The Story of Creation

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was shapeless and empty and the Spirit of God hovered over the waters. God said, ‘Let there be light.’ God called the light day and the darkness was called night. All this happened on the first day of creation.

On the second day of creation God created the sky and the clouds that were separated from the water underneath. God saw that His work was good.

On the third day God ordered dry land to appear and the waters were gathered into seas.

Then God said, ‘Let the earth burst out with every sort of grass and seed-bearing plant, and fruit trees with seeds inside the fruit.’

Everything God said took place. All kinds of grass, plants and trees grew with their own seeds to grow more.

God saw all the plants growing and declared it was good.

On the fourth day of creation, God set the sun, moon and stars in place. Day and night and seasons and years came into being. God was pleased and saw that it was good.

On the fifth day of creation, God said, ‘Let the sea be full of fish and let birds fly in the sky.’ God blessed them and told them to give birth to their young and increase in numbers. Once again God saw that what He had created was good.

On the sixth day of creation, God said, ‘Let the land have many species of living creatures.’

God created cattle and reptiles and wildlife of every kind.

God created all kinds of species of wild animals and cattle and reptiles. He was pleased with His creation.

Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image to be the master of all life upon the earth, skies and the seas.’ God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed life into his nostrils. The man became a living being.

God named him Adam and put him in a garden he had planted in Eden. Adam worked and looked after the garden.

Adam could eat of any of the fruit growing in the garden.

However, in the middle of the garden were two special trees. One was called the Tree of Life, the other was the tree giving knowledge of good and evil. God told Adam ‘You can eat the fruit of any tree except the tree giving knowledge of good and evil. To disobey and eat this fruit will result in death.’

God brought the animals to Adam so he could name them.

Adam gave names to all the animals

Then the Lord said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper for him.’

God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, He took one of the man’s ribs from it and made a woman.

God brought the woman to Adam. Adam said, ‘She is part of my own bone and flesh! Her name is ‘woman’ because she was taken out of a man.’ This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife in such a way that the two become one.

Now although the man and his wife were both naked, neither of them was embarrassed or ashamed.

God looked over all that He had made, and it was excellent in every way. This ended the sixth day. On the seventh day God rested. God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was when He ceased His work of creation.