The Message

<div class="version vid97 iso6393eng" data-vid="97" data-iso6393="eng">
    <div class="book bkGEN">
        <div class="chapter ch1" data-usfm="GEN.1">
            <div class="label">1</div><div class="s1"><span class="heading">Heaven and Earth</span></div><div class="m"><span class="content">  </span><span class="verse v1 v2" data-usfm="GEN.1.1+GEN.1.2"><span class="label">1-2</span><span class="content">First this: God created the Heavens and Earth&#8212;all you see, all you don&#8217;t see. Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness. God&#8217;s Spirit brooded like a bird above the watery abyss.</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v1 v2" data-usfm="GEN.1.1+GEN.1.2"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v3 v4 v5" data-usfm="GEN.1.3+GEN.1.4+GEN.1.5"><span class="label">3-5</span><span class="content">God spoke: &#8220;Light!&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v3 v4 v5" data-usfm="GEN.1.3+GEN.1.4+GEN.1.5"><span class="content">And light appeared.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v3 v4 v5" data-usfm="GEN.1.3+GEN.1.4+GEN.1.5"><span class="content">God saw that light was good</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v3 v4 v5" data-usfm="GEN.1.3+GEN.1.4+GEN.1.5"><span class="content">and separated light from dark.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v3 v4 v5" data-usfm="GEN.1.3+GEN.1.4+GEN.1.5"><span class="content">God named the light Day,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v3 v4 v5" data-usfm="GEN.1.3+GEN.1.4+GEN.1.5"><span class="content">he named the dark Night.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v3 v4 v5" data-usfm="GEN.1.3+GEN.1.4+GEN.1.5"><span class="content">It was evening, it was morning&#8212;</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v3 v4 v5" data-usfm="GEN.1.3+GEN.1.4+GEN.1.5"><span class="content">Day One.</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v3 v4 v5" data-usfm="GEN.1.3+GEN.1.4+GEN.1.5"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v6 v7 v8" data-usfm="GEN.1.6+GEN.1.7+GEN.1.8"><span class="label">6-8</span><span class="content">God spoke: &#8220;Sky! In the middle of the waters;</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v6 v7 v8" data-usfm="GEN.1.6+GEN.1.7+GEN.1.8"><span class="content">separate water from water!&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v6 v7 v8" data-usfm="GEN.1.6+GEN.1.7+GEN.1.8"><span class="content">God made sky.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v6 v7 v8" data-usfm="GEN.1.6+GEN.1.7+GEN.1.8"><span class="content">He separated the water under sky</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v6 v7 v8" data-usfm="GEN.1.6+GEN.1.7+GEN.1.8"><span class="content">from the water above sky.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v6 v7 v8" data-usfm="GEN.1.6+GEN.1.7+GEN.1.8"><span class="content">And there it was:</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v6 v7 v8" data-usfm="GEN.1.6+GEN.1.7+GEN.1.8"><span class="content">he named sky the Heavens;</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v6 v7 v8" data-usfm="GEN.1.6+GEN.1.7+GEN.1.8"><span class="content">It was evening, it was morning&#8212;</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v6 v7 v8" data-usfm="GEN.1.6+GEN.1.7+GEN.1.8"><span class="content">Day Two.</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v6 v7 v8" data-usfm="GEN.1.6+GEN.1.7+GEN.1.8"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v9 v10" data-usfm="GEN.1.9+GEN.1.10"><span class="label">9-10</span><span class="content">God spoke: &#8220;Separate!</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v9 v10" data-usfm="GEN.1.9+GEN.1.10"><span class="content">Water-beneath-Heaven, gather into one place;</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v9 v10" data-usfm="GEN.1.9+GEN.1.10"><span class="content">Land, appear!&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v9 v10" data-usfm="GEN.1.9+GEN.1.10"><span class="content">And there it was.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v9 v10" data-usfm="GEN.1.9+GEN.1.10"><span class="content">God named the land Earth.</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v9 v10" data-usfm="GEN.1.9+GEN.1.10"><span class="content">He named the pooled water Ocean.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v9 v10" data-usfm="GEN.1.9+GEN.1.10"><span class="content">God saw that it was good.</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v9 v10" data-usfm="GEN.1.9+GEN.1.10"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v11 v12 v13" data-usfm="GEN.1.11+GEN.1.12+GEN.1.13"><span class="label">11-13</span><span class="content">God spoke: &#8220;Earth, green up! Grow all varieties</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v11 v12 v13" data-usfm="GEN.1.11+GEN.1.12+GEN.1.13"><span class="content">of seed-bearing plants,</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v11 v12 v13" data-usfm="GEN.1.11+GEN.1.12+GEN.1.13"><span class="content">Every sort of fruit-bearing tree.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v11 v12 v13" data-usfm="GEN.1.11+GEN.1.12+GEN.1.13"><span class="content">And there it was.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v11 v12 v13" data-usfm="GEN.1.11+GEN.1.12+GEN.1.13"><span class="content">Earth produced green seed-bearing plants,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v11 v12 v13" data-usfm="GEN.1.11+GEN.1.12+GEN.1.13"><span class="content">all varieties,</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v11 v12 v13" data-usfm="GEN.1.11+GEN.1.12+GEN.1.13"><span class="content">And fruit-bearing trees of all sorts.</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v11 v12 v13" data-usfm="GEN.1.11+GEN.1.12+GEN.1.13"><span class="content">God saw that it was good.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v11 v12 v13" data-usfm="GEN.1.11+GEN.1.12+GEN.1.13"><span class="content">It was evening, it was morning&#8212;</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v11 v12 v13" data-usfm="GEN.1.11+GEN.1.12+GEN.1.13"><span class="content">Day Three.</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v11 v12 v13" data-usfm="GEN.1.11+GEN.1.12+GEN.1.13"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v14 v15" data-usfm="GEN.1.14+GEN.1.15"><span class="label">14-15</span><span class="content">God spoke: &#8220;Lights! Come out!</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v14 v15" data-usfm="GEN.1.14+GEN.1.15"><span class="content">Shine in Heaven&#8217;s sky!</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v14 v15" data-usfm="GEN.1.14+GEN.1.15"><span class="content">Separate Day from Night.</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v14 v15" data-usfm="GEN.1.14+GEN.1.15"><span class="content">Mark seasons and days and years,</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v14 v15" data-usfm="GEN.1.14+GEN.1.15"><span class="content">Lights in Heaven&#8217;s sky to give light to Earth.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v14 v15" data-usfm="GEN.1.14+GEN.1.15"><span class="content">And there it was.</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v14 v15" data-usfm="GEN.1.14+GEN.1.15"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v16 v17 v18 v19" data-usfm="GEN.1.16+GEN.1.17+GEN.1.18+GEN.1.19"><span class="label">16-19</span><span class="content">God made two big lights, the larger</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v16 v17 v18 v19" data-usfm="GEN.1.16+GEN.1.17+GEN.1.18+GEN.1.19"><span class="content">to take charge of Day,</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v16 v17 v18 v19" data-usfm="GEN.1.16+GEN.1.17+GEN.1.18+GEN.1.19"><span class="content">The smaller to be in charge of Night;</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v16 v17 v18 v19" data-usfm="GEN.1.16+GEN.1.17+GEN.1.18+GEN.1.19"><span class="content">and he made the stars.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v16 v17 v18 v19" data-usfm="GEN.1.16+GEN.1.17+GEN.1.18+GEN.1.19"><span class="content">God placed them in the heavenly sky</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v16 v17 v18 v19" data-usfm="GEN.1.16+GEN.1.17+GEN.1.18+GEN.1.19"><span class="content">to light up Earth</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v16 v17 v18 v19" data-usfm="GEN.1.16+GEN.1.17+GEN.1.18+GEN.1.19"><span class="content">And oversee Day and Night,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v16 v17 v18 v19" data-usfm="GEN.1.16+GEN.1.17+GEN.1.18+GEN.1.19"><span class="content">to separate light and dark.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v16 v17 v18 v19" data-usfm="GEN.1.16+GEN.1.17+GEN.1.18+GEN.1.19"><span class="content">God saw that it was good.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v16 v17 v18 v19" data-usfm="GEN.1.16+GEN.1.17+GEN.1.18+GEN.1.19"><span class="content">It was evening, it was morning&#8212;</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v16 v17 v18 v19" data-usfm="GEN.1.16+GEN.1.17+GEN.1.18+GEN.1.19"><span class="content">Day Four.</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v16 v17 v18 v19" data-usfm="GEN.1.16+GEN.1.17+GEN.1.18+GEN.1.19"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v20 v21 v22 v23" data-usfm="GEN.1.20+GEN.1.21+GEN.1.22+GEN.1.23"><span class="label">20-23</span><span class="content">God spoke: &#8220;Swarm, Ocean, with fish and all sea life!</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v20 v21 v22 v23" data-usfm="GEN.1.20+GEN.1.21+GEN.1.22+GEN.1.23"><span class="content">Birds, fly through the sky over Earth!&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v20 v21 v22 v23" data-usfm="GEN.1.20+GEN.1.21+GEN.1.22+GEN.1.23"><span class="content">God created the huge whales,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v20 v21 v22 v23" data-usfm="GEN.1.20+GEN.1.21+GEN.1.22+GEN.1.23"><span class="content">all the swarm of life in the waters,</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v20 v21 v22 v23" data-usfm="GEN.1.20+GEN.1.21+GEN.1.22+GEN.1.23"><span class="content">And every kind and species of flying birds.</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v20 v21 v22 v23" data-usfm="GEN.1.20+GEN.1.21+GEN.1.22+GEN.1.23"><span class="content">God saw that it was good.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v20 v21 v22 v23" data-usfm="GEN.1.20+GEN.1.21+GEN.1.22+GEN.1.23"><span class="content">God blessed them: &#8220;Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Ocean!</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v20 v21 v22 v23" data-usfm="GEN.1.20+GEN.1.21+GEN.1.22+GEN.1.23"><span class="content">Birds, reproduce on Earth!&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v20 v21 v22 v23" data-usfm="GEN.1.20+GEN.1.21+GEN.1.22+GEN.1.23"><span class="content">It was evening, it was morning&#8212;</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v20 v21 v22 v23" data-usfm="GEN.1.20+GEN.1.21+GEN.1.22+GEN.1.23"><span class="content">Day Five.</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v20 v21 v22 v23" data-usfm="GEN.1.20+GEN.1.21+GEN.1.22+GEN.1.23"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v24 v25" data-usfm="GEN.1.24+GEN.1.25"><span class="label">24-25</span><span class="content">God spoke: &#8220;Earth, generate life! Every sort and kind:</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v24 v25" data-usfm="GEN.1.24+GEN.1.25"><span class="content">cattle and reptiles and wild animals&#8212;all kinds.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v24 v25" data-usfm="GEN.1.24+GEN.1.25"><span class="content">And there it was:</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v24 v25" data-usfm="GEN.1.24+GEN.1.25"><span class="content">wild animals of every kind,</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v24 v25" data-usfm="GEN.1.24+GEN.1.25"><span class="content">Cattle of all kinds, every sort of reptile and bug.</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v24 v25" data-usfm="GEN.1.24+GEN.1.25"><span class="content">God saw that it was good.</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v24 v25" data-usfm="GEN.1.24+GEN.1.25"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v26 v27 v28" data-usfm="GEN.1.26+GEN.1.27+GEN.1.28"><span class="label">26-28</span><span class="content">God spoke: &#8220;Let us make human beings in our image, make them</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v26 v27 v28" data-usfm="GEN.1.26+GEN.1.27+GEN.1.28"><span class="content">reflecting our nature</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v26 v27 v28" data-usfm="GEN.1.26+GEN.1.27+GEN.1.28"><span class="content">So they can be responsible for the fish in the sea,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v26 v27 v28" data-usfm="GEN.1.26+GEN.1.27+GEN.1.28"><span class="content">the birds in the air, the cattle,</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v26 v27 v28" data-usfm="GEN.1.26+GEN.1.27+GEN.1.28"><span class="content">And, yes, Earth itself,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v26 v27 v28" data-usfm="GEN.1.26+GEN.1.27+GEN.1.28"><span class="content">and every animal that moves on the face of Earth.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v26 v27 v28" data-usfm="GEN.1.26+GEN.1.27+GEN.1.28"><span class="content">God created human beings;</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v26 v27 v28" data-usfm="GEN.1.26+GEN.1.27+GEN.1.28"><span class="content">he created them godlike,</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v26 v27 v28" data-usfm="GEN.1.26+GEN.1.27+GEN.1.28"><span class="content">Reflecting God&#8217;s nature.</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v26 v27 v28" data-usfm="GEN.1.26+GEN.1.27+GEN.1.28"><span class="content">He created them male and female.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v26 v27 v28" data-usfm="GEN.1.26+GEN.1.27+GEN.1.28"><span class="content">God blessed them:</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v26 v27 v28" data-usfm="GEN.1.26+GEN.1.27+GEN.1.28"><span class="content">&#8220;Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge!</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v26 v27 v28" data-usfm="GEN.1.26+GEN.1.27+GEN.1.28"><span class="content">Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v26 v27 v28" data-usfm="GEN.1.26+GEN.1.27+GEN.1.28"><span class="content">for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v26 v27 v28" data-usfm="GEN.1.26+GEN.1.27+GEN.1.28"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v29 v30" data-usfm="GEN.1.29+GEN.1.30"><span class="label">29-30</span><span class="content">Then God said, &#8220;I&#8217;ve given you</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v29 v30" data-usfm="GEN.1.29+GEN.1.30"><span class="content">every sort of seed-bearing plant on Earth</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v29 v30" data-usfm="GEN.1.29+GEN.1.30"><span class="content">And every kind of fruit-bearing tree,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v29 v30" data-usfm="GEN.1.29+GEN.1.30"><span class="content">given them to you for food.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v29 v30" data-usfm="GEN.1.29+GEN.1.30"><span class="content">To all animals and all birds,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v29 v30" data-usfm="GEN.1.29+GEN.1.30"><span class="content">everything that moves and breathes,</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v29 v30" data-usfm="GEN.1.29+GEN.1.30"><span class="content">I give whatever grows out of the ground for food.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v29 v30" data-usfm="GEN.1.29+GEN.1.30"><span class="content">And there it was.</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v29 v30" data-usfm="GEN.1.29+GEN.1.30"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v31" data-usfm="GEN.1.31"><span class="label">31</span><span class="content">God looked over everything he had made;</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v31" data-usfm="GEN.1.31"><span class="content">it was so good, so very good!</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v31" data-usfm="GEN.1.31"><span class="content">It was evening, it was morning&#8212;</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v31" data-usfm="GEN.1.31"><span class="content">Day Six.</span></span></div>
        </div>
    </div>
</div>

First this: God created the Heavens and Earth—all you see, all you don’t see. Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness. God’s Spirit brooded like a bird above the watery abyss.

God spoke: “Light!”
And light appeared.
God saw that light was good
and separated light from dark.
God named the light Day,
he named the dark Night.
It was evening, it was morning—
Day One.

God spoke: “Sky! In the middle of the waters;
separate water from water!”
God made sky.
He separated the water under sky
from the water above sky.
And there it was:
he named sky the Heavens;
It was evening, it was morning—
Day Two.

God spoke: “Separate!
Water-beneath-Heaven, gather into one place;
Land, appear!”
And there it was.
God named the land Earth.
He named the pooled water Ocean.
God saw that it was good.

God spoke: “Earth, green up! Grow all varieties
of seed-bearing plants,
Every sort of fruit-bearing tree.”
And there it was.
Earth produced green seed-bearing plants,
all varieties,
And fruit-bearing trees of all sorts.
God saw that it was good.
It was evening, it was morning—
Day Three.

God spoke: “Lights! Come out!
Shine in Heaven’s sky!
Separate Day from Night.
Mark seasons and days and years,
Lights in Heaven’s sky to give light to Earth.”
And there it was.

God made two big lights, the larger
to take charge of Day,
The smaller to be in charge of Night;
and he made the stars.
God placed them in the heavenly sky
to light up Earth
And oversee Day and Night,
to separate light and dark.
God saw that it was good.
It was evening, it was morning—
Day Four.

God spoke: “Swarm, Ocean, with fish and all sea life!
Birds, fly through the sky over Earth!”
God created the huge whales,
all the swarm of life in the waters,
And every kind and species of flying birds.
God saw that it was good.
God blessed them: “Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Ocean!
Birds, reproduce on Earth!”
It was evening, it was morning—
Day Five.

God spoke: “Earth, generate life! Every sort and kind:
cattle and reptiles and wild animals—all kinds.”
And there it was:
wild animals of every kind,
Cattle of all kinds, every sort of reptile and bug.
God saw that it was good.

God spoke: “Let us make human beings in our image, make them
reflecting our nature
So they can be responsible for the fish in the sea,
the birds in the air, the cattle,
And, yes, Earth itself,
and every animal that moves on the face of Earth.”
God created human beings;
he created them godlike,
Reflecting God’s nature.
He created them male and female.
God blessed them:
“Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge!
Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air,
for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth.”

Then God said, “I’ve given you
every sort of seed-bearing plant on Earth
And every kind of fruit-bearing tree,
given them to you for food.
To all animals and all birds,
everything that moves and breathes,
I give whatever grows out of the ground for food.”
And there it was.

God looked over everything he had made;
it was so good, so very good!
It was evening, it was morning—
Day Six.

Yoka Genesis 1