1When the human population began to increase on the earth, and daughters were born to them,
2the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married whichever ones they chose.
3Yahweh said, "My Spirit will not stay with humans indefinitely, because they are mortal; so their lifespan will be 120 years."
4The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when God's sons had children with human women. These offspring were the mighty heroes of old, men who were famous.
5Yahweh saw that people's wickedness on the earth was severe, and that every thought and intention of their hearts was consistently evil.
6Yahweh regretted that he had made humans on the earth, and he was deeply distressed.
7Yahweh said, "I will wipe out the humans I created from the face of the earth— both people and animals, crawling creatures, and birds in the sky—for I regret that I made them."
8But Noah found favor with Yahweh.
9This is the family history of Noah: Noah was a good man, perfect among the people of his time. Noah lived in close fellowship with God.
10Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11The earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the earth was full of violence.
12God looked at the earth and saw that it was corrupt, because all living things on the earth had corrupted their ways.
13God said to Noah, "I have decided to put an end to all living things, because the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am going to destroy both them and the earth.
14Build yourself a large boat made of cypress wood. Make rooms in it and cover it inside and out with tar.
15This is how you are to build it: The boat is to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high.
16Make an opening for light near the top of the boat, measuring 1.5 feet high, and put the door on the side. Build a lower, middle, and upper deck.
17I am going to bring a flood of water on the earth to destroy all life under the sky that has the breath of life. Everything on earth will die.
18But I will make a promise to you. You are to go into the boat—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you.
19Bring into the boat two of every kind of living creature, male and female, to keep them alive with you.
20Two of every kind of bird, every kind of animal, and every kind of crawling creature on the ground will come to you to be kept alive.
21Also, take with you every kind of food that is eaten, and gather it; it will be food for you and for them."
22Noah did everything exactly as God commanded him.