Online Bible

Book of Genesis, Chapter 1

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Genesis 1 NWT - New World TranslationGenesis 1 NWT - New World Translation

Chapter 1 of Genesis—New World Translation (NWT)

  1. ¶ In [the] beginning[a]1 God[b]2 created3 the heavens and the earth.4
  2. ¶ Now the earth proved to be formless and waste and there was darkness upon the surface of [the] watery deep;[c]5 and God’s active force[d] was moving to and fro6 over the surface of the waters.7
  3. ¶ And God proceeded to say:[e]8 “Let light come to be.” Then there came to be light.9
  4. After that God saw that the light was good, and God brought about a division between the light and the darkness.10
  5. And God began calling the light Day,11 but the darkness he called Night.12 And there came to be evening and there came to be morning, a first day.
  6. ¶ And God went on to say: “Let an expanse13 come to be in between the waters and let a dividing occur between the waters and the waters.”14
  7. Then God proceeded to make the expanse and to make a division between the waters that should be beneath the expanse and the waters that should be above the expanse.15 And it came to be so.
  8. And God began to call the expanse Heaven.16 And there came to be evening and there came to be morning, a second day.
  9. ¶ And God went on to say: “Let the waters under the heavens be brought together into one place and let the dry land appear.”17 And it came to be so.
  10. And God began calling the dry land Earth,18 but the bringing together of the waters he called Seas.19 Further, God saw that [it was] good.20
  11. And God went on to say: “Let the earth cause grass to shoot forth, vegetation bearing seed,21 fruit trees yielding fruit according to their kinds,[f]22 the seed of which is in it,23 upon the earth.” And it came to be so.
  12. And the earth began to put forth grass, vegetation bearing seed according to its kind24 and trees yielding fruit, the seed of which is in it according to its kind.25 Then God saw that [it was] good.
  13. And there came to be evening and there came to be morning, a third day.
  14. ¶ And God went on to say: “Let luminaries come to be in the expanse of the heavens to make a division between the day and the night;26 and they must serve as signs and for seasons and for days and years.27
  15. And they must serve as luminaries in the expanse of the heavens to shine upon the earth.”28 And it came to be so.
  16. And God proceeded to make[g] the two great luminaries, the greater luminary for dominating the day and the lesser luminary for dominating the night, and also the stars.29
  17. Thus God put them in the expanse of the heavens to shine upon the earth,30
  18. and to dominate by day and by night and to make a division between the light and the darkness.31 Then God saw that [it was] good.32
  19. And there came to be evening and there came to be morning, a fourth day.
  20. ¶ And God went on to say: “Let the waters swarm forth a swarm of living souls[h]33 and let flying creatures fly over the earth upon the face of the expanse of the heavens.”34
  21. And God proceeded to create[i] the great sea monsters[j]35 and every living soul[k] that moves about,36 which the waters swarmed forth according to their kinds, and every winged flying creature according to its kind.37 And God got to see that [it was] good.
  22. With that God blessed them, saying: “Be fruitful and become many and fill the waters in the sea basins,38 and let the flying creatures become many in the earth.”
  23. And there came to be evening and there came to be morning, a fifth day.
  24. ¶ And God went on to say: “Let the earth39 put forth living souls according to their kinds, domestic40 animal[l] and moving41 animal and wild beast[m]42 of the earth according to its kind.” And it came to be so.
  25. And God proceeded to make the wild beast of the earth according to its kind and the domestic animal according to its kind and every moving animal of the ground according to its kind.43 And God got to see that [it was] good.
  26. ¶ And God[n] went on to say: “Let us44 make[o] man[p] in our image,[q]45 according to our likeness,46 and let them have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and the domestic animals and all the earth and every moving animal that is moving upon the earth.”47
  27. And God proceeded to create the man in his image, in God’s image he created him;48 male and female he created them.49
  28. Further, God blessed50 them and God said to them: “Be fruitful51 and become many and fill the earth and subdue52 it, and have in subjection53 the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and every living creature that is moving[r] upon the earth.”
  29. ¶ And God went on to say: “Here[s] I have given to YOU all vegetation bearing seed which is on the surface of the whole earth and every tree on which there is the fruit of a tree bearing seed.54 To YOU let it serve as food.55
  30. And to every wild beast of the earth and to every flying creature of the heavens and to everything moving upon the earth in which there is life as a soul[t] I have given all green vegetation for food.”56 And it came to be so.
  31. ¶ After that God saw everything he had made and, look! [it was] very good.57 And there came to be evening and there came to be morning, a sixth day.

FOOTNOTES

  1. ^ “In the beginning.” Heb., Bereʼ·shithʹ. This first book of the Bible is named in Heb. after this opening word. LXXVg name the book “Genesis.”
  2. ^ “God.” Heb., אֱלֹהִים (ʼElo·himʹ), without the definite article. ʼElo·himʹ, “God,” with the definite article is first found in 5:22. The title ʼElo·himʹ is pl. to denote excellence or majesty and not a multiple personality or a number of gods. Gr., ὁ θεός (ho The·osʹ), sing. to denote an individual “God.” Compare Jg 16:23 ftn.
  3. ^ Or, “surging waters; primeval ocean.” Heb., thehohmʹ; Gr., a·bysʹsou, “abyss”; Lat., a·bysʹsi. See 7:11 ftn, “Deep.” Compare 6:17 ftn, “Deluge.”
  4. ^ “And . . . active force (spirit).” Heb., weruʹach. Besides being translated “spirit,” ruʹach is also translated “wind” and by other words that denote an invisible active force. See 3:8 ftn, “Breezy part”; 8:1 ftn.
  5. ^ “And . . . proceeded to say.” Heb., wai·yoʼʹmer. The first of more than 40 cases in Genesis chapter 1 of progressive action indicated by a Heb. verb in the imperfect state. See App 3C.
  6. ^ Lit., “according to its kind (genus).” Heb., lemi·nohʹ; Gr., geʹnos; Lat., geʹnus. The term “kind” here means a created or family kind, its older meaning or definition and not as present-day evolutionists use it.
  7. ^ “And . . . proceeded to make.” Heb., wai·yaʹʽas (from ʽa·sahʹ). Different from “create” (ba·raʼʹ) found in vss 1, 21, 27; 2:3. Progressive action indicated by the imperfect state. See App 3C.
  8. ^ “Of living souls.” Gr., ψυχῶν ζωσῶν (psy·khonʹ zo·sonʹ, pl.); Heb., neʹphesh chai·yahʹ, sing., referring to marine animals. In Heb. the same expression is used with reference to man in 2:7. See App 4A.
  9. ^ “And . . . proceeded to create.” Heb., wai·yiv·raʼʹ (from ba·raʼʹ). Progressive action indicated by the imperfect state. See App 3C.
  10. ^ Or, “great reptiles.”
  11. ^ “Living soul.” Heb., neʹphesh ha·chai·yahʹ, sing.; Gr., ψυχὴν ζῴων (psy·khenʹ [sing.] zoiʹon [pl.], “soul of living ones”).
  12. ^ Or, “tame animal.” Heb., behe·mahʹ, sing. Compare Job 40:15 ftn.
  13. ^ Or, “and living creature.” Heb., wecha·yethohʹ. Also “living creature” in vs 28.
  14. ^ “God.” Heb., ʼElo·himʹ. See vs 1 ftn, “God.”
  15. ^ “Let us make.” Heb., na·ʽasehʹ. See vs 16 ftn.
  16. ^ Or, “earthling man.” Heb., ʼa·dhamʹ, without the definite article.
  17. ^ “In our image (shadow; sem­blance).” Heb., betsal·meʹnu.
  18. ^ Or, “that is creeping.” Heb., ha·ro·meʹseth; Lat., quae mo·venʹtur.
  19. ^ Or, “Look.” Heb., hin·nehʹ.
  20. ^ Lit., “living soul.” Heb., neʹphesh chai·yahʹ, also rendered “living soul(s)” in vs 20; 2:7.

REFERENCES

  1. ^ Heb 1:10
  2. ^ Ex 6:3; 33:20; De 6:4; Mr 10:18; Jn 4:24; Ro 1:20; 1Co 8:4; 1Ti 1:11; 2:5; Heb 9:24; 1Jo 4:16; Re 4:8
  3. ^ Ps 148:5; Is 45:18; Re 4:11
  4. ^ Jb 38:4; Ps 102:25; Is 42:5; Re 10:6
  5. ^ Jb 38:30; Pr 8:27
  6. ^ Ps 33:6; Is 40:26
  7. ^ Ps 104:6
  8. ^ Ps 33:9
  9. ^ Is 45:7
  10. ^ Jb 26:10; 2Co 4:6
  11. ^ Ge 8:22
  12. ^ Je 33:20
  13. ^ Ge 1:20
  14. ^ Ps 33:7; 2Pe 3:5
  15. ^ Ge 7:11; Pr 8:28
  16. ^ Ge 27:28; De 4:17; 1Ki 8:35
  17. ^ Jb 38:11; Ps 104:8; 136:6
  18. ^ Ps 24:1; 95:5
  19. ^ Jb 38:8; Pr 8:29
  20. ^ De 32:4; 1Ti 4:4
  21. ^ Ge 1:29; Ps 72:16; Mt 13:32
  22. ^ Lu 6:44
  23. ^ Hg 2:19; Jm 3:12
  24. ^ Le 19:19; Ps 104:14
  25. ^ Ga 6:7
  26. ^ De 4:19; Ps 148:3
  27. ^ Ge 8:22; 1Ch 23:31; Ps 104:19
  28. ^ Je 33:25; Eze 32:8
  29. ^ Ps 8:3; 136:8; Je 31:35
  30. ^ Is 13:10
  31. ^ Ps 74:16; Is 45:7
  32. ^ Ps 104:31
  33. ^ Le 11:10
  34. ^ Ge 2:19; 9:10; De 4:17; Jb 12:7
  35. ^ Jb 7:12; Ps 148:7
  36. ^ Le 11:46
  37. ^ Ge 7:14; Le 11:14; De 14:13; 1Co 15:39
  38. ^ Ne 9:6; Ps 104:25
  39. ^ Ec 3:20
  40. ^ De 28:11; Re 10:6
  41. ^ Ge 6:7
  42. ^ Ps 104:11; Mr 1:13
  43. ^ Ge 7:14; Ps 148:10
  44. ^ Ge 11:7; Pr 8:30; Jn 1:3; Col 1:16
  45. ^ Ge 9:6; 1Co 11:7; Col 3:10
  46. ^ Ge 5:1; Ac 17:29; Jm 3:9
  47. ^ Ge 9:2
  48. ^ Ps 139:14
  49. ^ Mr 10:6; 1Co 11:9
  50. ^ Ps 107:38
  51. ^ Ge 9:1; Le 26:9
  52. ^ Ge 2:15
  53. ^ Ps 8:6; Is 11:9; Jm 3:7
  54. ^ Jb 36:31; Ps 145:16
  55. ^ Ge 9:3; Ps 104:14; Ac 14:17
  56. ^ Ps 136:25; 147:9; Mt 6:26
  57. ^ De 32:4; Ps 104:24; 1Ti 4:4

Read Genesis Chapter 1 in other Bible versions:

Comments

  1. Kiamia DoelKiamia Doel
    Jan 9, 2025 23:00 GMT

    The NWT adds words to the text that are not in the greek Manuscripts to fit it's own doctrinal position for example

    Compare the wording of the NWT and the NKJV at Colossians 1:15-17

    NKJV says

    15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

    NWT says

    15 He is the image of the invisible God,the firstborn OF all creation;16 because by means of him all OTHER things were created in the heavens and on the earth, the things visible and the things invisible,whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All OTHER things have been created through him and for him. 17 Also, he is before all OTHER things,and by means of him all OTHER things were made to exist,

    The word “other” is not in the Greek but they add it Why? So they can decieve their followers into thinking that Christ was created by the Father and that he then created other things, that is not what the Greek says.

    1. SmeSme
      Feb 27, 2025 11:17 GMT

      Truth is from God and those that follow him. As for lies? John8:44

      Kiamia, I noticed you used a modern version of kjv to make your point about the nwt.

      Why didn’t you use the original kjv of col1:15?

      Is it because it disproves your point? It proves the opposite of what you wrote?

      Here is kjv col1:15 ¶” Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn OF every creature:“

      Now I appeal to your Christian nature to correct your mistake as God is watching each of us, and let us bless the God of Jesus his father.

      Kjv 1Pe 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ….

  2. YanekYanek
    Dec 24, 2024 22:18 GMT

    Joshua, Jehovah’s Witnesses have never denied the deity of the Messiah in his prehuman existence. While on Earth he was fully 100% human. I do not mean he was a mere human, he was not affected by Adam’s unfaithful behavior, he was sinless.

  3. David yakubuDavid yakubu
    Oct 29, 2022 08:05 GMT

    When i do read some comments and seeing that its the same people that are supposed to be called believers but are talking ill of other denominations, it hurts. Let us all remember that We should judge not

    1. jonas smithjonas smith
      Apr 23, 2023 02:57 GMT

      The bible tells us to test the spirits. Satan disguises himself as angel of light. So yes some denomination are not teaching the truth. You are responsible for judging which ones are not. You have to judge the truth at all times. this is what the bible teaches

  4. THTH
    Apr 7, 2021 00:20 GMT

    The NWT is a very good translation. Dr. Jason David BeDuhn PhD attests to that in his book Truth in Translation. drive.google.com/...5p16melHzg8/view

    1. James LernerJames Lerner
      Jul 20, 2024 09:48 GMT

      The NWT is Satanic filth to its very core.

      The JW Cult is Satanic to its very core.

      Praise Yahweh I will never be a victim of JW brainwashing. If I burn in Hell for eternity or I am ultimately annihilated so be it

      May Yahweh's curse rest on the Watchtower Society and its Satanic leadership

    2. jim mcleodjim mcleod
      Aug 22, 2021 06:16 GMT

      NWT is a false translation that takes away from the deity of Jesus !

  5. SlightlyChaoticSlightlyChaotic
    Jan 30, 2021 16:33 GMT

    Thank you for taking the time to provide this service. I like seeing the NASB on your web page in the same format as I read on paper. On other sites, the text area is smaller, and so I have to keep scrolling down to read and sometimes I lose the context. So I really appreciate the format.

    As far as the NWT, you are certainly free to do whatever you think best with your own web pages. I'd suggest that you make a note anytime you have a translation that is associated with only one denomination or church, for example:
    New World Translation (Jehovah's Witness version).

    In Jesus' parable of the wheat and the tares. the main idea seems to be that you can't easily distinguish between God's people and not-God's people on this earth, so our Lord's response is to wait until they are shown to be the kind of people they are inside. But the NWT seems like false teaching to me. So I think the warning passages from Jesus' apostles are more applicable, as in 2 Peter 3:15-16, when he talks about Paul's writings:
    "There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures."
    And we also have the positive exhortations, as in 2 Timothy 2:15:
    "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth."

    1. BroderickBroderick
      Jan 31, 2021 00:57 GMT

      Your suggestion regarding the denominational flagging is duly noted. But I can’t help but wonder, wouldn’t a Catholic also want “Protestant versions” marked as well?

      As for the parable, I’m pretty sure the slaves were convinced in their own minds that they could tell the tares from the wheat. After all, aren’t they the ones who identified the problem in the first place? But the master obviously thought otherwise.

      Furthermore, even at the time when Jesus himself was walking the earth, not everybody who claimed fellowship actually followed him causing John to inquire at Mark 9:39, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him . . . for he who is not against us is for us.”

  6. Joshua HarderJoshua Harder
    Dec 11, 2020 17:48 GMT

    Hello, question.. why have you included the NWT with other legitimate bible translations? Or why have you not atleast included a warning to readers? Don't you fear that someone could be influenced by the Watchtower's intentional heresies? Thank you.

    1. KevinKevin
      Jul 11, 2021 17:45 GMT

      en.m.wikipedia.org/..._Holy_Scriptures

      See the section critical review

    2. ChrisChris
      Jan 8, 2021 07:15 GMT

      Please site these intentional heresies. I am well versed in the watch tower outline and agree they are in many ways incorrect but i also bet i can point many out from EVERY established or main denomination. There is much to learn from them all as one who drinks milk?

      Judge not lest ye be judged, that is not to pass judgement on you either brother.

      I debate with scripture. I don't hold it to be true that Michael is Y'Shua HaMeshiach but I also firmly hold it to be true that our G-d and Heavenly Father are not the word encarnate and only begotten son.

      I love not seeing "lord" which i relate to baal. I feel the catholic church is a satanic establishment and I am aware a freemason started the hovies but there are evil in high places and our fight is also with principalities.

      What i'm saying is that in my darkest hours, those two were some of if not the only ones who would bring a Bible and eucharist and pray with me.

      We all fall short of the glory of G-d.

      Don't forget the NWT was recognized as the most accurate translation on Jeopardy.

      Lastly, this is different I noted than the NWT i have read and am very familiar with. Pull up the watchtower page and compare. I truly look forward to getting this one!

  7. julietjuliet
    Aug 17, 2022 09:36 GMT

    the sky is blue

  8. mercymercy
    Aug 12, 2022 21:23 GMT

    i am Mercy, the sky is blue what else do you need

    1. mercymercy
      Aug 12, 2022 21:25 GMT

      i am so sorry, it was a big mistake

  9. God is able to do all thingsGod is able to do all things
    May 17, 2021 17:59 GMT

    Jesus how much love calling yo name

  10. EmpiralEmpiral
    Jul 4, 2025 19:06 GMT

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