was good.
11 Then God said, [o]Let the earth bud forth the bud of the herb, that seedeth seed, the fruitful tree, which beareth fruit according to his kind, which hath his seed in itself upon the earth: and it was so.
12 And the earth brought forth the bud of the herb, that seedeth seed according to his kind, also the tree that beareth fruit, which hath his seed in itself according to his kind: and God [p]saw that it was good.
13 So the evening and the morning were the third day.
14 ¶ And God said, (F)Let there be [q]lights in the firmament of the heaven, to [r]separate the day from the night, and let them be for [s]signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years.
15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
16 God then made two great [t]lights: the greater light to [u]rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made also the stars.
17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven, to shine upon the earth,
18 And to (G)rule in the day, and in the night, and to separate the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
19 So the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
20 Afterward God said, Let the waters bring forth in abundance every [v]creeping thing that hath [w]life: and let the fowl fly upon the earth in the [x]open firmament of the heaven.
21 Then God created the great whales, and everything living and moving, which the [y]waters brought forth in abundance according to their kind, and every feathered fowl according to his kind: and God saw that it was good.
22 Then God [z]blessed them, saying, Bring forth fruit and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let the fowl multiply in the earth.
23 So the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
24 ¶ Moreover God said, Let the earth bring forth the [aa]living thing according to his kind, cattle, and that which creepeth, and the beast of the earth according to his kind, and it was so.
25 And God made the beast of the earth according to his kind, and the cattle according to his kind, and every creeping thing of the earth according to his kind: and God saw that it was good.
26 Furthermore God said, (H)[ab]Let us make man in our [ac]image according to our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the heaven, and over the beasts, and over all the earth, and over everything that creepeth and moveth on the earth.
27 Thus God created the man in his image: in the image of God created he him: he created them (I)male and female.
28 And God [ad]blessed them, and God said to them, (J)Bring forth fruit, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the heaven, and over every beast that moveth upon the earth.
29 And God said, Behold, I have given unto you [ae]every herb bearing seed, which is upon all the earth, and every tree, wherein is the fruit of a tree bearing seed: (K)that shall be to you for meat.
30 Likewise to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the heaven, and to everything that moveth upon the earth, which hath life in itself, every green herb shall be for meat, and it was so.
31 (L)And God saw all that he had made, and lo, it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Footnotes
- Genesis 1:1 This word signifieth the beginning and generation of the creatures.
- Genesis 1:1 First of all, and before that any creature was, God made heaven and earth of nothing.
- Genesis 1:2 As a rude lump and without any creature in it: for the waters covered all.
- Genesis 1:2 Or, waste.
- Genesis 1:2 Darkness covered the deep waters, for as yet the light was not created.
- Genesis 1:2 Hebrew, face of the deep.
- Genesis 1:2 He maintained this confused heap by his secret power.
- Genesis 1:2 Hebrew, face of the waters.
- Genesis 1:3 The light was made before either Sun or Moon was created: therefore we must not attribute that to the creatures that are God’s instruments, which only appertaineth to God.
- Genesis 1:4 Hebrew, between the light, and between the darkness.
- Genesis 1:5 Hebrew, so was the evening, so was the morning.
- Genesis 1:6 Or, spreading over, and air.
- Genesis 1:7 As the sea and rivers, from those waters that are in the clouds, which are upheld by God’s power, lest they should overwhelm the world.
- Genesis 1:8 That is, the region of the air, and all that is above us.
- Genesis 1:11 So that we see it is the only power of God’s word that maketh the earth fruitful, which else naturally is barren.
- Genesis 1:12 This sentence is so oft repeated, to signify that God made all his creatures to serve to his glory, and to the profit of man: but for sin they were accursed, yet to the elect, by Christ they are restored, and serve to their wealth.
- Genesis 1:14 By the lights he meaneth the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars.
- Genesis 1:14 Which is the artificial day, from the Sun rising, to the going down.
- Genesis 1:14 Of things appertaining to natural and political orders and seasons.
- Genesis 1:16 To wit, the Sun and the Moon, and here he speaketh, as man judgeth by his eye: for else the Moon is less than the planet Saturn.
- Genesis 1:16 To give it sufficient light, as instruments appointed for the same, to serve to man’s use.
- Genesis 1:20 As fish and worms which slide, swim, or creep.
- Genesis 1:20 Hebrew, the soul of life.
- Genesis 1:20 Hebrew, face of the firmament.
- Genesis 1:21 The fish and fowls had both one beginning, wherein we see that nature giveth place to God’s will, forasmuch as the one sort is made to fly about in the air, and the other to swim beneath in the water.
- Genesis 1:22 That is, by the virtue of his word he gave power to his creatures to engender.
- Genesis 1:24 Hebrew, soul of life.
- Genesis 1:26 God commanded the water and the earth to bring forth other creatures: but of man he saith, Let us make: signifying, that God taketh counsel with his wisdom and virtue, purposing to make an excellent work above all the rest of his creation.
- Genesis 1:26 This image and likeness of God in man is expounded, Eph. 4:24, where it is written that man was created after God in righteousness and true holiness, meaning by these two words, all perfection, as wisdom, truth, innocence, power, etc.
- Genesis 1:28 The propagation of man is the blessing of God, Ps. 128.
- Genesis 1:29 God’s great liberality to man, taketh away all excuse of his ingratitude.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
