< Genesis 6 >
1 And it happened, when humankind began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them,
People started to increase in number and spread out across the earth. Daughters were born to them,
2 that God's sons saw that the daughters of humankind were beautiful, and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose.
and the sons of God saw that these women were beautiful, and they took whichever ones they wanted.
3 And God said, "My Spirit will not remain in humankind forever, since he is indeed flesh; yet his days will be one hundred twenty years."
Then the Lord said, “My life-giving Spirit will not remain in these people forever, because they are only mortal. The time they have left will be 120 years.”
4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days (and also after that), when the sons of God had sexual relations with the daughters of humankind and had children by them. They were the mighty men who were from ancient times, famous men.
There were giants on earth in those days, and also later on. They were born after the sons of God slept with the daughters of these people. Their sons became the great warriors and famous men of ancient times.
5 And God saw that the wickedness of humankind was great on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
The Lord saw how terribly evil people on earth had become—every single thought in their minds was evil all the time!
6 And God was sorry that he had made humankind on the earth, and he was grieved in his heart.
The Lord was sorry he'd made human beings to live on the earth; it made him very sad to think about it.
7 God said, "I will destroy humankind whom I have created from the face of the earth; humankind, along with animals, crawling creatures, and flying creatures of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them."
So the Lord said, “I'm going to wipe out these people I created from the earth, and not only them but also the animals, the creatures that run along the ground, and the birds, because I'm sorry I made them.”
8 But Noah found favor in the sight of God.
But the Lord was pleased with Noah.
9 These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time. Noah walked with God.
This is the story of Noah and his family. Noah was a man of integrity, living a moral life among the people of his time. He had a close relationship with God.
10 Noah became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11 The earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
God saw how corrupt the whole world had become, full of violent and lawless people.
12 God saw the earth, and look, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.
God recognized that the corruption in the world was due to everyone on earth living corrupt lives.
13 And God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before me, for the earth is filled with violence through them. And look, I will destroy them with the earth.
So God told Noah, “I have decided to put an end to all people on earth because they are all violent and lawless. I myself am going to destroy all of them, along with the earth.
14 Make a box-shaped ship of gopher wood. You are to make rooms in the ship, and cover it inside and outside with pitch.
Build an ark out of cypress wood. Make rooms inside the ark, and coat it with tar, both inside and out.
15 And this is how you are to make it. The length of the ship is to be five hundred seventeen feet, its breadth eighty-six feet, and its height fifty-two feet.
This is how to build it: the ark is to measure 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high.
16 And you are to make a roof in the ship, and you are to finish it twenty-one inches above. And you are to set the door of the ship in its side. You are to make it with lower, second, and third levels.
Make a roof for the ark, leaving a cubit-wide opening between the roof and the top of the sides. Put a door in the side of the ark, and construct three decks inside.
17 And as for me, look, I am bringing a flood of waters on the earth, to destroy all flesh having the breath of life from under the sky. Everything that is on the earth will die.
I myself am going to flood the earth with water that will destroy everything that breathes, Every living thing everywhere on earth will die.
18 But I will establish my covenant with you. You are to come into the ship, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you.
But I will keep my agreement with you. You are to go into the ark, taking with you your wife and your sons and their wives.
19 Of every living thing of all flesh, you are to bring two of every sort into the ship, to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female.
Take a pair, male and female, of every kind of animal into the ark and make sure you keep them alive.
20 Of the flying creatures after their kind, of the animals after their kind, and of every crawling creature of the ground after their kind, two of every sort shall come to you, to keep them alive.
The same applies to every kind of bird, livestock, and the creatures that run along the ground—a pair of every kind will come to you so they can be kept alive.
21 And as for you, take for yourself all the kinds of food that are eaten, and gather it to yourself; and it will be food for you, and for them."
Take all kinds of food with you too. Store it so you and the animals will have enough to eat.”
22 Thus Noah did. According to all that God commanded him, so he did.
Noah did exactly what God ordered him to do.