NKJV, Lucado Encouraging Word Bible: Holy Bible, New King James Version

By Thomas Nelson

Expand your understanding of Scripture and be encouraged on your spiritual journey with best-selling Christian author Pastor Max Lucado.

The Lucado Encouraging Word Bible is an exhilarating experience. As you read, you’ll uncover a saga of suspense and intrigue. Flip over a few pages and find poetry and romance. Turn the pages again and read tales of clashing conquerors, brave shepherds, and a captivating Carpenter. Chronicles of faith, miracles, misdeeds, and good deeds. Kings, queens, peasants—the uncommon and the commonplace. Mystery, suspense, intrigue, drama, humor, poetry, romance…it’s all in these pages. Stories of real people, with real problems, real joys, and a real Savior. All of that, plus some distinctive features will help you see that what happened on these pages is still happening today—that the truths of old are truths for our age.

Features include:

• 98 “People of the Word” articles encourage believers through the lessons learned by people throughout the Bible
• 691 “For Your Journey” marginal notes mix masterful storytelling with biblical context to lead you into a deeper walk with the Lord
• 115 “Jesus Through the Bible,” and “Growing in Christ” articles provide both inspiration and practical lessons to build you up
• 30-day personal or group Bible study enriches your knowledge of the Bible
• “God Cares for You” and “Growing Up Spiritually” verses are subject-specific and provide another resource in your study of the Bible
• “Where to turn when . . . ” Scripture reference list means you can always find a biblical answer to the challenges you face
• Dotted margin space for journaling or taking notes
• Bible book introductions contain a brief outline of the book and an introduction written by Max Lucado
• Bible reading plan
• Full-color maps
• Clear and readable NKJV Comfort Print® 9-point type size

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Release date: Feb 4, 2020
• ISBN: 9780785203599

Book preview

The

Lucado

Encouraging Word

Bible

Max Lucado

General Editor

www.ThomasNelson.com

The Lucado Encouraging Word Bible

Copyright © 2020 by Thomas Nelson

Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson.

Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.

Holy Bible, New King James Version, copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.

ePub Edition January 2020: 9780785203599

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2019945175

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The text of the New King James Version® (NKJV®) may be quoted or reprinted without prior written permission with the following qualifications: (1) up to and including 1,000 verses may be quoted in printed form as long as the verses quoted amount to less than 50% of a complete book of the Bible and make up less than 50% of the total work in which they are quoted; (2) all NKJV quotations must conform accurately to the NKJV text.

Any use of the NKJV text must include a proper acknowledgement as follows: Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

However, when quotations from the NKJV text are used in church bulletins, orders of service, Sunday school lessons, church newsletters, and similar works in the course of religious instruction or services at a place of worship or other religious assembly, the following notice may be used at the end of each quotation: NKJV.

For quotation requests not covered by the above guidelines, write to Thomas Nelson, Attention: Bible Rights and Permissions, P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214–1000.

Other Scripture quotations have been taken from the following translations: Amplified Bible (

AMP

), Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (

AMPC

), Good News Translation (

GNT

), King James Version (

KJV

), The Message (

MSG

), New American Standard Bible (

NASB

), New Century Version (

NCV

), New English Translation Bible (

NET

), New International Version (

NIV

), New Living Translation (

NLT

), New Revised Standard Version (

NRSV

), The New Testament in Modern English by J.B. Phillips (

PHILLIPS

), The Living Bible (

TLB

), and The Voice (

VOICE

). Full copyright information is found in the Acknowledgments section of this Bible.

Information about External Hyperlinks in this ebook

Please note that this ebook may contain hyperlinks to external websites. These hyperlinks have not been activated by the publisher, who cannot verify the accuracy of these links beyond the date of publication.

Contents

How to Use This eBible

Before You Begin . . . A Word from Max Lucado

Abbreviations

Introduction

Articles Index

Bible Reading Plan

Preface to the New King James Version®

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Old Testament Table of Contents

---

New Testament Table of Contents

---

More Encouragement for Spiritual Growth

---

Going Deeper Studies

God Cares for You Verses

Growing Up Spiritually Verses

Where to Turn When Scripture List

Acknowledgments

Full-Color Maps

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OLD TESTAMENT

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Genesis

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50

---

Exodus

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40

---

Leviticus

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27

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Numbers

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36

---

Deuteronomy

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34

---

Joshua

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24

---

Judges

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21

---

Ruth

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

---

1 Samuel

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31

---

2 Samuel

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24

---

1 Kings

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22

---

2 Kings

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25

---

1 Chronicles

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29

---

2 Chronicles

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36

---

Ezra

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

---

Nehemiah

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13

---

Esther

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

---

Job

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42

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Psalms

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 90 | 91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 100 | 101 | 102 | 103 | 104 | 105 | 106 | 107 | 108 | 109 | 110 | 111 | 112 | 113 | 114 | 115 | 116 | 117 | 118 | 119 | 120 | 121 | 122 | 123 | 124 | 125 | 126 | 127 | 128 | 129 | 130 | 131 | 132 | 133 | 134 | 135 | 136 | 137 | 138 | 139 | 140 | 141 | 142 | 143 | 144 | 145 | 146 | 147 | 148 | 149 | 150

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Proverbs

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31

---

Ecclesiastes

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12

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Song of Solomon

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

---

Isaiah

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66

---

Jeremiah

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52

---

Lamentations

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

---

Ezekiel

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48

---

Daniel

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12

---

Hosea

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14

---

Joel

1 | 2 | 3

---

Amos

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

---

Obadiah

1

---

Jonah

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

---

Micah

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

---

Nahum

1 | 2 | 3

---

Habakkuk

1 | 2 | 3

---

Zephaniah

1 | 2 | 3

---

Haggai

1 | 2

---

Zechariah

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14

---

Malachi

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

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NEW TESTAMENT

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Matthew

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28

---

Mark

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16

---

Luke

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24

---

John

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21

---

Acts

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28

---

Romans

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16

---

1 Corinthians

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16

---

2 Corinthians

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13

---

Galatians

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

---

Ephesians

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

---

Philippians

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

---

Colossians

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

---

1 Thessalonians

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

---

2 Thessalonians

1 | 2 | 3

---

1 Timothy

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

---

2 Timothy

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

---

Titus

1 | 2 | 3

---

Philemon

1

---

Hebrews

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13

---

James

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

---

1 Peter

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

---

2 Peter

1 | 2 | 3

---

1 John

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

---

2 John

1

---

3 John

1

---

Jude

1

---

Revelation

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22

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How to Use This eBible

What is the difference between an eBook and a print book?

eBook versions of Bibles contain all the content and supplementary materials found in the original print versions and are optimized for navigation in the various apps and devices used for display. eReaders recognize text as one fluid string and are formatted in a single column, which differs from the multi-column layout seen in many print version Bibles. Therefore, some content may not match the exact appearance of the original print version, but instead uses hyperlinks to navigate between related content.

How do I use the eBook Table of Contents?

* Important Note: Be sure to consult your device manufacturer’s User’s Guide for device-specific navigation instructions. *

The Table of Contents is generally formatted in the same order as the original print version and hyperlinked as follows:

• Front matter – Introductory articles

• Bible books and chapters

• Back matter – Supplementary materials

To navigate to specific Bible books, chapters, or verses, please note the following:

• Book links (Ex. Genesis) go directly to the Introduction of each book, or the beginning of that Bible book if there is no introductory text.

• Chapter links go directly to the beginning of the chapter associated with a book.

• Use the device’s Next Page/Previous Page buttons or functions to scroll through the verses in each chapter.

• Every Bible book and chapter hyperlink in the Bible text returns or goes back to the Table of Contents. Or, use the device’s back button or function to go back to the last selection.

How do I navigate supplementary materials?

Articles and Features related to Bible content are accessible through the pointer links that are interspersed throughout the Bible text.

• Select the hyperlinked content title at the end of a paragraph where referenced Bible verse(s) appear to go to its location in the Annotations section at the end of each Bible book.

• Select the hyperlinked title entry to go back to the Bible verse location, or use the device’s back button or function to go back to the last selection.

Translators’ Notes are marked with a hyperlinked letter a, to indicate important textual information.

• Click the hyperlinked letter to the left of the word or phrase in the main Bible text to the corresponding note.

• Click the hyperlinked letter to the left of the note and you are returned to the main Bible text.

Indexes are features that supplement the Bible text and are hyperlinked directly to the content-specific location following the main Bible text.

• Select the hyperlinked entry in the Table of Contents to the specific article, list, or index.

• Select the Bible reference or article hyperlink to the corresponding main Bible text or article.

• Use the device’s back button or function to go back to the last selection.

Color Maps are included as images and optimized for eReader device display.

• Select the hyperlinked entry in the Table of Contents to a specific map.

• Use the device’s back button or function to go back to the last selection.

Before You Begin . . .

A Word from Max Lucado, General Editor

A discouragement conspiracy is afoot. Companies spend billions of dollars to convince us that we are deficient and inadequate. To sell face cream, they tell us that our faces are wrinkled. To sell new clothes, they pronounce that our clothes are out of fashion. To sell hair color, they must persuade us that our hair is dingy. Marketing companies deploy the brightest minds and deepest pockets of our generation to convince us that we are chubby, smelly, ugly, and out-of-date. We are under attack!

We can relate to the two cows grazing in a pasture when a milk truck drove by. On the side of the truck were the words Pasteurized, homogenized, standardized, vitamin A added. Noticing this, one cow said to the other, Makes you kind of feel inadequate, doesn’t it?

Inadequacy indwells a billion hearts.

But God has an antidote—His Word. His cure for the weary heart is a fresh dose of truth from the Bible. He is the God of all comfort (2 Cor. 1:3). Other translations say encouragement.

Jesus encourages us as well. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father encourage you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say (2 Thess. 2:16–17

NCV

).

When Jesus introduces the Holy Spirit to us in John 14–16, He calls Him the paraklétos, the noun form of the very word for encouragement.

Scripture encourages us. For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope (Rom. 15:4

NIV

).

The saints in heaven encourage us. Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us (Heb. 12:1). A multitude of God’s children is urging you on. Like spectators in the stands a crowd of witnesses applauds from the heavens, calling on you to finish strong.

The Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, the Holy Scriptures, the saints. God places a premium on encouragement.

Perhaps you could use some? Life has a way of pulling us under. But God has a way of pulling us up. His way is His Word. Let God give you what you need.

Let Him give you His encouraging Word.

I would like to dedicate this project to a lifelong hero of mine, Charles Swindoll. For decades of writing, preaching, and leading, thank you, Chuck.

—Max Lucado

Abbreviations

Book abbreviations used in the notes and articles:

OT = Old Testament

NT = New Testament

Introduction

The Lucado Encouraging Word Bible is an exhilarating experience. As you read, you’ll uncover a saga of suspense and intrigue. Flip over a few pages and find poetry and romance. Turn the pages again and read tales of clashing conquerors, brave shepherds, and a captivating Carpenter. Chronicles of faith, miracles, misdeeds, and good deeds. Kings, queens, peasants—the uncommon and the commonplace. Mystery, suspense, intrigue, drama, humor, poetry, romance . . . it’s all in these pages. Stories of real people, with real problems, real joys, and a real Savior. All of that, plus some distinctive features, will help you see that what happened on these pages is still happening today—that the truths of old are truths for our age.

To enrich your study, this Bible has some unique features. These tools will help expand your understanding of Scripture and provide you encouragement in your spiritual journey.

For Your Journey

You’ll notice encouraging devotional notes throughout this Bible. Each of these notes contains a Situation, Observation, Inspiration, and Application section.

The Situation gives a quick look into the context of the chapter; it answers the question, What’s going on in this passage?

The Observation goes beneath the action to explain the point of the action: What truth or lesson is noticeable in the action of these people?

The Inspiration takes a point or lesson found in the chapter and amplifies it. Excerpted from the writings of Max Lucado, these inspirations extend the main point and give it a contemporary message that will be useful in your private devotion or for sharing with a group.

The Application brings the message home and helps you ask the right questions: How can I use what I’ve learned in this chapter? Is there anything about my life that I should change based on what I’ve learned?

People of the Word

Follow the journeys of others from long ago in this feature of nearly one hundred bios of people found or mentioned throughout the Bible. In these articles, you’ll see their struggles, triumphs, and God’s hand in their lives. These character studies will provide encouragement as you face various circumstances in your life.

Consider Studies

Throughout the text you will discover Bible studies to help you consider various situations you might be confronted with. Use the Articles Index in the front of this Bible to locate specific topics of interest.

Jesus Through the Bible

The Jesus Through the Bible articles are helpful tools for understanding how the Bible truly is one story—the story of God’s plan of salvation as fulfilled through His Son, Jesus Christ. These notes help you discover the presence and attributes of Jesus Christ throughout the Old and New Testaments. For example, observe how Jesus is foreshadowed as our High Priest in the Book of Exodus and how His title as Lamb of God can be seen in Leviticus.

Growing In Christ

The Growing in Christ articles help you walk through God’s plan of salvation as it unfolds through the Old Testament and is fully revealed with the birth, life, and ministry of Jesus in the New Testament. This series of short articles will also help you explore the path of discipleship. Let the questions found at the end of each article help prompt you in your growth in Christ.

Going Deeper Studies

These short devotions will help you ponder your faith and will answer some of the hard questions that may be on your mind. The studies cover a variety of topics, such as how to know that you’re saved, how to pray, how to face temptation, and much more.

God Cares for You Verses

These verses reveal more about who Jesus is and what He did for you. They will help you personalize God’s message and draw closer to your Savior.

Growing Up Spiritually Verses

These verses cover topics of spiritual growth such as your daily walk with God, listening to Him, and forgiving others.

Where to Turn When Scripture List

This list leads you to relevant verses for many of life’s complicated questions and situations.

—Karen Davis Hill, Executive Editor for Max Lucado

A Word of Thanks

From the General Editor, Max Lucado

You’re reading the work of a small army of professionals who spent a couple of years producing The Lucado Encouraging Word Bible. This project would not have been completed (or even begun) without the steadfast diligence of my Editorial Assistant, Karen Hill. She tirelessly poured over each and every page. Thank you, Karen. In addition, my deepest gratitude to Daniel Marrs and Jill Smith for shepherding this project all along the way; Jenna Lucado Bishop, Ashley Riggs, Christopher Hudson, and Len Woods for editorial and creative contributions, and a host of proofreaders and designers for creating a readable, beautiful, encouraging Bible.

Articles Index

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People of the Word | Consider Studies | Jesus Through the Bible | Growing in Christ

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People of the Word

A Blind Man

Abigail

Abraham

Absalom

Achan

Adam and Eve

Ananias

Ananias and Sapphira

Andrew

Anna

Barabbas

Barnabas

Bartimaeus

Bathsheba

Cain and Abel

Caleb

Cornelius

Daniel

David

Deborah

Doubting Dad

Elijah

Elisha

Emmaus Road Disciples

Epaphroditus

Esther

Gabriel

Gadarene Demoniac

Gideon

Hannah

Hezekiah

Hosea and Gomer

Isaiah

Jacob

Jairus

James, Brother of Jesus

Jehoram

Jehoshaphat

Jeremiah

Job

John

John the Baptist

Jonah

Jonathan

Joseph

Joseph of Arimathea

Joseph, Father of Jesus

Joshua

Josiah

Judas

Lazarus

Luke

Lunch Boy

Lydia

Malchus

Manasseh

Martha

Mary Magdalene

Mary of Bethany

Mary, Mother of Jesus

Matthew

Mephibosheth

Moses

Naomi and Ruth

Nathan

Nathanael

Nehemiah

Nicodemus

Noah

Paul

Pharisees

Philip

Pilate

Priscilla and Aquila

Rahab

Samuel

Sarah

Saul

Simeon

Simon of Cyrene

Simon the Leper

Solomon

Stephen the Martyr

The Man Blind from Birth

The Magi

The Older Brother

The Paralytic and His Friends

The Prodigal Son

The Rich Young Ruler

The Roman Centurion

The Shunammite Woman

The Thankful Leper

The Twelve

The Woman at the Well

The Woman Who Washed Jesus’ Feet

The Woman with the Issue of Blood

Thomas

Zacchaeus

Consider Studies

Abundant Life

Adopted

Almighty God

Anger of God

Approach the Throne

Bitterness

Bride of Christ

Brokenness

Change

Choice

Confession

Contentment

Details

Disappointment

Extending God’s Grace

Family

Fear

Fruit of the Spirit

God Listens

God’s Presence

God’s Workmanship

Good Enough?

Grief

Grudges

Guilt

Habits

Healing

Heaven (1)

Heaven (2)

Impossibilities

Jesus Prayed

Jesus’ Compassion

Money

New Creation

Old Wounds

Peace

Power

Prayer

Righteousness

Rivalry

Salvation

Second Chances

Tithing

Truth

Unity

Usefulness

Vengeance

Where Is God?

Jesus Through the Bible

Jesus: Grace Before the Cross

Jesus: Restorer of Hope

Jesus: Our Redeemer and Deliverer

Jesus: The One Who Gave Himself for Us

Jesus: A Personal Shepherd Provides His Presence and Rest

Jesus: The Lamb of God

Jesus: The Perfect Priest

Jesus: He Became a Curse for Us

Jesus: Commander of the Lord’s Army

Jesus: Authority and Power

Jesus: One Who Washes Our Feet

Jesus: The Shepherd Who Knows Your Name

Jesus: The Sinless Savior

Jesus: Our Physician

Jesus: Mediator Between God and Men

Jesus: The Good Shepherd Who Tends to His Sheep

Jesus: Immanuel, God with Us

Jesus: The Son of Man

Jesus: The One Who Takes Away Our Shame

Jesus: The Bread of Life

Jesus: The Invitation

Jesus: The Coming King

Jesus: He Came As One of Us

Jesus: The One Who Accepts Us

Jesus: Our Hope and Comfort

Jesus: The Foundation of the Church

Jesus: The Compassionate One

Jesus: The Son of God

Jesus: The One Who Kept His Focus

Jesus: Master of God’s Domain

Jesus: Whoever Believes

Jesus: The Resurrection and the Life

Jesus: His Special Clothing

Jesus: The Power of God

Jesus: The Name That Saves

Jesus: The Judge of the Living and the Dead

Jesus: A God of Everlasting Love

Jesus: We Are One in Him

Jesus: He Became Our Sin

Jesus: The Final Payment

Jesus: The Savior

Jesus: He Is Truth

Jesus: More Than a Carpenter

Jesus: The One Who Endured

Jesus: The One Who Understands Us

Jesus: The True God, Our Source

Jesus: The One Who Stands at the Door

Jesus: King of Kings

Growing in Christ

Telling the Truth

The Blood of Christ

The Lord Is Holy

Jesus Became Sin for Us

Hearing God’s Voice

Confessed Sin Releases Joy

Extending Grace to Others

The One Who Can Save You from Your Enemies

Obedience to Jesus Leads to Success

God Speaks to Us

Trusting God with Your Fears

Guarding Our Hearts

Peace with God Through Christ

Seeing Ourselves as God Sees Us

God Speaks Our Language

God Does What Is Best

Don’t Keep a List of Wrongs

Your Thoughts Run Your Life

A Living Hope

Bible Reading Plan

God’s Word is His personal message of love to you today. The best way to grow as a Christian and get to know God in a more personal way is to spend time in His Word. Here is a plan for you if you want to read through the entire Bible in one year.

Read three (3) chapters each day, Monday through Saturday, and five (5) chapters on Sunday.

Genesis

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Exodus

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Leviticus

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Numbers

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Deuteronomy

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Joshua

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Judges

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Ruth

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1 Samuel

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2 Samuel

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1 Kings

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2 Kings

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1 Chronicles

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2 Chronicles

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Ezra

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Nehemiah

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Esther

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Job

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Psalms

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Proverbs

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Ecclesiastes

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Song of Solomon

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Isaiah

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Jeremiah

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Lamentations

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Ezekiel

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Daniel

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Hosea

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Joel

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Amos

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Obadiah

☐ 1

Jonah

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Micah

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Nahum

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Habakkuk

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Zephaniah

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Haggai

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Zechariah

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Malachi

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Matthew

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Mark

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Luke

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John

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Acts

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Romans

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1 Corinthians

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2 Corinthians

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Galatians

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Ephesians

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Philippians

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Colossians

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1 Thessalonians

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2 Thessalonians

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1 Timothy

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2 Timothy

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Titus

☐ 1   ​☐ 2   ​☐ 3

Philemon

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Hebrews

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James

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1 Peter

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2 Peter

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1 John

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2 John

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3 John

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Jude

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Revelation

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Preface to the New King James Version®

Purpose

In the preface to the 1611 edition, the translators of the Authorized Version, known popularly as the King James Bible, state that it was not their purpose to make a new translation . . . but to make a good one better. Indebted to the earlier work of William Tyndale and others, they saw their best contribution to consist in revising and enhancing the excellence of the English versions which had sprung from the Reformation of the sixteenth century. In harmony with the purpose of the King James scholars, the translators and editors of the present work have not pursued a goal of innovation. They have perceived the Holy Bible, New King James Version, as a continuation of the labors of the earlier translators, thus unlocking for today’s readers the spiritual treasures found especially in the Authorized Version of the Holy Scriptures.

A Living Legacy

For more than four hundred years, and throughout several revisions of its English form, the King James Bible has been deeply revered among the English-speaking peoples of the world. The precision of translation for which it is historically renowned, and its majesty of style, have enabled that monumental version of the Word of God to become the mainspring of the religion, language, and legal foundations of our civilization.

Although the Elizabethan period and our own era share in zeal for technical advance, the former period was more aggressively devoted to classical learning. Along with this awakened concern for the classics came a flourishing companion interest in the Scriptures, an interest that was enlivened by the conviction that the manuscripts were providentially handed down and were a trustworthy record of the inspired Word of God. The King James translators were committed to producing an English Bible that would be a precise translation, and by no means a paraphrase or a broadly approximate rendering. On the one hand, the scholars were almost as familiar with the original languages of the Bible as with their native English. On the other hand, their reverence for the divine Author and His Word assured a translation of the Scriptures in which only a principle of utmost accuracy could be accepted.

In 1786 Catholic scholar Alexander Geddes said of the King James Bible, If accuracy and strictest attention to the letter of the text be supposed to constitute an excellent version, this is of all versions the most excellent. George Bernard Shaw became a literary legend in the twentieth century because of his severe and often humorous criticisms of our most cherished values. Surprisingly, however, Shaw pays the following tribute to the scholars commissioned by King James: The translation was extraordinarily well done because to the translators what they were translating was not merely a curious collection of ancient books written by different authors in different stages of culture, but the Word of God divinely revealed through His chosen and expressly inspired scribes. In this conviction they carried out their work with boundless reverence and care and achieved a beautifully artistic result. History agrees with these estimates. Therefore, while seeking to unveil the excellent form of the traditional English Bible, special care has also been taken in the present edition to preserve the work of precision which is the legacy of the 1611 translators.

Complete Equivalence in Translation

Where new translation has been necessary in the New King James Version, the most complete representation of the original has been rendered by considering the history of usage and etymology of words in their contexts. This principle of complete equivalence seeks to preserve all of the information in the text, while presenting it in good literary form. Dynamic equivalence, a recent procedure in Bible translation, commonly results in paraphrasing where a more literal rendering is needed to reflect a specific and vital sense. For example, complete equivalence truly renders the original text in expressions such as lifted her voice and wept (Gen. 21:16); I gave you cleanness of teeth (Amos 4:6); Jesus met them, saying, ‘Rejoice!’  (Matt. 28:9); and Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? (John 2:4). Complete equivalence translates fully, in order to provide an English text that is both accurate and readable.

In keeping with the principle of complete equivalence, it is the policy to translate interjections which are commonly omitted in modern language renderings of the Bible. As an example, the interjection behold, in the older King James editions, continues to have a place in English usage, especially in dramatically calling attention to a spectacular scene or an event of profound importance such as the Immanuel prophecy of Isaiah 7:14. Consequently, behold is retained for these occasions in the present edition. However, the Hebrew and Greek originals for this word can be translated variously, depending on the circumstances in the passage. Therefore, in addition to behold, words such as indeed, look, see, and surely are also rendered to convey the appropriate sense suggested by the context in each case.

In faithfulness to God and to our readers, it was deemed appropriate that all participating scholars sign a statement affirming their belief in the verbal and plenary inspiration of Scripture, and in the inerrancy of the original autographs.

Devotional Quality

The King James scholars readily appreciated the intrinsic beauty of divine revelation. They accordingly disciplined their talents to render well-chosen English words of their time, as well as a graceful, often musical arrangement of language, which has stirred the hearts of Bible readers through the years. The translators, the committees, and the editors of the present edition, while sensitive to the late-twentieth-century English idiom, and while adhering faithfully to the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts, have sought to maintain those lyrical and devotional qualities that are so highly regarded in the Authorized Version. This devotional quality is especially apparent in the poetic and prophetic books, although even the relatively plain style of the Gospels and Epistles cannot strictly be likened, as sometimes suggested, to modern newspaper style. The Koine Greek of the New Testament is influenced by the Hebrew background of the writers, for whom even the gospel narratives were not merely flat utterance, but often song in various degrees of rhythm.

The Style

Students of the Bible applaud the timeless devotional character of our historic Bible. Yet it is also universally understood that our language, like all living languages, has undergone profound change since 1611. Subsequent revisions of the King James Bible have sought to keep abreast of changes in English speech. The present work is a further step toward this objective. Where obsolescence and other reading difficulties exist, present-day vocabulary, punctuation, and grammar have been carefully integrated. Words representing ancient objects, such as chariot and phylactery, have no modern substitutes and are therefore retained.

A special feature of the New King James Version is its conformity to the thought flow of the 1611 Bible. The reader discovers that the sequence and selection of words, phrases, and clauses of the new edition, while much clearer, are so close to the traditional that there is remarkable ease in listening to the reading of either edition while following with the other.

In the discipline of translating biblical and other ancient languages, a standard method of transliteration, that is, the English spelling of untranslated words, such as names of persons and places, has never been commonly adopted. In keeping with the design of the present work, the King James spelling of untranslated words is retained, although made uniform throughout. For example, instead of the spellings Isaiah and Elijah in the Old Testament, and Esaias and Elias in the New Testament, Isaiah and Elijah now appear in both Testaments.

King James doctrinal and theological terms, for example, propitiation, justification, and sanctification, are generally familiar to English-speaking peoples. Such terms have been retained except where the original language indicates need for a more precise translation.

Readers of the Authorized Version will immediately be struck by the absence of several pronouns: thee, thou, and ye are replaced by the simple you, while your and yours are substituted for thy and thine as applicable. Thee, thou, thy, and thine were once forms of address to express a special relationship to human as well as divine persons. These pronouns are no longer part of our language. However, reverence for God in the present work is preserved by capitalizing pronouns, including You, Your, and Yours, which refer to Him. Additionally, capitalization of these pronouns benefits the reader by clearly distinguishing divine and human persons referred to in a passage. Without such capitalization the distinction is often obscure, because the antecedent of a pronoun is not always clear in the English translation.

In addition to the pronoun usages of the seventeenth century, the -eth and -est verb endings, so familiar in the earlier King James editions, are now obsolete. Unless a speaker is schooled in these verb endings, there is common difficulty in selecting the correct form to be used with a given subject of the verb in vocal prayer. That is, should we use love, loveth, or lovest? do, doeth, doest, or dost? have, hath, or hast? Because these forms are obsolete, contemporary English usage has been substituted for the previous verb endings.

In older editions of the King James Version, the frequency of the connective and far exceeded the limits of present English usage. Also, biblical linguists agree that the Hebrew and Greek original words for this conjunction may commonly be translated otherwise, depending on the immediate context. Therefore, instead of and, alternatives such as also, but, however, now, so, then, and thus are accordingly rendered in the present edition, when the original language permits.

The real character of the Authorized Version does not reside in its archaic pronouns or verbs or other grammatical forms of the seventeenth century, but rather in the care taken by its scholars to impart the letter and spirit of the original text in a majestic and reverent style.

The Format

The format of the New King James Version is designed to enhance the vividness and devotional quality of the Holy Scriptures:

• Subject headings assist the reader to identify topics and transitions in the biblical content.

• Words or phrases in italics indicate expressions in the original language which require clarification by additional English words, as also done throughout the history of the King James Bible.

• Verse numbers in bold type indicate the beginning of a paragraph.

• Poetry is structured as contemporary verse to reflect the poetic form and beauty of the passage in the original language.

• The covenant name of God was usually translated from the Hebrew as LORD or GOD (using capital letters as shown) in the King James Old Testament. This tradition is maintained. In the present edition the name is so capitalized whenever the covenant name is quoted in the New Testament from a passage in the Old Testament.

The Old Testament Text

The Hebrew Bible has come down to us through the scrupulous care of ancient scribes who copied the original text in successive generations. By the sixth century A.D. the scribes were succeeded by a group known as the Masoretes, who continued to preserve the sacred Scriptures for another five hundred years in a form known as the Masoretic Text. Babylonia, Palestine, and Tiberias were the main centers of Masoretic activity; but by the tenth century A.D. the Masoretes of Tiberias, led by the family of ben Asher, gained the ascendancy. Through subsequent editions, the ben Asher text became in the twelfth century the only recognized form of the Hebrew Scriptures.

Daniel Bomberg printed the first Rabbinic Bible in 1516–17; that work was followed in 1524–25 by a second edition prepared by Jacob ben Chayyim and also published by Bomberg. The text of ben Chayyim was adopted in most subsequent Hebrew Bibles, including those used by the King James translators. The ben Chayyim text was also used for the first two editions of Rudolph Kittel’s Biblia Hebraica of 1906 and 1912. In 1937 Paul Kahle published a third edition of Biblia Hebraica. This edition was based on the oldest dated manuscript of the ben Asher text, the Leningrad Manuscript B19a (A.D. 1008), which Kahle regarded as superior to that used by ben Chayyim.

For the New King James Version the text used was the 1967/1977 Stuttgart edition of the Biblia Hebraica, with frequent comparisons being made with the Bomberg edition of 1524–25. The Septuagint (Greek) Version of the Old Testament and the Latin Vulgate also were consulted. In addition to referring to a variety of ancient versions of the Hebrew Scriptures, the New King James Version draws on the resources of relevant manuscripts from the Dead Sea caves. In the few places where the Hebrew was so obscure that the 1611 King James was compelled to follow one of the versions, but where information is now available to resolve the problems, the New King James Version follows the Hebrew text. Significant variations are recorded in the New King James translators’ notes.

The New Testament Text

There is more manuscript support for the New Testament than for any other body of ancient literature. Over five thousand Greek, eight thousand Latin, and many more manuscripts in other languages attest the integrity of the New Testament. There is only one basic New Testament used by Protestants, Roman Catholics, and Orthodox, by conservatives and liberals. Minor variations in hand copying have appeared through the centuries, before mechanical printing began about A.D. 1450.

Some variations exist in the spelling of Greek words, in word order, and in similar details. These ordinarily do not show up in translation and do not affect the sense of the text in any way.

Other manuscript differences such as omission or inclusion of a word or a clause, and two paragraphs in the Gospels, should not overshadow the overwhelming degree of agreement which exists among the ancient records. Bible readers may be assured that the most important differences in English New Testaments of today are due, not to manuscript divergence, but to the way in which translators view the task of translation: How literally should the text be rendered? How does the translator view the matter of biblical inspiration? Does the translator adopt a paraphrase when a literal rendering would be quite clear and more to the point? The New King James Version follows the historic precedent of the Authorized Version in maintaining a literal approach to translation, except where the idiom of the original language cannot be translated directly into our tongue.

The King James New Testament was based on the traditional text of the Greek-speaking churches, first published in 1516, and later called the Textus Receptus or Received Text. Although based on the relatively few available manuscripts, these were representative of many more which existed at the time but only became known later. In the late nineteenth century, B. Westcott and F. Hort taught that this text had been officially edited by the fourth-century church, but a total lack of historical evidence for this event has forced a revision of the theory. It is now widely held that the Byzantine Text that largely supports the Textus Receptus has as much right as the Alexandrian or any other tradition to be weighed in determining the text of the New Testament.

Since the 1880s most contemporary translations of the New Testament have relied upon a relatively few manuscripts discovered chiefly in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Such translations depend primarily on two manuscripts, Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus, because of their greater age. The Greek text obtained by using these sources and the related papyri (our most ancient manuscripts) is known as the Alexandrian Text. However, some scholars have grounds for doubting the faithfulness of Vaticanus and Sinaiticus, since they often disagree with one another, and Sinaiticus exhibits excessive omission.

A third viewpoint of New Testament scholarship holds that the best text is based on the consensus of the majority of existing Greek manuscripts. This text is called the Majority Text. Most of these manuscripts are in substantial agreement. Even though many are late, and none is earlier than the fifth century, usually their readings are verified by papyri, ancient versions, quotations from the early church fathers, or a combination of these. The Majority Text is similar to the Textus Receptus, but it corrects those readings which have little or no support in the Greek manuscript tradition.

Today scholars agree that the science of New Testament textual criticism is in a state of flux. Very few scholars still favor the Textus Receptus as such, and then often for its historical prestige as the text of Luther, Calvin, Tyndale, and the King James Version. For about a century most have followed a Critical Text (so called because it is edited according to specific principles of textual criticism) which depends heavily upon the Alexandrian type of text. More recently many have abandoned this Critical Text (which is quite similar to the one edited by Westcott and Hort) for one that is more eclectic. Finally, a small but growing number of scholars prefer the Majority Text, which is close to the traditional text except in the Revelation.

In light of these facts, and also because the New King James Version is the fifth revision of a historic document translated from specific Greek texts, the editors decided to retain the traditional text in the body of the New Testament and to indicate major Critical and Majority Text variant readings in the translators’ notes. Although these variations are duly indicated in the translators’ notes of the present edition, it is most important to emphasize that fully eighty-five percent of the New Testament text is the same in the Textus Receptus, the Alexandrian Text, and the Majority Text.

New King James Translators’ Notes

Significant textual explanations, alternate translations, and New Testament citations of Old Testament passages are supplied in the New King James translators’ notes.

Important textual variants in the Old Testament are identified in a standard form.

The textual notes in the present edition of the New Testament make no evaluation of readings, but do clearly indicate the manuscript sources of readings. They objectively present the facts without such tendentious remarks as the best manuscripts omit or the most reliable manuscripts read. Such notes are value judgments that differ according to varying viewpoints on the text. By giving a clearly defined set of variants the New King James Version benefits readers of all textual persuasions.

Where significant variations occur in the New Testament Greek manuscripts, textual notes are classified as follows:

NU-Text

These variations from the traditional text generally represent the Alexandrian or Egyptian type of text described previously in The New Testament Text. They are found in the Critical Text published in the twenty-seventh edition of the Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament (N) and in the United Bible Societies’ fourth edition (U), hence the acronym, NU-Text.

M-Text

This symbol indicates points of variation in the Majority Text from the traditional text, as also previously discussed in The New Testament Text. It should be noted that M stands for whatever reading is printed in the published Greek New Testament According to the Majority Text, whether supported by overwhelming, strong, or only a divided majority textual tradition.

The textual notes reflect the scholarship of the past two centuries and will assist the reader to observe the variations between the different manuscript traditions of the New Testament. Such information is generally not available in English translations of the New Testament.

The Old Testament

The Book of

Genesis

Introduction

So there you are, a teenager at your grandparents’ house. You don’t really want to be there, but it’s one of those family things and so you’re there.

You sit politely and act like you are listening as your folks and grandparents talk. Then your grandmother says something that catches your attention. She refers to your great-grandfather and the trip he made to America from the old country.

What? you ask.

Grandma smiles, knowing that at some point we all wonder about our origin and here you are wondering about yours.

She unravels a tale of your family escaping persecution and settling in eastern Virginia. Next she invites you into her room, where she opens a large chest that has sat at the foot of her bed for as long as you can remember. A rush of cedar and mothballs fills the room.

Thought you might like to see this, she explains, handing you a black-and-white photo in a large walnut frame. It’s your great-grandpa. The only thing stiffer than his collar is his expression. Here is his father, she hands you another photo, one of a cowboy wearing a wide-brimmed hat, riding a horse.

Piece by piece, the chest tells its family tales. Soon you find yourself lost in a floor covered with old wedding gowns, photo albums, diplomas, and bronzed baby shoes. And before you leave, you find yourself the owner of something precious—a heritage. An ancestry. A beginning. An origin.

You know that you are a part of a family tree. You aren’t an isolated pond, but rather a part of a river winding through a great canyon.

You leave a richer person. Knowing where you came from says much about where you are going.

Perhaps that’s why the first book of the Bible is a book of beginnings. God wants us to know from where we came. Learning that will teach us much about the place we are going.

About this Book

Author:

Moses

Date Written:

c. 1500 BC

Key Themes:

• In the ultimate act of creativity, God formed the sky and earth out of nothing.

• Sin entered the world through the wrong choices of the very first humans.

• Back in the garden of Eden, God set into motion a plan for our redemption.

• God made a covenant with Abraham, to bless him and make him a blessing to all people. Jesus is the fulfillment of that promise.

Key People:

Adam, Eve, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Esau, Joseph

Key Verse:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Gen. 1:1).

Contents:

I. Beginning of the World 1:1—11:32

II. Abraham 12:1—25:34

III. Isaac and Jacob 26:1—36:43

IV. Joseph and His Brothers 37:1—50:26

Genesis 1

The History of Creation

¹In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. For Your Journey

²The earth was without form, and void; and darkness wasa on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

³Then God said, Let there be light; and there was light.

⁴And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.

⁵God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.

⁶Then God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.

⁷Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so.

⁸And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day.

⁹Then God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear"; and it was so.

¹⁰And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good.

¹¹Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth"; and it was so.

¹²And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

¹³So the evening and the morning were the third day.

¹⁴Then God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years;

¹⁵and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth; and it was so.

¹⁶Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also.

¹⁷God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth,

¹⁸and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.

¹⁹So the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

²⁰Then God said, Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens.

²¹So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

²²And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.

²³So the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

²⁴Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind"; and it was so.

²⁵And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it