New Beginnings After the Flood

1. God remembered Noah, all the animals, and all the livestock that were with him in the ship; and God made a wind to pass over the earth. The waters subsided. 2. The deep’s fountains and the sky’s windows were also stopped, and the rain from the sky was restrained. 3. The waters continually receded from the earth. After the end of one hundred fifty days the waters decreased. 4. The ship rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on Ararat’s mountains. 5. The waters receded continually until the tenth month. In the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were visible. 6. At the end of forty days, Noah opened the window of the ship which he had made, 7. and he sent out a raven. It went back and forth, until the waters were dried up from the earth. 8. He himself sent out a dove to see if the waters were abated from the surface of the ground, 9. but the dove found no place to rest her foot, and she returned into the ship to him, for the waters were on the surface of the whole earth. He put out his hand, and took her, and brought her to him into the ship. 10. He waited yet another seven days; and again he sent the dove out of the ship. 11. The dove came back to him at evening and, behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the waters were abated from the earth. 12. He waited yet another seven days, and sent out the dove; and she didn’t return to him anymore. 13. In the six hundred first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from the earth. Noah removed the covering of the ship, and looked. He saw that the surface of the ground was dried. 14. In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry. 15. God spoke to Noah, saying, 16. “Go out of the ship, you, your wife, your sons, and your sons’ wives with you. 17. Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh, including birds, livestock, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply on the earth.” 18. Noah went out, with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives with him. 19. Every animal, every creeping thing, and every bird, whatever moves on the earth, after their families, went out of the ship. 20. Noah built an altar to Yahweh, and took of every clean animal, and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21. Yahweh smelled the pleasant aroma. Yahweh said in his heart, “I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake because the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth. I will never again strike every living thing, as I have done. 22. While the earth remains, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night will not cease.” 1. God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, and replenish the earth. 2. The fear of you and the dread of you will be on every animal of the earth, and on every bird of the sky. Everything that moves along the ground, and all the fish of the sea, are delivered into your hand. 3. Every moving thing that lives will be food for you. As I gave you the green herb, I have given everything to you. 4. But flesh with its life, that is, its blood, you shall not eat. 5. I will surely require your life’s blood. At the hand of every animal I will require it. At the hand of man, even at the hand of every man’s brother, I will require the life of man. 6. Whoever sheds man’s blood, his blood will be shed by man, for God made man in his own image. 7. Be fruitful and multiply. Increase abundantly in the earth, and multiply in it.” 8. God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying, 9. “As for me, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your offspring after you, 10. and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the livestock, and every animal of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ship, even every animal of the earth. 11. I will establish my covenant with you: All flesh will not be cut off any more by the waters of the flood. There will never again be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12. God said, “This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13. I set my rainbow in the cloud, and it will be a sign of a covenant between me and the earth. 14. When I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow will be seen in the cloud, 15. I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh, and the waters will no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16. The rainbow will be in the cloud. I will look at it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” 17. God said to Noah, “This is the token of the covenant which I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.” 18. The sons of Noah who went out from the ship were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Ham is the father of Canaan. 19. These three were the sons of Noah, and from these, the whole earth was populated. 20. Noah began to be a farmer, and planted a vineyard. 21. He drank of the wine and got drunk. He was uncovered within his tent. 22. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. 23. Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it on both their shoulders, went in backwards, and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were backwards, and they didn’t see their father’s nakedness. 24. Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his youngest son had done to him. 25. He said, “Canaan is cursed. He will be a servant of servants to his brothers.” 26. He said, “Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Shem. Let Canaan be his servant. 27. May God enlarge Japheth. Let him dwell in the tents of Shem. Let Canaan be his servant.” 28. Noah lived three hundred fifty years after the flood. 29. All the days of Noah were nine hundred fifty years, and then he died. 1. Now this is the history of the generations of the sons of Noah and of Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them after the flood. 2. The sons of Japheth were: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. 3. The sons of Gomer were: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. 4. The sons of Javan were: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. 5. Of these were the islands of the nations divided in their lands, everyone after his language, after their families, in their nations. 6. The sons of Ham were: Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. 7. The sons of Cush were: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah were: Sheba and Dedan. 8. Cush became the father of Nimrod. He began to be a mighty one in the earth. 9. He was a mighty hunter before Yahweh. Therefore it is said, “like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before Yahweh”. 10. The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. 11. Out of that land he went into Assyria, and built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah, 12. and Resen between Nineveh and the great city Calah. 13. Mizraim became the father of Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, 14. Pathrusim, Casluhim (which the Philistines descended from), and Caphtorim. 15. Canaan became the father of Sidon (his firstborn), Heth, 16. the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, 17. the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, 18. the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. Afterward the families of the Canaanites were spread abroad. 19. The border of the Canaanites was from Sidon—as you go toward Gerar—to Gaza—as you go toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim—to Lasha. 20. These are the sons of Ham, after their families, according to their languages, in their lands and their nations. 21. Children were also born to Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, the elder brother of Japheth. 22. The sons of Shem were: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram. 23. The sons of Aram were: Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. 24. Arpachshad became the father of Shelah. Shelah became the father of Eber. 25. To Eber were born two sons. The name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided. His brother’s name was Joktan. 26. Joktan became the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 27. Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 28. Obal, Abimael, Sheba, 29. Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan. 30. Their dwelling extended from Mesha, as you go toward Sephar, the mountain of the east. 31. These are the sons of Shem, by their families, according to their languages, lands, and nations. 32. These are the families of the sons of Noah, by their generations, according to their nations. The nations divided from these in the earth after the flood. 1. The whole earth was of one language and of one speech. 2. As they traveled from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they lived there. 3. They said to one another, “Come, let’s make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar. 4. They said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top reaches to the sky, and let’s make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad on the surface of the whole earth.” 5. Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men built. 6. Yahweh said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is what they begin to do. Now nothing will be withheld from them, which they intend to do. 7. Come, let’s go down, and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8. So Yahweh scattered them abroad from there on the surface of all the earth. They stopped building the city. 9. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there Yahweh confused the language of all the earth. From there, Yahweh scattered them abroad on the surface of all the earth. 10. This is the history of the generations of Shem: Shem was one hundred years old when he became the father of Arpachshad two years after the flood. 11. Shem lived five hundred years after he became the father of Arpachshad, and became the father of more sons and daughters. 12. Arpachshad lived thirty-five years and became the father of Shelah. 13. Arpachshad lived four hundred three years after he became the father of Shelah, and became the father of more sons and daughters. 14. Shelah lived thirty years, and became the father of Eber. 15. Shelah lived four hundred three years after he became the father of Eber, and became the father of more sons and daughters. 16. Eber lived thirty-four years, and became the father of Peleg. 17. Eber lived four hundred thirty years after he became the father of Peleg, and became the father of more sons and daughters. 18. Peleg lived thirty years, and became the father of Reu. 19. Peleg lived two hundred nine years after he became the father of Reu, and became the father of more sons and daughters. 20. Reu lived thirty-two years, and became the father of Serug. 21. Reu lived two hundred seven years after he became the father of Serug, and became the father of more sons and daughters. 22. Serug lived thirty years, and became the father of Nahor. 23. Serug lived two hundred years after he became the father of Nahor, and became the father of more sons and daughters. 24. Nahor lived twenty-nine years, and became the father of Terah. 25. Nahor lived one hundred nineteen years after he became the father of Terah, and became the father of more sons and daughters. 26. Terah lived seventy years, and became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. 27. Now this is the history of the generations of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran became the father of Lot. 28. Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldees. 29. Abram and Nahor married wives. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah, the daughter of Haran who was also the father of Iscah. 30. Sarai was barren. She had no child. 31. Terah took Abram his son, Lot the son of Haran, his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife. They went from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan. They came to Haran and lived there. 32. The days of Terah were two hundred five years. Terah died in Haran.

1. When he came down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. 2. Behold, a leper came to him and worshiped him, saying, “Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean.” 3. Jesus stretched out his hand, and touched him, saying, “I want to. Be made clean.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4. Jesus said to him, “See that you tell nobody, but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 5. When he came into Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking him, 6. and saying, “Lord, my servant lies in the house paralyzed, grievously tormented.” 7. Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8. The centurion answered, “Lord, I’m not worthy for you to come under my roof. Just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9. For I am also a man under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and tell another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and tell my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10. When Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to those who followed, “Most certainly I tell you, I haven’t found so great a faith, not even in Israel. 11. I tell you that many will come from the east and the west, and will sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven, 12. but the children of the Kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13. Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way. Let it be done for you as you have believed.” His servant was healed in that hour. 14. When Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever. 15. He touched her hand, and the fever left her. She got up and served him. 16. When evening came, they brought to him many possessed with demons. He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick; 17. that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, “He took our infirmities, and bore our diseases.” 18. Now when Jesus saw great multitudes around him, he gave the order to depart to the other side. 19. A scribe came, and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20. Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” 21. Another of his disciples said to him, “Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father.” 22. But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.” 23. When he got into a boat, his disciples followed him. 24. Behold, a violent storm came up on the sea, so much that the boat was covered with the waves, but he was asleep. 25. They came to him, and woke him up, saying, “Save us, Lord! We are dying!” 26. He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then he got up, rebuked the wind and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27. The men marveled, saying, “What kind of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” 28. When he came to the other side, into the country of the Gergesenes, two people possessed by demons met him there, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that nobody could pass that way. 29. Behold, they cried out, saying, “What do we have to do with you, Jesus, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” 30. Now there was a herd of many pigs feeding far away from them. 31. The demons begged him, saying, “If you cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of pigs.” 32. He said to them, “Go!” They came out, and went into the herd of pigs: and behold, the whole herd of pigs rushed down the cliff into the sea, and died in the water. 33. Those who fed them fled, and went away into the city, and told everything, including what happened to those who were possessed with demons. 34. Behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus. When they saw him, they begged that he would depart from their borders. 1. He entered into a boat, and crossed over, and came into his own city. 2. Behold, they brought to him a man who was paralyzed, lying on a bed. Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, “Son, cheer up! Your sins are forgiven you.” 3. Behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man blasphemes.” 4. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5. For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven;’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk?’ 6. But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins-” (then he said to the paralytic), “Get up, and take up your mat, and go to your house.” 7. He arose and departed to his house. 8. But when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such authority to men. 9. As Jesus passed by from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax collection office. He said to him, “Follow me.” He got up and followed him. 10. As he sat in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. 11. When the Pharisees saw it, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12. When Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do. 13. But you go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” 14. Then John’s disciples came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don’t fast?” 15. Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16. No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch would tear away from the garment, and a worse hole is made. 17. Neither do people put new wine into old wine skins, or else the skins would burst, and the wine be spilled, and the skins ruined. No, they put new wine into fresh wine skins, and both are preserved.” 18. While he told these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” 19. Jesus got up and followed him, as did his disciples. 20. Behold, a woman who had an issue of blood for twelve years came behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment; 21. for she said within herself, “If I just touch his garment, I will be made well.” 22. But Jesus, turning around and seeing her, said, “Daughter, cheer up! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour. 23. When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players, and the crowd in noisy disorder, 24. he said to them, “Make room, because the girl isn’t dead, but sleeping.” They were ridiculing him. 25. But when the crowd was put out, he entered in, took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26. The report of this went out into all that land. 27. As Jesus passed by from there, two blind men followed him, calling out and saying, “Have mercy on us, son of David!” 28. When he had come into the house, the blind men came to him. Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They told him, “Yes, Lord.” 29. Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” 30. Their eyes were opened. Jesus strictly commanded them, saying, “See that no one knows about this.” 31. But they went out and spread abroad his fame in all that land. 32. As they went out, behold, a mute man who was demon possessed was brought to him. 33. When the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke. The multitudes marveled, saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!” 34. But the Pharisees said, “By the prince of the demons, he casts out demons.” 35. Jesus went about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people. 36. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and scattered, like sheep without a shepherd. 37. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest indeed is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38. Pray therefore that the Lord of the harvest will send out laborers into his harvest.” 1. He called to himself his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness. 2. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these. The first, Simon, who is called Peter; Andrew, his brother; James the son of Zebedee; John, his brother; 3. Philip; Bartholomew; Thomas; Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus; Lebbaeus, who was also called Thaddaeus; 4. Simon the Canaanite; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. 5. Jesus sent these twelve out, and commanded them, saying, “Don’t go among the Gentiles, and don’t enter into any city of the Samaritans. 6. Rather, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7. As you go, preach, saying, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!’ 8. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons. Freely you received, so freely give. 9. Don’t take any gold, silver, or brass in your money belts. 10. Take no bag for your journey, neither two coats, nor shoes, nor staff: for the laborer is worthy of his food. 11. Into whatever city or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy; and stay there until you go on. 12. As you enter into the household, greet it. 13. If the household is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it isn’t worthy, let your peace return to you. 14. Whoever doesn’t receive you, nor hear your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet. 15. Most certainly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city. 16. “Behold, I send you out as sheep among wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. 17. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you. 18. Yes, and you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the nations. 19. But when they deliver you up, don’t be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you will say. 20. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. 21. “Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death. 22. You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved. 23. But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next, for most certainly I tell you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel, until the Son of Man has come. 24. “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord. 25. It is enough for the disciple that he be like his teacher, and the servant like his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household! 26. Therefore don’t be afraid of them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed; and hidden that will not be known. 27. What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in the ear, proclaim on the housetops. 28. Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. 29. “Aren’t two sparrows sold for an assarion coin? Not one of them falls on the ground apart from your Father’s will, 30. but the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31. Therefore don’t be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows. 32. Everyone therefore who confesses me before men, him I will also confess before my Father who is in heaven. 33. But whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny before my Father who is in heaven. 34. “Don’t think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn’t come to send peace, but a sword. 35. For I came to set a man at odds against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36. A man’s foes will be those of his own household. 37. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me. 38. He who doesn’t take his cross and follow after me, isn’t worthy of me. 39. He who seeks his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it. 40. He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me. 41. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. He who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. 42. Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most certainly I tell you he will in no way lose his reward.”

1. Yahweh, how my adversaries have increased! Many are those who rise up against me. 2. Many there are who say of my soul, “There is no help for him in God.” Selah. 3. But you, Yahweh, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts up my head. 4. I cry to Yahweh with my voice, and he answers me out of his holy hill. Selah. 5. I laid myself down and slept. I awakened; for Yahweh sustains me. 6. I will not be afraid of tens of thousands of people who have set themselves against me on every side. 7. Arise, Yahweh! Save me, my God! For you have struck all of my enemies on the cheek bone. You have broken the teeth of the wicked. 8. Salvation belongs to Yahweh. Your blessing be on your people. Selah.