CSB Essential Teen Study Bible: Faithful and True

By CSB Bibles by Holman

There’s only one life essential you really need—God’s Word.

The CSB Essential Teen Study Bible can give you all the tools you need to tackle this life and learn to live it God’s way. Filled with hundreds of study helps and 146 devotions written especially for teens, this fully designed, four-color Bible will help you apply God’s Word each day and connect with Him as never before.

Features include:

·      146 devotions on redemption, written specifically for teens

·      Redemption Thread feature from Genesis to Revelation to help readers understand how each story points us to Christ

·      Respond feature that guides students on how to apply Bible passages to their lives

·      Behind the Story feature with in-depth info to better understand biblical text

·      Essential Questions feature with the answers students are looking for

·      Memory Verses to strengthen teens’ faith

·      99 Essential Doctrines that all teens need to know

·      Introductions for each book of the Bible

·      Full text of the CSB (Christian Standard Bible)

·      Study notes

·      Full-color maps

Part of what makes the CSB Essential Teen Study Bible so special is the readable, faithful-to-the-original text of the Christian Standard Bible. The CSB’s optimal blend of accuracy and readability makes it a trustworthy, easy-to-understand resource to study and memorize today—and to live and share for a lifetime.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: BH Publishing Group
• Release date: Mar 15, 2017
• ISBN: 9781433648830

Book preview

Table of Contents

Genesis

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

Deuteronomy

Joshua

Judges

Ruth

1 Samuel

2 Samuel

1 Kings

2 Kings

1 Chronicles

2 Chronicles

Ezra

Nehemiah

Esther

Job

Psalm

Proverbs

Ecclesiastes

Song of Songs

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Lamentations

Ezekiel

Daniel

Hosea

Joel

Amos

Obadiah

Jonah

Micah

Nahum

Habakkuk

Zephaniah

Haggai

Zechariah

Malachi

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

Acts

Romans

1 Corinthians

2 Corinthians

Galatians

Ephesians

Philippians

Colossians

1 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians

1 Timothy

2 Timothy

Titus

Philemon

Hebrews

James

1 Peter

2 Peter

1 John

2 John

3 John

Jude

Revelation

List of Tables

Weights and Measures

List of Images

Old Testament

Ark

Egypt

Pharaoh

Mount Sinai

Tabernacle Cutaway

Scroll

Jericho

Dead Sea Newspaper

City of David

Elijah And Elisha

Storehouse

Myrrh

Baptism Of Jesus

Heaven

Refuge

Furnace

Jerusalem Reconstruction

Idol

New Testament

Lame

Courts

Pharisee

Loaves

Manger

Jacob's Well

Gate

Greek

Greece

Ark Covenant

Zion

Emperor

Guide

Old Testament

Table of Contents

The Essential Teen Study Bible

Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers

Nashville, Tennessee. All Rights Reserved.

Christian Standard Bible®

Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers.

Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

The text of the Christian Standard Bible may be quoted in any form (written, visual, electronic, or audio) up to and inclusive of one-thousand (1,000) verses without the written permission of the publisher, provided that the verses quoted do not account for more than 50 percent of the work in which they are quoted, and provided that a complete book of the Bible is not quoted. Requests for permission are to be directed to and approved in writing by Holman Bible Publishers, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, Tennessee 37234.

When the Christian Standard Bible is quoted, one of the following credit lines must appear on the copyright page or title page of the work:

Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and Bible® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and Bible® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Source material: Holman Old Testament Commentary, edited by Kenneth O. Gangel and Stephen J. Bramer (Nashville: B&H Publishing, 2005). Holman New Testament Commentary, edited by David H. Wall (Nashville: B&H Publishing, 1999).

The interior of The Essential Teen Study Bible was designed and typeset using Bible Serif created by 2k/denmark, Højbjerg, Denmark. Proofreading was provided by Peachtree Editorial Services, Peachtree City, Georgia.

Binding ISBN

Hardcover978-1-4336-4423-8

Charcoal LeatherTouch978-1-4336-4874-8

Red Flower Cork LeatherTouch978-1-4336-4871-7

Rose LeatherTouch978-1-4336-4875-5

Walnut Leather Touch978-1-4336-4873-1

Weathered Gray Cork LeatherTouch978-1-4336-4872-4

Printed in China

1 2 3 4 5 — 19 18 17

RRD

Contents

The old testament

Genesis.................... 1

God Created the World, 1:1-25

God Created People, 1:26–2:25

Sin Entered the World, 3:1-24

Cain and Abel, 4:1-16,25-26

Noah and the Ark, 6:5–9:17

The Tower of Babylon, 11:1-9

God’s Covenant with Abraham, 12:1-3; 15:1-21; 17:1-9

God Tested Abraham, 22:1-19

The Promise Reaffirmed, 25:19-26; 26:1-6; 28:10-22

The Stolen Blessing, 25:27-34; 27:1-45

Jacob’s New Name, 31:3; 32–33

Joseph Sent to Egypt, 37:1-36; 39:1–41:57

Joseph’s Dreams Came True, 41:53–46:34; 50:15-21

Exodus.................... 65

Moses Was Born and Called, 1:6–2:10,23-25; 3:1–4:20

The Plagues, the Passover, and the Crossing of the Red Sea, 5–14

The Wilderness Test, 15:22–17:7

The Ten Commandments: Love God, 19:1–20:11; 31:18

The Ten Commandments: Love Others, 19:1–20:11; 31:18

The Golden Calf, 32:1-35; 34:1-9

The Tabernacle Was Built, 35:4–40:38

Leviticus.................... 113

God Gave Rules for Sacrifice, 1–27

Numbers.................... 140

Joshua and Caleb, 13:1–14:38

The Bronze Snake, 16:1-3; 17:1-12; 20:1-12,14-20; 21:4-9

Deuteronomy.................... 180

Worship Only God, 1; 3:23–4:40

God Reminded His People of His Covenant, 5:1–6:25; 8:1–11:1,26-28

Joshua.................... 215

The Promised Land and Jericho, 2–4; 6

Achan’s Sin and the Defeat of Ai, 7–8

Joshua’s Final Encouragement, 23:1–24:28

Judges.................... 241

The First Judges, 3:7-31

Deborah and Barak, 4–5

Gideon, 6–8

Samson, 13–16

Ruth.................... 269

Ruth and Boaz: 1–4

1 Samuel.................... 275

Eli and the Boy Samuel, 1–3

Israel Demanded a King, 8–10

God Rejected Saul as King, 13:1-14; 14:18-48; 15:1-35

David Was Anointed and Fought Goliath, 16–17

David and Jonathan Became Friends, 18:1-11; 19:1-7; 20:1-42

2 Samuel.................... 310

God Made a Covenant with David, 7

David Sinned and Was Restored,11:1–12:14; Psalm 51

1 Kings.................... 337

Solomon Asked for Wisdom, 2:1-4,10-12; 3:1-15

Solomon Built the Temple, 6:1–8:66

King Solomon’s Sin Divided the Kingdom, 11–12

Elijah Confronted Evil Ahab, 17:1; 18

Elijah Ran from Jezebel, 19

2 Kings.................... 373

Elisha and Naaman, 5

1 Chronicles.................... 404

2 Chronicles.................... 431

Judah Was Taken into Captivity, 36:1-21

Ezra.................... 463

God Brings His People Home, 1:1–2:2; 2:64–3:13

Nehemiah.................... 477

Nehemiah Heard News of Jerusalem, 1–2

Jerusalem’s Wall Was Rebuilt, 3:1–6:16

Ezra Read the Law, 8:1-12

Esther.................... 495

Esther Became Queen, 1–2

God Saved His People Through Esther, 3–10

Job.................... 506

Job, 1–42

Psalms.................... 537

Praises of God’s People, 1; 100; 110

Proverbs 616

Wisdom for God’s People, 1:1-7; 3:1-12; 4:10-19

Ecclesiastes.................... 647

Solomon Thought About Life, 1:1-11

Song of Songs.................... 656

Isaiah.................... 662

God Called Isaiah, 6

Prophets Told About Jesus’s Birth, Isaiah 7; 9; 11; Micah 5:2

Isaiah Preached About the Messiah, 53

Jeremiah.................... 725

God Called Jeremiah, 1

Jeremiah Prophesied a New Covenant, 11:1-10; 31:31-34

Lamentations.................... 786

Ezekiel.................... 794

Ezekiel Told About a Future Hope, 37

Daniel.................... 839

Daniel and His Friends Obeyed God, 1

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 3

Daniel Was Rescued, 6

Hosea.................... 858

Hosea, Prophet to Israel, 1–14

Joel.................... 869

Joel, Prophet to Judah, 1–3

Amos.................... 875

Obadiah.................... 883

Jonah.................... 887

Jonah, Prophet to Nineveh, 1–4

Micah.................... 890

Nahum.................... 897

Habakkuk.................... 901

Zephaniah.................... 905

Haggai.................... 909

Zechariah.................... 912

Malachi.................... 921

Malachi the Prophet, 1–4

The new Testament

Matthew.................... 929

From Abraham to Jesus, Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-38

The Wise Men Visited Jesus, 2:1-21

Jesus Was Baptized, Matthew 3:1-6,13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22; John 1:19-34

Jesus Was Tempted, Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13; Mark 1:12,13

Parable of the Sower, Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15

Jesus Provided Bread from Heaven, Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; John 6:1-14

Jesus Walked on Water, Matthew 14:22-23

The Unmerciful Servant, Matthew 18:21-35

The Wicked Tenants, Matthew 21:33-45

The Last Supper, Matthew 26:20-30; Mark 14:17-26; Luke 22:14-23; John 13:21-30

Jesus Was Arrested, Matthew 26:36-38; 27:1-2

Jesus’s Crucifixion, 27:11-51; John 18–19

Jesus Gave the Great Commission, Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-18

Mark.................... 980

Four Friends Helped, Matthew 9:1-8; Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:17-26

Jesus Has Power over Evil, Matthew 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:26-39

Jesus Healed a Woman and Raised a Girl, Mark 5:21-43

Jesus Was Anointed, Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; John 12:1-8

The Emmaus Disciples, Mark 16:12-13; Luke 24:13-35

Jesus Appeared to the Disciples, Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-29; Acts 1:3

Luke.................... 1009

Mary Praised God, 1:26-56

Jesus Was Born, 2:1-20

Jesus Was Dedicated, 2:21-40

Jesus at the Temple, 2:41-52

Jesus Rejected Nazareth, 4:16-30

The Good Samaritan, 10:25-37

Three Parables, 15

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector, 18:9-14

Jesus and Zacchaeus, 19:1-10

John.................... 1054

Jesus Turned Water into Wine, 2:1-12

Jesus Cleansed the Temple, Matthew 21:12-17; Mark 11:15-19; Luke 19:45-48; John 2:13-16

Jesus Met Nicodemus, 3:1-21

Jesus and John the Baptist, 3:22-36

Jesus Met a Samaritan Woman, 4:1-26

Jesus Has Power Over Death, 11:1-44

The Triumphal Entry, Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; John 12:12-19

Jesus’s Resurrection, Matthew 28:1-15; John 20:1-18

Jesus and the Doubter, 20:24-29

Jesus Forgives and Restores, 21:1-23

Acts.................... 1094

Jesus Ascended to Heaven, 1:4-11

The Holy Spirit Came, 2:1-4,22-47

Peter Healed a Beggar, 3:1-10; 4:32-37

Stephen’s Address, 6:8–7:60

Paul’s Conversion and Baptism, 8:1-3; 9:1-31

The Ethiopian Official Believed, 8:26-40

Peter Visited Cornelius, 10

The Message: Christ Alone, 15:1-35

Paul’s First Journey, 13:1–15:35

Paul’s Second Journey, 15:36–16:40

Paul Preached in Europe, 17:1–18:21

Paul’s Third Journey, 18:18–21:16

The Plan to Stop Paul, 23:1-24

Paul Before Rulers, 24:22-27; 25:1-12; 26:24-32

The Shipwreck, 27:14-44; 28:11-16

Romans.................... 1147

Children of God, 8:12-39

A Transformed Mind, Romans 12:1-18; 1 Corinthians 1:9; Philippians 1:3-7

1 Corinthians.................... 1163

The Church Was Divided, 1:10-31

2 Corinthians.................... 1177

A Cheerful Giver, 8:1-15; 9:6-15

Galatians.................... 1187

Paul Confronted Peter, 2:11-21

The Fruit of the Spirit, 5:16-26

Ephesians.................... 1195

The Armor of God, 6:10-19

Philippians.................... .................... 1202

Paul’s Joy in Prison, 1:12-30

Colossians.................... 1208

Paul Made Much of Jesus, 1:15–2:3

1 Thessalonians.................... 1213

Paul Gave Hope, 4:13–5:11

2 Thessalonians.................... 1218

1 Timothy.................... 1221

Paul’s Letters to Church Leaders, 1 Timothy 4:11-16; 2 Timothy 4:1-8

2 Timothy.................... 1227

Titus.................... 1231

Philemon.................... 1234

Paul’s Letter to Philemon, 8-22

Hebrews.................... 1238

Heroes of the Faith, 11:1–12:2

James.................... 1250

The Church Showed Favoritism, 2:1-13

1 Peter.................... 1256

2 Peter.................... 1261

While We Wait, 3:1-13

1 John.................... 1266

Love One Another, 3:10-18

2 John.................... 1272

3 John.................... 1274

Jude.................... 1276

Remember God’s Truth, vv. 3-4,17-25

Revelation.................... 1280

John’s Vision of Jesus, 1:9-20

God’s Warning to Seven Churches, 2–3

Jesus on the Throne, 4:2–5:14

Jesus Will Return, 21–22

Features

ABOUT THE ESSENTIAL TEEN STUDY BIBLE....................vii

SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE....................viii

99 ESSENTIAL DOCTRINES....................xii

TABLE OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES....................xiv

INTRODUCTION TO THE CSB....................xv

INDEX TO THE RESPOND FEATURE....................1301

TOPICAL CONCORDANCE....................1305

ABOUT THIS BIBLE:

A strong foundation in the Word of God is one of the most important things we can develop. We want you to know not only the Bible, but also the God who has revealed Himself to us in its pages.

The Bible should be where you turn for answers to face the ever-growing list of challenges you face daily. We’ve designed The Essential Teen Study Bible to give you all the tools needed to tackle life and learn to live it God’s way. Filled with hundreds of study helps and 146 devotions, written on redemption, this fully designed, four-color Bible will help you apply God’s Word each day and connect with Him as never before.

Be good is not the message of the Bible. Be saved and redeemed is. We want you to know that God is good, and He is the hero who willingly sent His Son to die for your sins. To help your understanding of this, we’ve included 146 devotionals on the subject of redemption flowing from Genesis to Revelation throughout this Bible.

Biblical behavior should not flow from obligation and compulsion. It should flow from the transformation of our hearts marked by our thankfulness for Jesus’s willingness to die for our sin. Our hearts are not changed by the commands of the Law. Our hearts are changed when they overflow with love for our Savior, Jesus Christ. As we experience the grace of what God has done for us in Christ, our hearts are free to worship and obey. The Holy Spirit, through the gospel and His Word, gives them the strength to obey these commands.

In the world, there is nothing—absolutely nothing—that can separate us from the love of our Savior. We want you to know that there is nothing that our God cannot redeem. The prayer of our hearts is that through this Bible and the work of the Holy Spirit, God would use His Word to begin, develop, and strengthen your relationship with Jesus.

FEATURES INCLUDE:

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Behind the Story

The Behind The Story feature contains in-depth info to help teens better understand biblical text.

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Redemption Thread

The Redemption Thread feature from Genesis to Revelation helps teens understand how each story points us to Christ.

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BOOK Introductions

Introductions for each book of the Bible give details about the writer(s) of the book, the timeframe in which it was written, why it was written, the big picture of how this fits into God’s story, and familiar Bible stories contained within the specific book.

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Memory Verses

Key verses are highlighted to help teens memorize scripture in order to strengthen their faith.

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Essential Question

The Essential Question feature has the answers students are looking for to common and not-so-common Bible-based questions.

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Study notes

Contains study notes to clarify scripture, offer relevant cultural observations, and more.

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146 devotions

Includes 146 devotions on the topic of redemption from Genesis to Revelation written specifically for teens and developed by LifeWay’s Essential Connections brand editors.

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Respond

The Respond feature guides students on how to apply Bible passages to their lives.

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Full text

Available in both the full text of the CSB (Christian Standard Bible) or the NKJV (New King James Version) translations.

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99 Essential Doctrines

The 99 Essential Doctrines feature highlights 99 Biblical elements all teens need to know. The doctrines are connected to the Gospel Project for Students curriculum.

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Full-color maps

Includes a section of full-color maps to provide additional context.

99 Essential Doctrines

The Goodness of Creation

God Is Faithful

Illumination of Scripture

God is Just

Authority of Scripture

God Is Merciful

God Is Immanent

God’s Plan and Human Action

The Problem of Evil

Christ as King

God Is Omnipotent

Christ as Sacrifice

Preservation of Scripture

General Revelation

Special Revelation

Moral Influence Theory of Atonement

God Is Omniscient

Faith

God Is Gracious

Justification and Works

God Is Infinite

Sin as Idolatry

Enslaved to Sin

Governmental Theory of Atonement

Sin and Death

Sin as Selfishness

Millennial Views

Prayer and Providence

God Is Unchanging

Temptation and Sin

Calling

Repentance

God Is One

Creation Out of Nothing

Guilt and Shame

Imputation

Sin as Missing the Mark

God’s Providence

Christ as Reconciliation

Social Concern

Mission of the Church

Regeneration

God is Holy

God’s Glory

God Is Love

Edification

Sin as Transgression

Ransom Theory of Atonement

Christ as Substitute

Adoption

Life after Death

Inerrancy of Scripture

Union with Christ

Sin’s Effects in the World

Satisfaction Theory of Atonement

God Is Truthful

Work of the Holy Spirit in the Life of the Christian

Jesus’s Humanity

Sinlessness of Jesus

Baptism

God Is One in Three Persons

Sin as Rebellion

Discipleship

Personality of the holy spirit

The Lord’s Supper

Jesus’s Deity

Second Coming

God is transcendent

Evangelism

Miracle

Demons

Image of God in Humanity

Christ as Priest

Angels

New Identity of the Believer

Family Relationships

Clarity of Scripture

Sanctification

Church and Kingdom

Christ’s Humiliation

Nature of Hell

Christ’s Exaltation

Resurrection

Deity of the Holy Spirit

People of God

Priesthood of the Believer

The Body of Christ

Inspiration of Scripture

The World Opposed to God

Christ as PROPITIATION

Election

Justification by Faith

Temple of the Holy Spirit

Bride of Christ

Virgin Birth

Glorification

New Heaven and New Earth

Worship

Table of Weights and Measures

Introduction to the

Christian Standard Bible

The Bible is God’s revelation to humanity. It is our only source for completely reliable information about God, what happens when we die, and where history is headed. The Bible does these things because it is God’s inspired Word, inerrant in the original manuscripts. Bible translation brings God’s Word from the ancient languages (Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic) into today’s world. In dependence on God’s Spirit to accomplish this sacred task, the CSB Translation Oversight Committee and Holman Bible Publishers present the Christian Standard Bible.

Textual Base of the CSB

The textual base for the New Testament (NT) is the Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece, 28th edition, and the United Bible Societies’ Greek New Testament, 5th corrected edition. The text for the Old Testament (OT) is the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 5th edition.

Goals of This Translation

Provide English-speaking people worldwide with an accurate translation in contemporary English.

Provide an accurate translation for personal study, sermon preparation, private devotions, and memorization.

Provide a text that is clear and understandable, suitable for public reading, and shareable so that all may access its life-giving message.

Affirm the authority of Scripture and champion its absolute truth against skeptical viewpoints.

Translation Philosophy of the Christian Standard Bible

Most discussions of Bible translations speak of two opposite approaches: formal equivalence and dynamic equivalence. However, Bible translations cannot be neatly sorted into these categories. Optimal equivalence capitalizes on the strengths of both approaches.

Optimal equivalence balances contemporary English readability with linguistic precision to the original languages. In the many places throughout the Bible where a word-for-word rendering is understandable, a literal translation is used. When a word-for-word rendering might obscure the meaning for a modern audience, a more dynamic translation is used. This process assures that both the words and the thoughts contained in the original text are conveyed accurately for today’s readers. The Christian Standard Bible places equal value on fidelity to the original and readability for a modern audience, resulting in a translation that achieves both goals.

History of the CSB

Holman Bible Publishers assembled an interdenominational team of 100 scholars, editors, stylists, and proofreaders, all of whom were committed to biblical inerrancy. Working from the original languages, the translation team edited and polished the manuscript, which was first published as the Holman Christian Standard Bible in 2004.

A standing committee maintained the translation, while also seeking ways to improve both readability and accuracy. As with the original translation, the committee that prepared this revision, renamed the Christian Standard Bible, is international and interdenominational, comprising evangelical scholars who honor the inspiration and authority of God’s written Word.

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introduction to

Genesis

Genesis is the first book of the Bible. It is also the first of the five books of the Law. Genesis actually means beginning, and it is filled with beginnings: the beginning of the universe, the earth, plant and animal life, and people, families, and nations. Sadly, it is also the beginning of sin.

The first eleven chapters tell the story of creation and how sin came into the world. Adam and Eve were created by God in His own image. But they chose to disobey God, bringing sin, suffering, and even death into the world.

The rest of Genesis is often called the patriarchal history. It tells of how God chose Abraham and his descendants to be His people. Genesis also contains all the exciting stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. The book ends as the Israelites come to live in Egypt.

Who?

Genesis was written by Moses. Of course, Moses was not alive when the earth was created—his writing was inspired by God. That means God told Moses what to write.

When?

Moses, the writer of Genesis, lived during the 1400s

bc.

The events of Genesis begin with creation—the beginning of time itself—and end with the death of Joseph in 1805

bc.

Why?

Genesis shows that God is the Lord and Creator of all things. He has perfect control over all of His creation. God can use even terrible things to bring about great good—just as He did when Joseph was sold into slavery.

Redemption Thread

Genesis tells us where we came from (God) and how sin came into the world (disobeying God). It also shows us the beginnings of God’s grace. From creation, God had a plan to save His people—first, through His promise to Abraham, and finally through Jesus, His Son.

Stories from Genesis

The Creation Genesis 1:1–2:3

The Temptation and the Fall Genesis 3:1-7

God Warns Noah Genesis 6:9-22

The Tower of Babylon Genesis 11:1-9

Joseph’s Dreams Genesis 37:1-11

The main character

Reflect on this Scripture verse to begin your time with God:

Think about your favorite book or movie. A writer often uses the first scene or line to give you insight into the main character. What does the first scene tell you about the main character in that book or movie? How?

With that idea in mind, read Genesis 1:1and Psalm 92 in your Bible.

A story begins with its author, creation with its Creator. How does Genesis 1:1help to establish God as the main character of His story?

What does Psalm 92:4-5tell you about the purpose of the creation account? Is it more about glorifying God or being in awe of what He has made?

The Bible doesn’t start with this story so we can be in awe of what God has made; it’s there so we can be in awe of God. Take some time to do that today. Focus your mind on God—not what He has done for you or what He has made —but on Him and who He is.

For further study of God’s eternal nature, read John 1:1, Ephesians 1:4, and Colossians 1:15-17.

The story of creation begins—and ends—in our eternal God. It is more about Him than us.

ESSENTIALDOCTRINE

The Goodness of Creation

In Genesis 1, God repeatedly affirmed that all of His creation was good, even very good (1:31). It is good, in God’s judgment, because He created it for a purpose that it fulfilled—to reflect and display the good character of the Creator. Therefore, sin and evil should not be seen as a foundational part of the creation but rather as a corruption of it. While the creation has been marred and distorted as a result of sin, it is still good in the hands of God and serves His purpose of proclaiming His glory in the world. God’s people should affirm and seek to preserve the goodness of God’s creation (2:15).

The Creation

1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. †

RESPOND

God Created the World

Genesis 1:1-25 In the beginning, there was only God. Then God created the heavens and the earth and everything that fills them. With just a word, He built up mountains and carved out seas. He placed the sun, the moon, and each star in the heavens. At His command, fish filled the seas, birds flew into the air, and animals sprang up to roam the earth. He did all of this just for you. What can you do for God today to show Him how much you love Him?

REDEMPTION

THREAD

God Created the World

Genesis 1:1-25 The Bible says that Jesus is Lord over all of creation. Everything was created by Him and for Him. The Son has always existed, and He holds everything together.

MEMORY

VERSE

Genesis 1:1

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

ESSENTIAL

QUESTION

Genesis 1–2

Q: Who created everything?

A: God created everything. He created the world and people to bring Him glory.

² Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. ³ Then God said, Let there be light, and there was light. ⁴ God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. ⁵ God called the light day, and the darkness he called night. There was an evening, and there was a morning: one day.

⁶ Then God said, Let there be an expanse between the waters, separating water from water. ⁷ So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above the expanse. And it was so. ⁸ God called the expanse sky. † Evening came and then morning: the second day.

⁹ Then God said, Let the water under the sky be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear. And it was so. ¹⁰ God called the dry land earth, and the gathering of the water he called seas. And God saw that it was good. ¹¹ Then God said, Let the earth produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And it was so. ¹² The earth produced vegetation: seed-bearing plants according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. ¹³ Evening came and then morning: the third day.

¹⁴ Then God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night. They will serve as signs for seasons † and for days and years. ¹⁵ They will be lights in the expanse of the sky to provide light on the earth." And it was so. ¹⁶ God made the two great lights ​— ​the greater light to rule over the day and the lesser light to rule over the night ​— ​as well as the stars. ¹⁷ God placed them in the expanse of the sky to provide light on the earth, ¹⁸ to rule the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. ¹⁹ Evening came and then morning: the fourth day.

²⁰ Then God said, "Let the water swarm with † living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky. ²¹ So God created the large sea-creatures † and every living creature that moves and swarms in the water, according to their kinds. He also created every winged creature according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. ²² God blessed them: Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the waters of the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth." ²³ Evening came and then morning: the fifth day.

²⁴ Then God said, Let the earth produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that crawl, and the wildlife of the earth according to their kinds. And it was so. ²⁵ So God made the wildlife of the earth according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that crawl on the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

²⁶ Then God said, "Let us make man † in † our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, † and the creatures that crawl † on the earth."

REDEMPTION

THREAD

God Created People

Genesis 1:26–2:25 God created people in His own image. Adam was like God in some ways, but he was not a perfect representation of God. God sent His Son, Jesus, to show us exactly what God is like (Col 1:15). Jesus is the perfect representation of God because He is God (Heb 1:3).

²⁷ So God created man in his own image;

he created him in† the image of God;

he created them male and female.

MEMORY

VERSE

Genesis 1:27

So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female.

²⁸ God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls † on the earth. ²⁹ God also said, Look, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the surface of the entire earth and every tree whose fruit contains seed. This will be food for you, ³⁰ for all the wildlife of the earth, for every bird of the sky, and for every creature that crawls on the earth ​— ​everything having the breath of life in it ​— ​I have given † every green plant for food." And it was so. ³¹ God saw all that he had made, and it was very good indeed. Evening came and then morning: the sixth day.

MEMORY

VERSE

Genesis 1:31

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good indeed. Evening came and then morning: the sixth day.

God Created You!

Take a moment and let these words sink in: You were fashioned in God’s own image. You were made in the image and likeness of the Creator. Your eyes, your hair, your hands, your feet, your laugh, your tears—every part of you is made in the likeness of God.

God, in His infinite creativity, poured over each of us as He formed us, selecting unique abilities and spiritual gifts to prepare us for the work He has called us to do. His thoughtful creation was not for our own good, but for His good and for the world.

THINK ABOUT THESE QUESTIONS, AND JOURNAL YOUR THOUGHTS:

What work is God asking you to do?

What is the thing God created you to be?

What do you need to leave behind to be that unique person God created?

When God made you, He had a purpose. His plan was not to make you be someone else—just you!

GOD IS A PROMISE MAKER AND A PROMISE KEEPER. ULTIMATELY, HE IS FAITHFUL TO FULFILL ALL THAT HE PROMISES.

ESSENTIALDOCTRINE

God Is Faithful

God’s faithfulness means He keeps His word and always fulfills His promises (1Co1:9; 2Tm 2:13; 1Pt 4:19). God’s faithfulness is demonstrated in His fulfillment of the promises He made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The apostle Paul linked the attribute of faithful to God’s coming through on His word: He who calls you is faithful; he will do it (1Th 5:24). We reflect God by keeping the promises we make to Him and to others.

1:1 Or created the universe 1:8 Or heavens. 1:14 Or for the appointed times 1:20 Lit with swarms of 1:21 Or created sea monsters 1:26 Or human beings ; Hb 'adam, also in v. 27 1:26 Or as 1:26 Syr reads sky, and over every animal of the land 1:26 Or scurry 1:27 Or man as his own image; he created him as 1:28 Or and all scurrying animals that scurry 1:30 I have given added for clarity

2So the heavens and the earth and everything in them were completed. ² On the seventh † day God had completed his work that he had done, and he rested † on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. ³ God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, for on it he rested from all his work of creation. †

RESPOND

God Created People

Genesis 2 On the sixth day of creation, God made Adam and Eve, the first man and woman. Unlike all the other things He created, Adam and Eve were made in God’s own image. That means your eyes, your hair, your skin, your laughter, everything was made in His image. Take a moment to think about how amazing it is that you were made in His image!

Man and Woman in the Garden

⁴ These are the records of the heavens and the earth, concerning their creation. At the time † that the

Lord

God made the earth and the heavens, ⁵ no shrub of the field had yet grown on the land, † and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the

Lord

God had not made it rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground. ⁶ But mist would come up from the earth and water all the ground. ⁷ Then the

Lord

God formed the man out of the dust from the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.

⁸ The

Lord

God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he placed the man he had formed. ⁹ The

Lord

God caused to grow out of the ground every tree pleasing in appearance and good for food, including the tree of life in the middle of the garden, as well as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

BEHIND

THE STORY

God is the grammatical subject of the first sentence in the Bible—and He continues to be the thematic subject throughout the entire creation account (Gn 1–2). The recurring phrase then God said in Genesis 1:1–2:3 serves to establish Him as the primary actor in creation.

In the pagan cultures that surrounded God’s people, the moon and sun were worshiped as gods. That may be why the usual Hebrew words for moon and sun are avoided in the Genesis creation account (see Gn 1:16). It is clear from this account that the sun and moon are not deities to be revered or worshiped, but rather, made to serve God and humanity.

The exact location of Eden, where God planted the first garden, is not known. Four rivers ran through the garden. Two of them, the Tigris and the Euphrates, are in present-day Iraq (Gn 2:8-14).

¹⁰ A river went † out from Eden to water the garden. From there it divided and became the source of four rivers. † ¹¹ The name of the first is Pishon, which flows through the entire land of Havilah, † where there is gold. ¹² Gold from that land is pure; † bdellium † and onyx † are also there. ¹³ The name of the second river is Gihon, which flows through the entire land of Cush. ¹⁴ The name of the third river is Tigris, which runs east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

¹⁵ The

Lord

God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it. ¹⁶ And the

Lord

God commanded the man, You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, ¹⁷ but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die. ¹⁸ Then the

Lord

God said, It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper corresponding to him. ¹⁹ The

Lord

God formed out of the ground every wild animal and every bird of the sky, and brought each to the man to see what he would call it. And whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. ²⁰ The man gave names to all the livestock, to the birds of the sky, and to every wild animal; but for the man † no helper was found corresponding to him. ²¹ So the

Lord

God caused a deep sleep to come over the man, and he slept. God took one of his ribs and closed the flesh at that place. ²² Then the

Lord

God made the rib he had taken from the man into a woman and brought her to the man. ²³ And the man said:

This one, at last, is bone of my bone

and flesh of my flesh;

this one will be called woman,

for she was taken from man.

²⁴ This is why a man leaves his father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they become one flesh. ²⁵ Both the man and his wife were naked, yet felt no shame.

2:2 Sam, LXX, Syr read sixth 2:2 Or ceased, also in v. 3 2:3 Lit work that God created to make 2:4 Lit creation on the day 2:5 Or earth 2:10 Or goes 2:10 Lit became four heads 2:11 Or of the Havilah 2:12 Lit good 2:12 A yellowish, transparent gum resin 2:12 Identity of this precious stone uncertain 2:20 Or for Adam

The Temptation and the Fall

3Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the

Lord

God had made. He said to the woman, Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?

REDEMPTION

THREAD

Sin Entered the World

Genesis 3:1-24 Since Adam and Eve, everyone has sinned against God. Our sin separates us from God. God promised that one of Eve’s descendants would put an end to sin and death. God sent His Son, Jesus, to live as Adam didn’t—perfectly sinless. God the Son came into the world to rescue people from sin and bring them back to God.

ESSENTIAL

QUESTION

Genesis 3–4

Q: What is sin?

A: Sin is breaking God’s law, and it separates people from God.

² The woman said to the serpent, We may eat the fruit from the trees in the garden. ³ But about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You must not eat it or touch it, or you will die.’

⁴ No! You will not die, the serpent said to the woman. ⁵ "In fact, God knows that when † you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, † knowing good and evil." ⁶ The woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

Sin’s Consequences

⁸ Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the

Lord

God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze,† and they hid from the

Lord

God among the trees of the garden. ⁹ So the

Lord

God called out to the man and said to him, Where are you?

¹⁰ And he said, "I heard you † in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid."

RESPOND

Sin Entered the World

Genesis 3–4 God placed Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. He gave them only one rule: do not eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If they ate it, they would die. But the serpent (who was really Satan) lied and said they would not die. Instead, they would become like God, knowing good and evil.

So Eve ate the fruit and then gave some to Adam. By disobeying God, Adam and Eve brought sin into the world. God still loved Adam and Eve, but their sin had separated them from Him. They could no longer live in the garden.

Think back to the way you felt when you lost or broke something that was important to you. Now, stop to really mourn for what was lost in the garden and the depth of your own sinfulness. Be honest with God and repent of any sin in your life.

¹¹ Then he asked, Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?

¹² The man replied, The woman you gave to be with me ​— ​she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate.

¹³ So the

Lord

God asked the woman, What is this you have done?

And the woman said, The serpent deceived me, and I ate.

¹⁴ So the

Lord

God said to the serpent:

Broken

Have you ever broken something really valuable or lost something that was really important to you? Recall the way you felt when you realized what you had done.

With that in mind, read Genesis 3:1-7 in your Bible.

In an instant, sin entered the world. God had set a boundary, and Adam and Eve had chosen to live in opposition to Him.

Consider these questions:

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Look at Satan’s interaction with Eve in verses 1-4. How did he tempt Eve to further question God’s goodness and the truth of His word? Why do you think questioning these things leads to sin?

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Prior to this, God had been the One who determined what was right and wrong, but Eve took on that role in verse 6. If God is the Author and Main Character of Scripture, why is it wrong to usurp that role?

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Adam and Eve’s sin didn’t just affect them; it affected the entire human race. How do you know this to be true?

Read verse 7. Satan had said that disobeying God would cause Adam and Eve’s eyes to be opened to all wisdom, but instead of power, that knowledge brought fear and shame into their lives. How does choosing to sin against God still do that today?

For further study of the effect of Adam and Eve’s sin on us, read Romans 5:12-21.

In Adam and Eve’s disobedience, sin entered the world. As a result, the intimate relationship God wanted to have with all humanity seemed irrecoverably damaged.

ESSENTIALDOCTRINE

Illumination of Scripture

Because of the vast difference between God’s wisdom and ours, and because of humanity’s sinful state, human beings are incapable, on our own, of fully grasping spiritual truth without being aided by the Holy Spirit through the process of illumination. When it comes to understanding the meaning of God’s Word, Christians do not ultimately rely upon human reason in the process of interpretation; nor do we rely solely upon an institution or body of scholars. Instead, a Christian’s ultimate reliance is upon the work of the Spirit of God who illuminates the Scriptures in the heart and mind (Mt 13:13-15; Mk 8:18).

Because you have done this,

you are cursed more than any livestock

and more than any wild animal.

You will move on your belly

and eat dust all the days of your life.

¹⁵ I will put hostility between you and the woman,

and between your offspring and her offspring.

He will strike your head,

and you will strike his heel.

¹⁶ He said to the woman:

I will intensify your labor pains;

you will bear children with painful effort.

Your desire will be for your husband,

yet he will rule over you.

¹⁷ And he said to the man, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘Do not eat from it’:

The ground is cursed because of you.

You will eat from it by means of painful labor†

all the days of your life.

¹⁸It will produce thorns and thistles for you,

and you will eat the plants of the field.

¹⁹You will eat bread† by the sweat of your brow

until you return to the ground,

since you were taken from it.

For you are dust,

and you will return to dust."

²⁰ The man named his wife Eve † because she was the mother of all the living. ²¹ The

Lord

God made clothing from skins for the man and his wife, and he clothed them.

²² The

Lord

God said, Since the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil, he must not reach out, take from the tree of life, eat, and live forever. ²³ So the

Lord

God sent him away from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. ²⁴ He drove the man out and stationed the cherubim and the flaming, whirling sword east of the garden of Eden to guard the way to the tree of life.

3:5 Lit on the day 3:5 Or gods, or divine beings 3:8 Lit at the wind of the day 3:10 Lit the sound of you 3:17 Lit it through pain 3:19 Or food 3:20 Lit Living, or Life

Cain Murders Abel

4The man was intimate with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, "I have had a male child with the

Lord

’s help."† ² She also gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel became a shepherd of flocks, but Cain worked the ground. ³ In the course of time Cain presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the

Lord

. ⁴ And Abel also presented an offering ​— ​some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The

Lord

had regard for Abel and his offering, ⁵ but he did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he looked despondent. †

REDEMPTION

THREAD

Cain and Abel

Genesis 4:1-16,25-26 God had promised that one of Eve’s descendants would put an end to sin and death. Cain was not that descendant. He was sinful like his parents, Adam and Eve. So people kept living and trusting God to keep His promise. At just the right time, God would send His Son to save sinners (Heb 11:13, Gl 4:4).

BEHIND

THE STORY

A sacrifice is what the worshiper brings to God to express love, thanksgiving, or the need for forgiveness. Cain and Abel brought offerings to the Lord. After the flood, Noah built an altar and offered burnt sacrifices. Sacrifices continued throughout the Old Testament. In the New Testament, Jesus’s death provided the one and only sacrifice that removes sin. However, Christians are still instructed to sacrifice, or give up their own desires, in order to follow Jesus. Genesis 4:1-5, 8:20; Romans 12:1-2; Hebrews 9:26, 10:4,11-18; Hebrews 13:15.

⁶ Then the

Lord

said to Cain, "Why are you furious? And why do you look despondent?† ⁷ If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it."

⁸ Cain said to his brother Abel, Let’s go out to the field. † And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

⁹ Then the

Lord

said to Cain, Where is your brother Abel?

I don’t know, he replied. Am I my brother’s guardian?

¹⁰ Then he said, "What have you done? Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground! ¹¹ So now you are cursed, alienated from the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood you have shed. † ¹² If you work the ground, it will never again give you its yield. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth."

RESPOND

Cain and Abel

Genesis 4:1-16,25-26 After Adam and Eve left the garden of Eden, they had a son named Cain and another son named Abel. Both Cain and Abel were sinners because of Adam and Eve’s sin. Abel became a shepherd, and Cain worked the ground by growing plants and crops. One day, Cain gave God an offering of some of the produce he grew. Abel gave God some of the firstborn of his flock. God accepted Abel’s offering because it was from the best that he had, but He did not accept Cain’s offering because it was from Cain’s leftovers. When you give to God, do you give your very best? What steps can you put into place to always give God your very best?

¹³ But Cain answered the

Lord

, "My punishment† is too great to bear! ¹⁴ Since you are banishing me today from the face of the earth, and I must hide from your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, whoever finds me will kill me."

¹⁵ Then the

Lord

replied to him, "In that case,† whoever kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over."† And he placed a mark on Cain so that whoever found him would not kill him. ¹⁶ Then Cain went out from the

Lord

’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

OFFER HIM YOUR BEST

God knows every thought and intent of your heart. The story of Cain and Abel is an example of how Abel’s offering demonstrated his faith in God, but Cain’s offering did not.

As Christians, we must understand that every single element of our lives is to demonstrate our faith in Christ. There is not a single part of our lives that is separated from our faith in Christ.

God’s Holy Spirit speaks to your heart and tells you when you have sinned (Jn 16:7-11). When you feel this urging in your heart, do not ignore it. It is God coming after you to bring you to repentance and to bring you back to Him.

Journal a prayer to God, offering to give Him your best. Refer to your prayer whenever you feel God pulling you back to Him.

The Line of Cain

¹⁷ Cain was intimate with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. Then Cain became the builder of a city, and he named the city Enoch after his son. ¹⁸ Irad was born to Enoch, Irad fathered Mehujael, Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. ¹⁹ Lamech took two wives for himself, one named Adah and the other named Zillah. ²⁰ Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of the nomadic herdsmen. † ²¹ His brother was named Jubal; he was the father of all who play the lyre and the flute. ²² Zillah bore Tubal-cain, who made all kinds of bronze and iron tools. Tubal-cain’s sister was Naamah.

²³ Lamech said to his wives:

Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;

wives of Lamech, pay attention to my words.

For I killed a man for wounding me,

a young man for striking me.

²⁴If Cain is to be avenged seven times over,

then for Lamech it will be seventy-seven times!

²⁵ Adam was intimate with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, for she said, "God has given † me another child † in place of Abel, since Cain killed him." ²⁶ A son was born to Seth also, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the

Lord

.

4:1 Lit the Lord 4:5 Lit and his face fell 4:6 Lit why has your face fallen 4:8 Sam, LXX, Syr, Vg; MT omits Let’s go out to the field. 4:11 Lit blood from your hand 4:13 Or sin 4:15 LXX, Syr, Vg read "Not so!" 4:15 Or suffer severely 4:20 Lit the dweller of tent and livestock 4:25 The Hb word for given sounds like the name Seth. 4:25 Lit seed

The Line of Seth

5This is the document containing the family † records of Adam. † On the day that God created man, † he made him in the likeness of God; ² he created them male and female. When they were created, he blessed them and called them mankind. †

³ Adam was 130 years old when he fathered a son in his likeness, according to his image, and named him Seth. ⁴ Adam lived 800 years after he fathered Seth, and he fathered other sons and daughters. ⁵ So Adam’s life lasted 930 years; then he died.

⁶ Seth was 105 years old when he fathered Enosh. ⁷ Seth lived 807 years after he fathered Enosh, and he fathered other sons and daughters. ⁸ So Seth’s life lasted 912 years; then he died.

⁹ Enosh was 90 years old when he fathered Kenan. ¹⁰ Enosh lived 815 years after he fathered Kenan, and he fathered other sons and daughters. ¹¹ So Enosh’s life lasted 905 years; then he died.

¹² Kenan was 70 years old when he fathered Mahalalel. ¹³ Kenan lived 840 years after he fathered Mahalalel, and he fathered other sons and daughters. ¹⁴ So Kenan’s life lasted 910 years; then he died.

¹⁵ Mahalalel was 65 years old when he fathered Jared. ¹⁶ Mahalalel lived 830 years after he fathered Jared, and he fathered other sons and daughters. ¹⁷ So Mahalalel’s life lasted 895 years; then he died.

¹⁸ Jared was 162 years old when he fathered Enoch. ¹⁹ Jared lived 800 years after he fathered Enoch, and he fathered other sons and daughters. ²⁰ So Jared’s life lasted 962 years; then he died.

²¹ Enoch was 65 years old when he fathered Methuselah. ²² And after he fathered Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and fathered other sons and daughters. ²³ So Enoch’s life lasted 365 years. ²⁴ Enoch walked with God; then he was not there because God took him.

²⁵ Methuselah was 187 years old when he fathered Lamech. ²⁶ Methuselah lived 782 years after he fathered Lamech, and he fathered other sons and daughters. ²⁷ So Methuselah’s life lasted 969 years; then he died.

²⁸ Lamech was 182 years old when he fathered a son. ²⁹ And he named him Noah, † saying, "This one will bring us relief from the agonizing labor of our hands, caused by the ground the

Lord

has cursed." ³⁰ Lamech lived 595 years after he fathered Noah, and he fathered other sons and daughters. ³¹ So Lamech’s life lasted 777 years; then he died.

³² Noah was 500 years old, and he fathered Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

5:1 Lit written family 5:1 Or mankind 5:1 Or Adam, human beings 5:2 Hb 'adam 5:29 In Hb, the name Noah sounds like bring us relief.

Sons of God and Daughters of Mankind

6When mankind began to multiply on the earth and daughters were born to them, ² the sons of God saw that the daughters of mankind were beautiful, and they took any they chose as wives † for themselves. ³ And the

Lord

said, "My Spirit will not remain† with† mankind forever, because they are corrupt.† Their days will be 120 years." ⁴ The Nephilim † were on the earth both in those days and afterward, 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.

Judgment 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, ⁶ the

Lord

regretted that he had made man on the earth, 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 favor with the

Lord

.

RESPOND

Noah and the Ark

Genesis 6:5–9:17

Noah responded in faith in the midst of a faithless, godless world, and because of this, God wanted to save Noah. Pray that you will respond the same way in today’s world.

Salvation is found in no one but Jesus. You can’t earn it, nor is it based on anything you can do. Admit to God any false ideas you’ve allowed to shape your understanding of salvation. Ask Him to help you focus on Christ alone.

God made a promise to Noah to never again flood the whole earth. The rainbow is God’s sign of that promise. He also has made a promise to you—to never leave you or forsake you (Heb 13:5). Respond back to God knowing that the promises He made to Noah are the promises that He has made to you.

REDEMPTION

THREAD

Noah and the Ark

Genesis 6:5–9:17 God rescued Noah and his family from the flood; they were the only ones that lived. The story of Noah points ahead to a greater rescue. God’s Son, Jesus—the only perfectly righteous One—came to take the punishment for our sin. By trusting in Him, we are saved from the punishment our sin deserves. Jesus died so that we can live.

ESSENTIAL

QUESTION

Genesis 6:5–9:17

Q: Why does sin separate people from God?

A: God is holy and separate from sin.

God Warns Noah

⁹ These are the family records of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among his contemporaries; Noah walked with God. 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. † ¹² God saw how corrupt the earth was, for every creature had corrupted its way on the earth. 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