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The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.
OET (OET-RV) In the beginning, God[fn] created the heavens and the earth.
1:1 As per common practice, we use ‘God’ through the Hebrew scriptures for the word ‘elohim’. Note that ‘elohim’ is a Hebrew language plural, and is translated more literally as ‘gods’ in a few places. However the connected Hebrew verb translated ‘created’ here is clearly a singular form, so the singular noun ‘God’ fits better here and everywhere where ‘elohim’ is used with other verbs marked as being singular. The mysterious plurality of God is confirmed in v26 where ‘our’ is used to refer to him/them.
OET-LV In_beginning he_created god DOM the_heavens and_DOM the_earth/land.
UHB בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ׃ ‡
(bərēʼshiyt bārāʼ ʼₑlohiym ʼēt hashshāmayim vəʼēt hāʼāreʦ.)
Key: yellow:verbs, blue:Elohim.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).
ULT In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
UST This is how everything began: God created the heavens and the earth.
BSB § In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
OEB In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth,
CSB In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
NLT In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
NIV In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
CEV In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
ESV In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
NASB In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
LSB In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
1ST At the beginning of God’s creating the heavens and the earth,
WEB In the beginning, God[fn] created the heavens and the earth.
1:1 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).
MSG Heaven and Earth
(1-2) First this: God created the Heavens and Earth—all you see, all you don’t see. Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness. God’s Spirit brooded like a bird above the watery abyss.
NET In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
LSV In [the] beginning God created the heavens and the earth,
FBV In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
T4T Long, long ago God created the heavens and the earth.
LEB In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth—
NRSV In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth,
NKJV In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
BBE At the first God made the heaven and the earth.
MOF No MOF GEN book available
JPS IN THE beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
ASV In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
DRA In the beginning God created heaven, and earth.
YLT In the beginning of God's preparing the heavens and the earth —
DBY In the beginning [fn]God created the heavens and the earth.
1.1 Elohim
RV In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
WBS In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
KJB In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
BB In the beginnyng GOD created ye heauen and the earth.
(In the beginning GOD created ye/you_all heaven and the earth.)
GNV In the beginning God created the heauen and the earth.
(In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. )
CB In ye begynnynge God created heauen & earth:
(In ye/you_all beginning God created heaven and earth:)
WYC In the bigynnyng God made of nouyt heuene and erthe.
(In the beginning God made of nought/nothing heaven and earth.)
LUT Am Anfang schuf GOtt Himmel und Erde.
(At_the beginning created God heaven and earth.)
CLV In principio creavit Deus cælum et terram.[fn]
(In at_the_beginning created God the_sky and the_earth/land.)
1.1 In principio creavit, etc. Non dicit: In principio dicit Deus, Fiat cœlum et terra. Sed dixit: Fiat lux, et facta est lux, quoniam universaliter nomine cœli et terræ comprehendendum erat quidquid fecit Deus, deinde per partes explicandum quomodo fecit. Unde sequitur: Dixit Deus, Fiat, id est, per verbum suum fecit. Vel quia cum primum fiebat informis materia spiritualis, vel corporalis, non erat dicendum: Dixit Deus, Fiat; incongruum enim erat a Deo dici, fiat, quia formam verbi non imitatur imperfectio, nisi cum generis sui conversione ad creatorem sit perfecta creatura; ut cum dicitur: Dixit Deus, Fiat, intelligamus eum ad se imperfectionem creaturæ revocare. Cum ergo dicitur: In principio fecit Deus cœlum et terram, commemoratio Filii fit, quia principium est; sed cum dicitur: Dixit Deus, Fiat, commemoratur quia Verbum est. Per principium notat exordium creaturæ existentis ab illo; per Verbum, perfectionem creaturæ ab illo ad ipsum revocatæ, ut formetur imitando formam Verbi incommutabilem. Non enim habet vitam informem Verbum Dei, cui est idem esse quod vivere; imo idem vivere quod beate vivere. Creatura vero spiritualis habet informem vitam, cui non est hoc esse quod vivere; nec vivere quod beate vivere: quia, aversa a sapientia Dei, stulte et misere vivit. In principio, etc. BEDA, Hexæm. lib. 1, tom. 2, col. 13a. Creationem mundi insinuans Scriptura, primo verbo æternitatem et omnipotentiam Dei ostendit: quem enim in principio temporum mundum creasse perhibet, eumdem ante tempora æternaliter significat exstitisse. Et quem in conditionis initio cœlum et terram creasse narrat, tanta celeritate operationis omnipotentem esse declarat, cui voluisse, facere est. Bene ergo dicitur: In principio creavit, etc. Utrumque scilicet, simul, quamvis utrumque simul ab homine non dicatur. Unde propheta terram in initio factam ostendit dicens, Psal. 101: Initio tu, Domine, terram fundasti, etc. In principio, etc. Cœlum non visibile firmamentum, sed empyreum, id est, igneum vel intellectuale, quod non ab ardore, sed a splendore dicitur, quod statim repletum est angelis. Unde in Job 38: Ubi eras cum me laudarent astra matutina, etc. Et nota tria hic commemorari elementa. Nomine cœli, ærem intelligimus. Nomine terræ, ipsam et ignem qui in ea latet. Quarti, id est, aquæ in sequentibus fit mentio. ALCUIN. in Gen. tom. 1 In principio. Filio, quo humanato patuit qui essent cœlestes, qui terreni. Cœlum, creatura spiritualis, ab exordio perfecta et beata. Terra, corporalis materies adhuc imperfecta. Cœlum, informem materiam spiritualis vitæ, sicut in se potest existere non conversa ad Creatorem in quo formatur. Terram, corporalem, sine omni qualitate quæ apparet in materia formata. BEDA in Gen., tom. 2, col. 191 Scriptura ait: Qui fecisti mundum de materia informi Sap. 11. Materia facta est de nihilo. Species mundi de materia informi. Proinde duas res fecit Deus ante omne tempus, angelicam creaturam et materiam informem. Quamvis enim Salomon dicat: Qui vivit in æternum, creavit omnia simul Eccli. 18, secundum originem tamen informis materies antecedit formatam speciem. Itaque mundum, et angelos, et animam de nihilo fecit Deus: hominem et creaturas cæteras de aliquo. Ibid., col. 192 Septem sunt cœli, quorum hæc sunt nomina, ær, æther, olympus, spatium vel igneum, firmamentum, cœlum angelorum, et Trinitatis. Hieronymus autem dicit cœlum Trinitatis primum, secundum angelorum, tertium firmamentum. Mystice. In principio creavit Deus cœlum. Eos scilicet qui cœlestis imaginem portaverunt. Et terram, id est eos qui postea superbiendo, terram, id est terreni hominis imaginem, portantes, se recerunt deformes. Terra autem erat inanis, quia deposuerat formam bonam. Et vacua, boni operis fructu. Et tenebræ erant, veri scilicet luminis privatio; super faciem abyssi, corda scilicet superborum.
1.1 In at_the_beginning creavit, etc. Non dicit: In at_the_beginning dicit God, Let_it_happen cœlum and terra. Sed dixit: Let_it_happen light, and facts it_is light, quoniam universaliter nomine cœli and terræ comprehendendum was quidquid fecit God, deinde per partes explicandum quomodo fecit. Unde sequitur: Dixit God, Fiat, id it_is, per verbum his_own fecit. Vel because when/with primum fiebat informis materia spiritualis, or corporalis, not/no was dicendum: Dixit God, Fiat; incongruum because was a Deo dici, fiat, because formam verbi not/no imitatur imperfectio, nisi when/with generis sui conversione to creatorem sit perfecta creatura; as when/with it_is_said: Dixit God, Fiat, intelligamus him to se imperfectionem creaturæ revocare. Since ergo it_is_said: In at_the_beginning fecit God cœlum and the_earth/land, commemoratio Filii fit, because principium est; but when/with it_is_said: Dixit God, Fiat, commemoratur because Verbum est. Per principium notat exordium creaturæ existentis away illo; per Verbum, perfectionem creaturæ away illo to ipsum revocatæ, as formetur imitando formam Verbi incommutabilem. Non because habet life informem Verbum God, cui it_is idem esse that vivere; imo idem vivere that beate vivere. Creatura vero spiritualis habet informem vitam, cui not/no it_is hoc esse that vivere; but_not vivere that beate vivere: quia, aversa a sapientia God, stulte and misere vivit. In principio, etc. BEDA, Hexæm. lib. 1, tom. 2, col. 13a. Creationem mundi insinuans Scriptura, primo verbo æternitatem and omnipotentiam God ostendit: which because in at_the_beginning temporum the_world creasse perhibet, eumdem ante tempora æternaliter significat exstitisse. And which in conditionis initio cœlum and the_earth/land creasse narrat, tanta celeritate operationis omnipotentem esse declarat, cui voluisse, facere est. Bene ergo it_is_said: In at_the_beginning creavit, etc. Utrumque scilicet, simul, quamvis utrumque simul away homine not/no dicatur. Unde propheta the_earth/land in initio factam ostendit dicens, Psal. 101: Initio tu, Domine, the_earth/land fundasti, etc. In principio, etc. Cœlum not/no visibile firmamentum, but empyreum, id it_is, igneum or intellectuale, that not/no away ardore, but a splendore it_is_said, that statim repletum it_is angelis. Unde in Yob 38: Ubi eras when/with me laudarent astra matutina, etc. And nota tria this commemorari elementa. Nomine cœli, ærem intelligimus. Nomine terræ, ipsam and ignem who in ea latet. Quarti, id it_is, aquæ in sequentibus fit mentio. ALCUIN. in Gen. tom. 1 In principio. Filio, quo humanato patuit who they_would_be cœlestes, who terreni. Cœlum, creatura spiritualis, away exordio perfecta and beata. Terra, corporalis materies adhuc imperfecta. Cœlum, informem materiam spiritualis vitæ, like in se potest existere not/no conversa to Creatorem in quo formatur. Terram, corporalem, without all qualitate which apparet in materia formata. BEDA in Gen., tom. 2, col. 191 Scriptura ait: Who fecisti the_world about materia informi Sap. 11. Materia facts it_is about nihilo. Species mundi about materia informi. Proinde duas res fecit God ante omne tempus, angelicam creaturam and materiam informem. Quamvis because Salomon dicat: Who vivit in eternal, created omnia simul Eccli. 18, after/second originem tamen informis materies antecedit formatam speciem. Itaque the_world, and angelos, and animam about nihilo fecit God: hominem and creaturas cæteras about aliquo. Ibid., col. 192 Septem are cœli, quorum this are nomina, ær, æther, olympus, spatium or igneum, firmamentum, cœlum angelorum, and Trinitatis. Hieronymus however dicit cœlum Trinitatis primum, after/second angelorum, tertium firmamentum. Mystice. In at_the_beginning created God cœlum. Eos scilicet who cœlestis imaginem portaverunt. And the_earth/land, id it_is them who postea superbiendo, the_earth/land, id it_is terreni hominis imaginem, portantes, se recerunt deformes. Terra however was inanis, because deposuerat formam goodm. And vacua, boni operis fructu. And tenebræ erant, veri scilicet luminis privatio; super faciem abyssi, corda scilicet superborum.
NETS In the beginning God made the sky and the earth.
BRN In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth.
BrLXX ἘΝ ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν.
(EN arⱪaʸ epoiaʸsen ho Theos ton ouranon kai taʸn gaʸn. )
1:1–2:3 These verses introduce the Pentateuch (Genesis—Deuteronomy) and teach Israel that the world was created, ordered, and populated by the one true God and not by the gods of surrounding nations.
• God blessed three specific things: animal life (1:22-25), human life (1:27), and the Sabbath day (2:3). This trilogy of blessings highlights the Creator’s plan: Humankind was made in God’s image to enjoy sovereign dominion over the creatures of the earth and to participate in God’s Sabbath rest.
1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth: This statement summarizes the entire creation account (1:3–2:3). Already a key question—Who created the world?—is answered (see also Prov 8:22-31; John 1:1-3). Although the modern naturalistic mindset rejects this question and that of creation’s purpose, Genesis affirms God’s role and purpose in creation.
• The common name for God (Hebrew ’elohim) emphasizes his grand supremacy. The word ’elohim is plural, but the verbs used with it are usually singular, reflecting the consistent scriptural proclamation of a single, all-powerful God.
• created (Hebrew bara’): In the Old Testament, God is always the agent of creation expressed by this verb. It describes the making of something fresh and new—notably the cosmos (1:1, 21; 2:3), humankind (1:27), the Israelite nation (Isa 43:1), and the future new creation (Isa 65:17).
• The heavens and the earth are the entire ordered cosmos.
The Creation
The creation account is foundational to the message of the entire Bible. Understanding the early chapters of Genesis is thus crucial to forming a biblical worldview.
These opening chapters deal with fundamental questions: Who created the world, and for what purpose? Why is the world in its present condition? Genesis answers these questions, dispelling the idolatry that Israel had acquired from their pagan masters in Egypt. In the Promised Land, the Israelites would again be surrounded by people who believed in false gods and worshiped created things rather than the Creator. Genesis taught Israel that the one true God created and has absolute authority over all things; he alone is worthy of worship.
God transformed chaos into the present ordered cosmos. In the first three days, he transformed the formless void into the structured universe—the heavens, the water and sky, and the earth. In the second three days, he populated each realm. The seventh day, God’s day of rest, provides the weekly pattern for human activity and points forward to the rest that God promised to those who live by faith in him (see Heb 3:7–4:11).
The creation account teaches that as God made the world, it was “very good” (Gen 1:31). In this environment, humans enjoyed unbroken fellowship with their Creator until their rebellion severed that fellowship and implanted evil in human hearts (see Gen 3–6). The world’s evil does not come from some defect in creation; rather, it stems from rebellion to God’s design and purposes.
Since that first rebellion, humans have been alienated from the Creator and are prone to not recognize his presence and authority. This alienation results in shame, fractured relationships with God and other humans, estrangement from the rest of creation, and death (3:7-19). Since that time, God has been working purposefully in history to restore humans to fellowship with him, which he is doing through Jesus Christ. Restored humans are a new creation (see Gal 6:15); through Jesus, eternal life is open to all and God will one day renew all things (see Isa 65:17-25; Rom 8:19-22). The whole cosmos will be made new (Rev 21:1).
Passages for Further Study
Gen 1:1–2:3; Ps 33:6-9; Prov 3:19; 8:22-31; Isa 40:26-28; 45:11-12, 18-19; Jer 10:11-16; John 1:1-4; Rom 8:18-25; 2 Cor 5:17; Col 1:15-20; Rev 4:11; 21:1-5
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns
בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית
in=beginning
The first chapter of Genesis is a true historical narrative (which is indicated by the Hebrew language structures that are used throughout the chapter), and verse 1 records the first event in that history. This is confirmed by the wider context of the Scriptures, which teach us that God created everything out of nothing at the very beginning of the world (Psalm 33:6, 9; Hebrews 11:3). Some languages must use a verb (“began”) in verse 1 rather than an abstract noun (beginning). Do what is best in your language. Alternate translation: “At the beginning of time”
Note 2 topic: translate-key-terms
אֱלֹהִ֑ים
ʼₑlhīmv
Translate the title God in a way that refers to the Supreme Being who created everything, who has complete power, who knows everything and is present everywhere. He is the only true God and has always existed.
Note 3 topic: translate-key-terms
בָּרָ֣א
he/it_created
In the Hebrew Bible, the verb “create” refers to an activity that only God does, and it often implies (as it does here) that he made something out of nothing. Also, the forms of the verbs in the Hebrew text (and the conjunctions) show that chapter 1 is a narrative that tells about true history and events in the order that things actually happened. Make sure that your translation does the same thing. Alternate translation: “made”
Note 4 topic: translate-key-terms
אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם
DOM the=heavens
This phrase refers here to the region where all the stars and planets would later exist. Keep that in mind as you translate this term. Alternate translation: “the sky”
Note 5 topic: translate-key-terms
וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ
and=DOM the=earth/land
This phrase refers to the planet earth.