Genesis 6
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
Sons of God and Daughters of Mankind
6 When mankind began to multiply on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God(A) saw that the daughters of mankind were beautiful, and they took any they chose as wives for themselves.(B) 3 And the Lord said, ‘My Spirit will not remain[a] with[b] mankind for ever,(C) because they are corrupt.[c](D) Their days will be 120 years.’ 4 The Nephilim[d] were on the earth both in those days and afterwards, when the sons of God came to the daughters of mankind, who bore children to them. They were the powerful men of old, the famous men.
Judgement Decreed
5 When the Lord saw that human wickedness was widespread on the earth and that every inclination of the human mind was nothing but evil all the time,(E) 6 the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth,(F) and he was deeply grieved. 7 Then the Lord said, ‘I will wipe mankind, whom I created, off the face of the earth, together with the animals, creatures that crawl, and birds of the sky – for I regret that I made them.’ 8 Noah, however, found favour with the Lord.(G)
God Warns Noah
9 These are the family records(H) of Noah. Noah was a righteous man,(I) blameless among his contemporaries;(J) Noah walked with God.(K) 10 And Noah fathered three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with wickedness.[e] 12 God saw how corrupt the earth was, for every creature had corrupted its way on the earth.(L) 13 Then God said to Noah, ‘I have decided to put an end to every creature, for the earth is filled with wickedness because of them; therefore I am going to destroy them along with the earth.
14 ‘Make yourself an ark of gopher[f] wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it with pitch inside and outside. 15 This is how you are to make it: the ark will be 135 metres long, 23 metres wide, and 13.5 metres high.[g] 16 You are to make a roof,[h] finishing the sides of the ark to within forty-five centimetres[i] of the roof. You are to put a door in the side of the ark. Make it with lower, middle, and upper decks.
17 ‘Understand that I am bringing a flood – floodwaters on the earth(M) to destroy every creature under heaven with the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you,(N) and you will enter the ark with your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives. 19 You are also to bring into the ark two of all the living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. 20 Two of everything – from the birds according to their kinds, from the livestock according to their kinds, and from the animals that crawl on the ground according to their kinds – will come to you so that you can keep them alive. 21 Take with you every kind of food that is eaten; gather it as food for you and for them.’ 22 And Noah did this. He did everything that God had commanded him.(O)
Footnotes
- 6:3 Or strive
- 6:3 Or in
- 6:3 Lit flesh
- 6:4 Possibly means ‘fallen ones’; traditionally, ‘giants’; Nm 13:31–33
- 6:11 Or injustice, also in v. 13
- 6:14 Unknown species of tree; perhaps pine or cypress
- 6:15 Or 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high
- 6:16 Or window, or hatch; Hb uncertain
- 6:16 Lit to a cubit
Genesis 6
New King James Version
The Wickedness and Judgment of Man
6 Now it came to pass, (A)when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they (B)took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.
3 And the Lord said, (C)“My Spirit shall not (D)strive[a] with man forever, (E)for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” 4 There were [b]giants on the earth in those (F)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 [c]the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every (G)intent[d] of the thoughts of his heart was only evil [e]continually. 6 And (H)the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and (I)He was grieved in His (J)heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will (K)destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah (L)found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
Noah Pleases God
9 This is the genealogy of Noah. (M)Noah was a just man, [f]perfect in his generations. Noah (N)walked with God. 10 And Noah begot three sons: (O)Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11 The earth also was corrupt (P)before God, and the earth was (Q)filled with violence. 12 So God (R)looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for (S)all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.
The Ark Prepared(T)
13 And God said to Noah, (U)“The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; (V)and behold, (W)I will destroy them with the earth. 14 Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make [g]rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. 15 And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred [h]cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. 16 You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks. 17 (X)And behold, I Myself am bringing (Y)floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall (Z)die. 18 But I will establish My (AA)covenant with you; and (AB)you shall go 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 (AC)two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. 20 Of the birds after their kind, of animals after their kind, and of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind, two of every kind (AD)will come to you to keep them alive. 21 And you shall take for yourself of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to yourself; and it shall be food for you and for them.”
22 (AE)Thus Noah did; (AF)according to all that (AG)God commanded him, so he did.
Footnotes
- Genesis 6:3 LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg. abide
- Genesis 6:4 Heb. nephilim, fallen or mighty ones
- Genesis 6:5 So with MT, Tg.; Vg. God; LXX Lord God
- Genesis 6:5 thought
- Genesis 6:5 all the day
- Genesis 6:9 blameless or having integrity
- Genesis 6:14 Lit. compartments or nests
- Genesis 6:15 A cubit is about 18 inches.
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
Copyright © 2024 by Holman Bible Publishers.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.