1 When people began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2 some of the heavenly beings saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful; and they took them as wives, whoever they chose. 3 But the Lord said: ‘My spirit will not abide in people forever, because they are flesh; therefore they will live for only a hundred and twenty years.’ 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days (and later too) when the heavenly beings lay with the human daughters who had their children. These were the mighty heroes of old, men of renown.

5 When the Lord saw that people’s wickedness was increasing in the world, and that the trend of their thoughts was at all times toward evil, 6 he was greatly grieved and regretted that he had made people on the earth. 7 Therefore the Lord said, ‘I will destroy all living beings from off the ground – people, animals, creeping things, and birds – because I regret that I have made them.’ 8 But Noah had won the Lord’s favour.

9 This is the story of Noah. Among the people of his time, Noah was righteous and wholehearted; Noah walked with God. 10 Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11 God saw that the earth was corrupt and full of violence. 12 God looked at the earth and saw that it was corrupt; all living things on the earth had become corrupt in their ways.

13 So God said to Noah, ‘I have determined to put an end to all living beings, for the earth is filled with their acts of injustice; I am going to destroy them from the earth. 14 Make yourself an ark of cypress wood. Construct rooms in the ark, and coat it within and without with pitch. 15 This is how you must build it: the length of the ark must be five hundred feet, its breadth eighty feet, and its height fifty feet. 16 Make a roof for it and place the door on the side. Construct it with lower, second, and third storeys. 17 For I am about to bring floods of water upon the earth to destroy from under heaven every living thing in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth will die.

18 ‘But I will make a covenant with you. Go into the ark with your sons, your wife and their wives, 19 and take with you into the ark two of every kind living thing, a male and a female, 20 birds, animals and creeping things, so that they might be kept alive. 21 Take and store food for them and you.’

22 Noah did all this. He did everything that God told him to.

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