Genesis

The Creation of the World 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was without shape and empty, and darkness was over the surface of the watery deep, but the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the water. 3 God said, “Let there be light.” […]

1 The heavens and the earth were completed with everything that was in them. 2 By the seventh day God finished the work that he had been doing, and he ceased on the seventh day all the work that he had been doing. 3 God blessed the seventh day and made it holy because on […]

The Story of Cain and Abel 1 Now the man had marital relations with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. Then she said, “I have created a man just as the Lord did!” 2 Then she gave birth to his brother Abel. Abel took care of the flocks, while […]

From Adam to Noah 1 This is the record of the family line of Adam.When God created humankind, he made them in the likeness of God. 2 He created them male and female; when they were created, he blessed them and named them “humankind.”3 When Adam had lived 130 years he fathered a son in […]

God’s Grief over Humankind’s Wickedness 1 When humankind began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of humankind were beautiful. Thus they took wives for themselves from any they chose. 3 So the Lord said, “My spirit will not […]

1 The Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, for I consider you godly among this generation. 2 You must take with you seven of every kind of clean animal, the male and its mate, two of every kind of unclean animal, the male and its mate, 3 and […]

1 But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and domestic animals that were with him in the ark. God caused a wind to blow over the earth and the waters receded. 2 The fountains of the deep and the floodgates of heaven were closed, and the rain stopped falling from the sky. 3 […]

God’s Covenant with Humankind through Noah 1 Then God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. 2 Every living creature of the earth and every bird of the sky will be terrified of you. Everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of […]

The Table of Nations 1 This is the account of Noah’s sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them after the flood.2 The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. 3 The sons of Gomer were Askenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. 4 The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, […]

The Dispersion of the Nations at Babel 1 The whole earth had a common language and a common vocabulary. 2 When the people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. 3 Then they said to one another, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” (They had brick instead of stone […]

The Obedience of Abram 1 Now the Lord said to Abram,“Go out from your country, your relatives, and your father’s householdto the land that I will show you.2 Then I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you,and I will make your name great,so that you will exemplify divine blessing.3 I […]

Abram’s Solution to the Strife 1 So Abram went up from Egypt into the Negev. He took his wife and all his possessions with him, as well as Lot. 2 (Now Abram was very wealthy in livestock, silver, and gold.)3 And he journeyed from place to place from the Negev as far as Bethel. He […]

The Blessing of Victory for God’s People 1 At that time Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations 2 went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that […]

The Cutting of the Covenant 1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram! I am your shield and the one who will reward you in great abundance.”2 But Abram said, “O sovereign Lord, what will you give me since I continue to be childless, and […]

The Birth of Ishmael 1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not given birth to any children, but she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “Since the Lord has prevented me from having children, have sexual relations with my servant. Perhaps I can have a family by her.” Abram did […]

The Sign of the Covenant 1 When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am the sovereign God. Walk before me and be blameless. 2 Then I will confirm my covenant between me and you, and I will give you a multitude of descendants.”3 Abram bowed down with his […]

Three Special Visitors 1 The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest time of the day. 2 Abraham looked up and saw three men standing across from him. When he saw them he ran from the entrance of the tent […]

The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah 1 The two angels came to Sodom in the evening while Lot was sitting in the city’s gateway. When Lot saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face toward the ground.2 He said, “Here, my lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house. […]

Abraham and Abimelech 1 Abraham journeyed from there to the Negev region and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he lived as a temporary resident in Gerar, 2 Abraham said about his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent for Sarah and took her.3 But God appeared to Abimelech in […]

The Sacrifice of Isaac 1 Some time after these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am!” Abraham replied. 2 God said, “Take your son – your only son, whom you love, Isaac – and go to the land of Moriah! Offer him up there as a burnt offering on one […]

The Death of Sarah 1 Sarah lived 127 years. 2 Then she died in Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.3 Then Abraham got up from mourning his dead wife and said to the sons of Heth, 4 “I am a […]

The Death of Abraham 1 Abraham had taken another wife, named Keturah. 2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 3 Jokshan became the father of Sheba and Dedan. The descendants of Dedan were the Asshurites, Letushites, and Leummites. 4 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All […]

Isaac and Abimelech 1 There was a famine in the land, subsequent to the earlier famine that occurred in the days of Abraham. Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines at Gerar. 2 The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; settle down in the land that I will […]

Jacob Cheats Esau out of the Blessing 1 When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he was almost blind, he called his older son Esau and said to him, “My son!” “Here I am!” Esau replied. 2 Isaac said, “Since I am so old, I could die at any time. 3 […]

The Marriages of Jacob 1 So Jacob moved on and came to the land of the eastern people. 2 He saw in the field a well with three flocks of sheep lying beside it, because the flocks were watered from that well. Now a large stone covered the mouth of the well. 3 When all […]

1 When Rachel saw that she could not give Jacob children, she became jealous of her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children or I’ll die!” 2 Jacob became furious with Rachel and exclaimed, “Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children?” 3 She replied, “Here is my […]

Jacob’s Flight from Laban 1 Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were complaining, “Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father! He has gotten rich at our father’s expense!” 2 When Jacob saw the look on Laban’s face, he could tell his attitude toward him had changed.3 The Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the […]

Jacob Wrestles at Peniel 1 So Jacob went on his way and the angels of God met him. 2 When Jacob saw them, he exclaimed, “This is the camp of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim.3 Jacob sent messengers on ahead to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the region of Edom. […]

Jacob Meets Esau 1 Jacob looked up and saw that Esau was coming along with four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two female servants. 2 He put the servants and their children in front, with Leah and her children behind them, and Rachel and Joseph behind them. 3 […]

Dinah and the Shechemites 1 Now Dinah, Leah’s daughter whom she bore to Jacob, went to meet the young women of the land. 2 When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, who ruled that area, saw her, he grabbed her, forced himself on her, and sexually assaulted her. 3 Then he became very attached to […]

The Return to Bethel 1 Then God said to Jacob, “Go up at once to Bethel and live there. Make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” 2 So Jacob told his household and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods you […]

The Descendants of Esau 1 What follows is the account of Esau (also known as Edom).2 Esau took his wives from the Canaanites: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah the daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite, 3 in addition to Basemath the daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth.4 […]

Joseph’s Dreams 1 But Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, in the land of Canaan.2 This is the account of Jacob.Joseph, his seventeen-year-old son, was taking care of the flocks with his brothers. Now he was a youngster working with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. Joseph brought […]

Judah and Tamar 1 At that time Judah left his brothers and stayed with an Adullamite man named Hirah.2 There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. Judah acquired her as a wife and had marital relations with her. 3 She became pregnant and had a son. Judah named him Er. 4 […]

Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife 1 Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt. An Egyptian named Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard, purchased him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him there. 2 The Lord was with Joseph. He was successful and lived in the household of his Egyptian master. […]

The Cup-bearer and the Baker 1 After these things happened, the cup-bearer to the king of Egypt and the royal baker offended their master, the king of Egypt. 2 Pharaoh was enraged with his two officials, the cup-bearer and the baker, 3 so he imprisoned them in the house of the captain of the guard […]

Joseph’s Rise to Power 1 At the end of two full years Pharaoh had a dream. As he was standing by the Nile, 2 seven fine-looking, fat cows were coming up out of the Nile, and they grazed in the reeds. 3 Then seven bad-looking, thin cows were coming up after them from the Nile, […]

Joseph’s Brothers in Egypt 1 When Jacob heard there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why are you looking at each other?” 2 He then said, “Look, I hear that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy grain for us so that we may live and not die.”3 So […]

The Second Journey to Egypt 1 Now the famine was severe in the land. 2 When they finished eating the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Return, buy us a little more food.”3 But Judah said to him, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face unless […]

The Final Test 1 He instructed the servant who was over his household, “Fill the sacks of the men with as much food as they can carry and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack. 2 Then put my cup – the silver cup – in the mouth of the youngest one’s […]

The Family of Jacob goes to Egypt 1 So Israel began his journey, taking with him all that he had. When he came to Beer Sheba he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2 God spoke to Israel in a vision during the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob!” He replied, “Here I […]

Joseph’s Wise Administration 1 Joseph went and told Pharaoh, “My father, my brothers, their flocks and herds, and all that they own have arrived from the land ofCanaan. They are now in the land of Goshen.” 2 He took five of his brothers and introduced them to Pharaoh.3 Pharaoh said to Joseph’s brothers, “What is […]

Manasseh and Ephraim 1 After these things Joseph was told, “Your father is weakening.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim with him. 2 When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has just come to you,” Israel regained strength and sat up on his bed. 3 Jacob said to Joseph, “The sovereign God […]

The Blessing of Jacob 1 Jacob called for his sons and said, “Gather together so I can tell you what will happen to you in the future.2 “Assemble and listen, you sons of Jacob;listen to Israel, your father.3 Reuben, you are my firstborn,my might and the beginning of my strength,outstanding in dignity, outstanding in power.4 […]

The Burials of Jacob and Joseph 1 Then Joseph hugged his father’s face. He wept over him and kissed him. 2 Joseph instructed the physicians in his service to embalm his father, so the physicians embalmed Israel. 3 They took forty days, for that is the full time needed for embalming. The Egyptians mourned for […]