Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

The earth was without form or shape, with darkness covering its surface. But the Spirit of God hovered over the waters, holding them in place.

Then God said, "Let there be light," and suddenly light burst forth. He saw that the light was good, so he separated it from the darkness. And he called the light Day, while the darkness became Night. This marked the beginning of a cycle of day and night – the first day.

God continued to speak, saying, "Create an expanse in the midst of the waters, separating them into two groups." He made the firmament, dividing the waters below from those above, just as he commanded. And when it was complete, God called it heaven. This brought an end to the second day.

On the third day, God said, "Gather all the waters under the sky and let dry land appear." And so it happened. He named this new earth, calling it Earth, while gathering the waters into seas. Then he saw that everything was good.

The next command from God was to bring forth plant life on the earth – grass, plants that produce seeds, and fruit trees with seeds within their fruit. This is exactly what happened: every kind of plant grew as commanded by God, and he saw that it was good. This completed the third day.

As the fourth day dawned, God said, "Make lights in the expanse of the sky to divide between Day and Night." He created two great lights – a greater light to govern the daytime and a lesser light to rule over the night. Additionally, he made stars that sparkle with beauty in the heavens. And so it was done.

God placed these celestial bodies into the firmament of heaven to shine upon the earth, serving as signs, seasons, and years for all living creatures. The evening marked the end of this fourth day.

On the fifth day, God instructed the waters to be fruitful, producing every kind of aquatic creature that swims or flies through their depths. And so it was done – vast swarms of fish, birds, and winged creatures emerged from the waters after their kinds. Then God saw that all these new creations were good.

Next, he blessed them with a command to multiply, filling the waters in the seas and skies above, as well as covering the earth with living things. This ended the fifth day.

The sixth day arrived, and God said, "Create every land animal after its kind – cattle, creeping creatures, and beasts of the earth." He created all these creatures according to their kinds and saw that they were good.

Finally, in a moment of great significance, God decided to create humanity in his own image. This meant humans would resemble him and have authority over all living things: fish, birds, livestock, and every creeping creature on earth. And so it was done – both male and female were created in the image of God.

God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth; rule over all creatures." He also provided for their needs by giving them food from the trees bearing seed and fruits that yield seeds to be eaten. This included every green herb as sustenance for every beast, bird, and living creature on the earth.

In conclusion, God examined everything he had created, and it was indeed very good – a magnificent creation, full of life, beauty, and purpose. And with this, the sixth day came to an end.