Animals and Humans

Genesis 1:24 – 2:4

THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD

The Sixth Day—Land Animals and People

²⁴ Then God said, “Let the earth produce many kinds of living things. Let there be many different kinds of animals. Let there be large animals and small crawling animals of every kind. And let all these animals produce more animals.” And all these things happened.

²⁵ So God made every kind of animal. He made the wild animals, the tame animals, and all the small crawling things. And God saw that this was good.

²⁶ Then God said, “Now let’s make humans^f who will be like us.^g They will rule over all the fish in the sea and the birds in the air. They will rule over all the large animals and all the little things that crawl on the earth.”

²⁷ So God created humans in his own image. He created them to be like himself.^h He created them male and female. ²⁸ God blessed them and said to them, “Have many children. Fill the earth and take control of it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the air. Rule over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

²⁹ God said, “I am giving you all the grain bearing plants and all the fruit trees. These trees make fruit with seeds in it. This grain and fruit will be your food. ³⁰ And I am giving all the green plants to the animals. These green plants will be their food. Every animal on earth, every bird in the air, and all the little things that crawl on the earth will eat that food.” And all these things happened.

³¹ God looked at everything he had made. And he saw that everything was very good.

There was evening, and then there was morning. This was the sixth day.

The Seventh Day—Rest

2 ¹ So the earth, the sky, and everything in them were finished. ² God finished the work he was doing, so on the seventh day he rested from his work. ³ God blessed the seventh day and made it a holy^a day. He made it special because on that day he rested from all the work he did while creating the world.

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f 1:26 humans The Hebrew word means “man,” “people,” or the name “Adam.” It is like the word meaning, “earth” or “red clay.”

g 1:26 Now let’s make … like us Or “Now let’s make humans in our image and in our likeness.”

h 1:27 So God created humans … himself Or “So God created them in his image. In the image of God he created them.” Compare Gen. 5:1, 3.

a 2:3 holy Set apart or chosen for a special use; especially, belonging to God or used only for him. Also, pure or perfect, worthy of God and fit for his service. In the New Testament God’s people are holy because they have been made pure through Christ and, with the help of the Holy Spirit, keep themselves from sin and live only for God.