1The heavens and the earth and all who live in them were completed. 2On the sixth#2.2 LXX, Sam, Syr; MT seventh day God completed all the work that he had done, and on the seventh day God rested from all the work that he had done. 3God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all the work of creation.#2.3 Or from all his work, which God created to do 4This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created.

World’s creation in the garden

On the day the LORD God made earth and sky— 5before any wild plants appeared on the earth, and before any field crops grew, because the LORD God hadn’t yet sent rain on the earth and there was still no human being#2.5 Or man (Heb adam) to farm the fertile land, 6though a stream rose from the earth and watered all of the fertile land— 7the LORD God formed the human#2.7 Heb adam from the topsoil of the fertile land#2.7 Heb adamah and blew life’s breath into his nostrils. The human came to life. 8The LORD God planted a garden in Eden in the east and put there the human he had formed. 9In the fertile land, the LORD God grew every beautiful tree with edible fruit, and also he grew the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

10A river flows from Eden to water the garden, and from there it divides into four headwaters. 11The name of the first river is the Pishon. It flows around the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12That land’s gold is pure, and the land also has sweet-smelling resins and gemstones.#2.12 Heb uncertain 13The name of the second river is the Gihon. It flows around the entire land of Cush. 14The name of the third river is the Tigris, flowing east of Assyria; and the name of the fourth river is the Euphrates.

15The LORD God took the human and settled him in the garden of Eden to farm it and to take care of it. 16The LORD God commanded the human, “Eat your fill from all of the garden’s trees; 17but don’t eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, because on the day you eat from it, you will die!” 18Then the LORD God said, “It’s not good that the human is alone. I will make him a helper that is perfect for him.” 19So the LORD God formed from the fertile land all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky and brought them to the human to see what he would name them. The human gave each living being its name. 20The human named all the livestock, all the birds in the sky, and all the wild animals. But a helper perfect for him was nowhere to be found.

21So the LORD God put the human into a deep and heavy sleep, and took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh over it. 22With the rib taken from the human, the LORD God fashioned a woman and brought her to the human being. 23The human#2.23 Or man (Heb adam) said,

“This one finally is bone from my bones

and flesh from my flesh.

She will be called a woman#2.23 Or wife (Heb ishshah)

because from a man#2.23 Or husband (Heb ish) she was taken.”

24This is the reason that a man leaves his father and mother and embraces his wife, and they become one flesh. 25The two of them were naked, the man and his wife, but they weren’t embarrassed.

Learn More

Genesis 2

1 # Ex 20.11. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2#Heb 4.4,10. And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done. 3So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all his work which he had done in creation.

4These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created.

In the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, 5when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no man to till the ground; 6but a mist#2.6 Or flood went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground— 7#1 Cor 15.45-47. then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. 8And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9#Rev 2.7; 22.2,14,19. And out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

10A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers. 11The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one which flows around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; 12and the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. 13The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one which flows around the whole land of Cush. 14And the name of the third river is Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

15The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. 16And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; 17but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.”

18Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” 19So out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper fit for him. 21So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh; 22and the rib which the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23Then the man said,

“This at last is bone of my bones

and flesh of my flesh;

she shall be called Woman,#2.23 Heb ishshah

because she was taken out of Man.”#2.23 Heb ish

24 # Mt 19.5; Mk 10.7; 1 Cor 6.16; Eph 5.31. Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh. 25And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed.

Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America

Learn More

Choose your language

Genesis 2

Genesis 2