Wickedness in the World
1When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. 3Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with6:3 Or My spirit will not remain in humans forever, for they are mortal6:3 Or corrupt; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.”
4The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.
5The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. 6The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. 7So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” 8But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
Noah and the Flood
9This is the account of Noah and his family.
Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. 10Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.
11Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. 12God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. 13So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. 14So make yourself an ark of cypress6:14 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain. wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. 15This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high.6:15 That is, about 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high or about 135 meters long, 23 meters wide and 14 meters high 16Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit6:16 That is, about 18 inches or about 45 centimeters high all around.6:16 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks. 17I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. 18But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. 19You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. 20Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. 21You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.”
22Noah did everything just as God commanded him.
人类的邪恶
1当时，人类在地上开始逐渐增多，生了女儿。 2上帝的儿子们6:2 “上帝的儿子们”可能指塞特的后代，天使或有权势的人。看见人的女儿漂亮，就随意选来做妻子。 3耶和华说：“人既然是血肉之躯，我的灵不会永远住在人的里面，然而人还可以活一百二十年。” 4从上帝的儿子和人的女儿交合生子起，地上出现了巨人，他们是上古英武有名的人。
5耶和华看见人在地上罪恶深重，心里终日思想的都是恶事， 6就后悔在地上造了人，心里伤痛， 7说：“我要把所造的人，连同一切飞禽走兽和爬虫从地上都毁灭，因为我后悔造了他们。” 8只有挪亚在耶和华面前蒙恩。
上帝命挪亚造方舟
9以下是有关挪亚的记载。
挪亚是个义人，在当时的世代是个纯全无过的人，他与上帝同行。 10挪亚生了三个儿子：闪、含和雅弗。
11那时大地在上帝眼中败坏了，充满了暴行。 12上帝看见大地败坏了，因为世人都行为败坏。 13祂对挪亚说：“我决定消灭世人，因为他们使大地充满暴行。我要把他们和大地一起毁灭。 14你要为自己用歌斐木建造一艘方舟，里面要有舱房，内外都要涂上柏油。 15你建造的方舟要长一百三十五米，宽二十二米半，高十三米半。 16舟顶要有四十五厘米高的透光口，门开在方舟的侧面，整艘方舟要分为上、中、下三层。 17看啊，我要使洪水在地上泛滥，毁灭天下一切有生命气息的活物，地上的一切都要灭亡。 18但我要和你立约，你与妻子、儿子和儿媳都可以进方舟。 19每样动物你要带两只进方舟，雌雄各一只，好保存它们的生命。 20各类飞禽走兽和爬虫每样一对都要到你那里，好保全生命。 21你要为自己和这些动物预备各种食物，贮存起来。”
22挪亚就照着上帝的吩咐把事情都办好了。
