New International Version Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” New Living Translation Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” English Standard Version Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Berean Standard Bible Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it.” Berean Literal Bible And God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea, and over the bird of the heavens, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that crawls upon the earth.” King James Bible And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. New King James Version Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” New American Standard Bible Then God said, “Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that crawls on the earth.” NASB 1995 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” NASB 1977 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Legacy Standard Bible Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness, so that they will have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Amplified Bible Then God said, “Let Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) make man in Our image, according to Our likeness [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness]; and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the cattle, and over the entire earth, and over everything that creeps and crawls on the earth.” Berean Annotated Bible Then God {Elohim} said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it. Christian Standard Bible Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.” Holman Christian Standard Bible Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, all the earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.” American Standard Version And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. Contemporary English Version God said, "Now we will make humans, and they will be like us. We will let them rule the fish, the birds, and all other living creatures." English Revised Version And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. GOD'S WORD® Translation Then God said, "Let us make humans in our image, in our likeness. Let them rule the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the domestic animals all over the earth, and all the animals that crawl on the earth." Good News Translation Then God said, "And now we will make human beings; they will be like us and resemble us. They will have power over the fish, the birds, and all animals, domestic and wild, large and small." International Standard Version Then God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, to be like us. Let them be masters over the fish in the ocean, the birds that fly, the livestock, everything that crawls on the earth, and over the earth itself!" NET Bible Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, after our likeness, so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move on the earth." New Heart English Bible And God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the flying creatures of the sky, and over the tame animals, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creature that crawls on the earth." And it was so. Webster's Bible Translation And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping animal that creepeth upon the earth. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleThen God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it.” World English Bible God said, “Let’s make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd God says, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness, and let them rule over [the] fish of the sea, and over [the] bird of the heavens, and over livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that is creeping on the earth.” Berean Literal Bible And God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea, and over the bird of the heavens, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that crawls upon the earth.” Young's Literal Translation And God saith, 'Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness, and let them rule over fish of the sea, and over fowl of the heavens, and over cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that is creeping on the earth.' Smith's Literal Translation And God will say, We will make man in our image according to our likeness, and they shall rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and every creeping thing creeping upon the earth. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd he said: Let us make man to our image and likeness: and let him have dominion over the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and the beasts, and the whole earth, and every creeping creature that moveth upon the earth. Catholic Public Domain Version And he said: “Let us make Man to our image and likeness. And let him rule over the fish of the sea, and the flying creatures of the air, and the wild beasts, and the entire earth, and every animal that moves on the earth.” New American Bible Then God said: Let us make human beings in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the tame animals, all the wild animals, and all the creatures that crawl on the earth. New Revised Standard Version Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThen God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild beasts of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And God said, “We shall make men in our image, according to our form, and they shall rule among the fish of the Sea, and among the birds of Heaven, and among cattle, and among all animals of the Earth, and among all creepers that creep on the Earth.” OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And God said: 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.' Brenton Septuagint Translation And God said, Let us make man according to our image and likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the flying creatures of heaven, and over the cattle and all the earth, and over all the reptiles that creep on the earth. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context The Sixth Day…25God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that crawls upon the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 26Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it.” 27So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.… Cross References Then God said, Psalm 33:6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all the stars by the breath of His mouth. 2 Peter 3:5 But they deliberately overlook the fact that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water, Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. “Let Us make man in Our image, Genesis 3:22 Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil. And now, lest he reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever...” Genesis 5:1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in His own likeness. James 3:9 With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. after Our likeness, Genesis 5:3 When Adam was 130 years old, he had a son in his own likeness, after his own image; and he named him Seth. Colossians 3:10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Ephesians 4:24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, Psalm 8:6-8 You made him ruler of the works of Your hands; You have placed everything under his feet: / all sheep and oxen, and even the beasts of the field, / the birds of the air and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. Hebrews 2:6-8 But somewhere it is testified in these words: “What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You care for him? / You made him a little lower than the angels; You crowned him with glory and honor / and placed everything under his feet.” When God subjected all things to him, He left nothing outside of his control. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him. 1 Corinthians 15:27 For “God has put everything under His feet.” Now when it says that everything has been put under Him, this clearly does not include the One who put everything under Him. over the livestock, Genesis 9:2-3 The fear and dread of you will fall on every living creature on the earth, every bird of the air, every creature that crawls on the ground, and all the fish of the sea. They are delivered into your hand. / Everything that lives and moves will be food for you; just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you all things. James 3:7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, Psalm 50:10-11 for every beast of the forest is Mine—the cattle on a thousand hills. / I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are Mine. and over all the earth itself Psalm 115:16 The highest heavens belong to the LORD, but the earth He has given to mankind. Treasury of Scripture And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. Let us. Genesis 3:22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Genesis 11:7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. Job 35:10 But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night; man. in our. Genesis 5:1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; Genesis 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. Ecclesiastes 7:29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions. have dominion. Genesis 9:2,3,4 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered… Job 5:23 For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee. Psalm 8:4-8 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? … Jump to Previous Air Animal Birds Cattle Creepeth Creeping Creeps Dominion Earth Fish Fowl Image Likeness Sea SkyJump to Next Air Animal Birds Cattle Creepeth Creeping Creeps Dominion Earth Fish Fowl Image Likeness Sea SkyGenesis 1 1. God creates heaven and earth;3. the light; 6. the firmament; 9. separates the dry land; 14. forms the sun, moon, and stars; 20. fishes and fowls; 24. cattle, wild beasts, and creeping things; 26. creates man in his own image, blesses him; 29. grants the fruits of the earth for food. Then God said, God creates by His authoritative word, bringing His purpose to pass by decree. Psa 33:6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made… “Let Us make man in Our image, The plural language reflects the fullness of God’s own being, later revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Humanity alone is made to bear God’s image and to represent Him within creation. Gen 3:22 Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become… after Our likeness, Men and women resemble God in moral awareness, reason, creativity, relational capacity, and accountability before Him. Their dignity rests on this divine design. Gen 5:3 When Adam was 130 years old, he had a son… to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, God assigns humanity authority over the living world, not as license for abuse but as responsibility to govern creation under His authority. Psa 8:6-8 You made him ruler of the works of Your hands;… over the livestock, Domesticated animals are included within this care, reflecting their importance in human life and labor. Gen 9:2-3 The fear and dread of you will fall on every creature… and over all the earth itself Human stewardship extends beyond animals to the land, its resources, and its ordered use. Psa 115:16 The highest heavens belong to the LORD, but the earth… and every creature that crawls upon it.” The command encompasses all earthly creatures, establishing mankind as God’s appointed ruler over creation. Psa 104:24-25 How many are Your works, O LORD! In wisdom… Persons / Places / Events 1. GodThe Creator, who speaks and initiates the creation of mankind. 2. Man Refers to humanity, created in the image and likeness of God. 3. Creation The event of God creating the world and everything in it, culminating in the creation of mankind. 4. Fish, Birds, Livestock, Earth, Creatures The various elements of creation over which humanity is given dominion. Teaching Points The Image of GodHumanity is uniquely created in the image and likeness of God, which imparts inherent dignity and value to every person. Divine Purpose and Responsibility Being made in God's image comes with the responsibility to steward and care for creation, reflecting God's character in our actions. Community and Relationship The plural language "Let Us make" hints at the relational nature of God, encouraging us to value community and relationships. Moral and Ethical Living Recognizing the image of God in ourselves and others should guide our moral and ethical decisions, promoting respect and love. Renewal and Transformation As believers, we are called to be renewed in the image of Christ, growing in holiness and reflecting God's character more fully. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Genesis 1:26?2. How does Genesis 1:26 define humanity's role in God's creation? 3. What does "in Our image" reveal about human nature and dignity? 4. How does Genesis 1:26 connect to the concept of the Trinity? 5. How should "rule over...all the earth" influence Christian environmental stewardship? 6. How can we reflect God's image in our daily interactions with others? 7. What does "Let Us make man in Our image" imply about the nature of God in Genesis 1:26? 8. How does Genesis 1:26 support the concept of the Trinity? 9. Why does Genesis 1:26 use plural pronouns for God? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Genesis 1? (26) Let us make man.--Comp. Genesis 11:7. The making of man is so ushered in as to show that at length the work of creation had reached its perfection and ultimate goal. As regards the use of the plural here, Maimonides thinks that God took counsel with the earth, the latter supplying the body and Elohim the soul. But it is denied in Isaiah 40:13 that God ever took counsel with any one but Himself. The Jewish interpreters generally think that the angels are meant. More truly and more reverently we may say that this first chapter of Genesis is the chapter of mysteries, and just as "the wind of God" in Genesis 1:2 was the pregnant germ which grew into the revelation of the Holy Ghost, so in Elohim, the many powers concentrated in one being, lies the germ of the doctrine of a plurality of persons in the Divine Unity. It is not a formal proof of the Trinity, nor do believers in the inspiration of Holy Scripture so use it. What they affirm is, that from the very beginning the Bible is full of such germs, and that no one of them remains barren, but all develop, and become Christian truths. There is in this first book a vast array of figures, types, indications, yearnings, hopes, fears, promises, and express predictions, which advance onwards like an ever-deepening river, and when they all find a logical fulfilment in one way, the conclusion is that that fulfilment is not only true, but was intended. Man.--Hebrew, Adam. In Assyrian the name for man is also adamu, or admu. In that literature, so marvellously preserved to our days, Sir H. Rawlinson thinks that he has traced the first man up to the black or Accadian race. It is hopeless to attempt any derivation of the name, as it must have existed before any of the verbs and nouns from which commentators attempt to give it a meaning; and the adamah, or "tilled ground," of which we shall soon hear so much, evidently had its name from Adam. In our image, after our likeness.--The human body is after God's image only as being the means whereby man attains to dominion: for dominion is God's attribute, inasmuch as He is sole Lord. Man's body, therefore, as that of one who rules, is erect, and endowed with speech, that he may give the word of command. The soul is first, in God's image. This, as suggesting an external likeness, may refer to man's reason, free-will, self-consciousness, and so on. But it is, secondly, in God's likeness, which implies something closer and more inward. It refers to man's moral powers, and especially to his capacity of attaining unto holiness. Now man has lost neither of these two. (Comp. Genesis 9:6; 1Corinthians 11:7; James 3:9.) Both were weakened and defiled by the fall, but were still retained in a greater or less degree. In the man Christ Jesus both were perfect; and fallen man, when new-created in Christ, attains actually to that perfection which was his only potentially at his first creation, and to which Adam never did attain. . . . Verse 26. - The importance assigned in the Biblical record to the creation of man is indicated by the manner in which it is introduced. And God said, Let us make man. Having already explained the significance of the term Elohim, as suggesting the fullness of the Divine personality, and foreshadowing the doctrine of the Trinity (ver. 1), other interpretations, such as that God takes counsel with the angels (Philo, Aben Ezra, Delitzsch), or with the earth (Maimonides, M. Gerumlius), or with himself (Kalisch), must be set aside in favor of that which detects in the peculiar phraseology an allusion to a sublime concilium among the persons of the Godhead (Calvin, Macdonald, Murphy). The object which this concilium contemplated was the construction of a new creature to be named Adam; descriptive of either his color, from adam, to be red, (Josephus, Gesenius, Tuch, Hupfeld); or his appearance, from a root in Arabic which signifies "to shine," thus making Adam "the brilliant one;" or his compactness, both as an individual and as a race, from another Arabic root which means "to bring or hold together" (Meier, Furst); or his nature as God's image, from dam, likeness (Eichorn, Richers); or, and most probably, his origin, from adamah, the ground (Kimchi, Rosenmüller, Kalisch). In our image, after our likeness. The precise relationship in which the nature of the Adam about to be produced should stand to Elohim was to be that of a tselem (shadow - vid. Psalm 39:7; Greek, σκιά σκίασμα) and a damuth (likeness, from damah, to bring together, to compare - Isaiah 40:8). As nearly as possible the terms are synonymous. If any distinction does exist between them, perhaps tselem (image) denotes the shadow outline of a figure, and damuth (likeness) the correspondence or resemblance of that shadow to the figure. The early Fathers were of opinion that the words were expressive of separate ideas: image, of the body, which by reason of its beauty, intelligent aspect, and erect stature was an adumbration of God; likeness, of the soul, or the intellectual and moral nature. According to Augustine image had reference to the cognitio veritatis; likeness to amor virtutis. Irenaeus, Clement, and Origen saw in the first man nature as originally created, and in the second what that nature might become through personal ethical conflict, or through the influence of grace. Bellarmine thought "imaginem in natura, similitudinem in probitate et justitia sitam esse," and conceived that "Adamum peccando non imaginem Dei, sed similitudinero perdidisse." Havernick suggests that image is the concrete, and likeness the abstract designation of the idea. Modern expositors generally discover no distinction whatever between the words; in this respect following Luther, who renders an image that is like, and Calvin, who denies that any difference exists between the two. As to what in man constituted the imago Dei, the reformed theologians commonly held it to have consisted(1) in the spirituality of his being, as an intelligent and free agent; (2) in the moral integrity and holiness of his nature; and (3) in his dominion over the creatures (cf. West. Conf., Genesis 4:2). . . . Genesis 1:26 unveils humanity’s unique place in God’s world. Formed by divine decree, bearing God’s own image and likeness, we are entrusted with responsible rule over every realm of life. Our worth flows from our Creator; our mission is to steward His creation in a way that reflects His character until He fully restores all things in Christ.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Then Godאֱלֹהִ֔ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm) Noun - masculine plural Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative said, וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 559: To utter, say “Let Us make נַֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה (na·‘ă·śeh) Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common plural Strong's 6213: To do, make man אָדָ֛ם (’ā·ḏām) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being in Our image, בְּצַלְמֵ֖נוּ (bə·ṣal·mê·nū) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common plural Strong's 6754: A phantom, illusion, resemblance, a representative figure, an idol after Our likeness, כִּדְמוּתֵ֑נוּ (kiḏ·mū·ṯê·nū) Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common plural Strong's 1823: Resemblance, model, shape, like to rule וְיִרְדּוּ֩ (wə·yir·dū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 7287: To tread down, subjugate, to crumble off over the fish בִדְגַ֨ת (ḇiḏ·ḡaṯ) Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct Strong's 1710: A fish of the sea הַיָּ֜ם (hay·yām) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3220: A sea, the Mediterranean Sea, large river, an artifical basin and the birds וּבְע֣וֹף (ū·ḇə·‘ō·wp̄) Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 5775: Flying creatures of the air, הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם (haš·šā·ma·yim) Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky over the livestock, וּבַבְּהֵמָה֙ (ū·ḇab·bə·hê·māh) Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 929: A dumb beast, any large quadruped, animal and over all וּבְכָל־ (ū·ḇə·ḵāl) Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every the earth itself הָאָ֔רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ) Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 776: Earth, land and every וּבְכָל־ (ū·ḇə·ḵāl) Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every creature הָרֶ֖מֶשׂ (hā·re·meś) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 7431: A reptile, any other rapidly moving animal that crawls הָֽרֹמֵ֥שׂ (hā·rō·mêś) Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Strong's 7430: To glide swiftly, to crawl, move with short steps, to swarm upon עַל־ (‘al-) Preposition Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against [it].” הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (hā·’ā·reṣ) Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 776: Earth, land Additonal Resources Genesis 1:26 Blue Letter BibleGenesis 1:26 Bible Gateway Genesis 1:26 Bible.com Genesis 1:26 NIV |
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