<t /><p class="bodytext">This is the account<n id="1" /> of the heavens andp> <p class="bodytext">the earth<n id="2" /> when they were created &#8211; when the <sc>Lordsc> God<n id="3" /> made the earth and heavens.<n id="4" />p>

The fountains of the deep and the floodgates of heaven were closed,<n id="1" /> and the rain stopped falling from the sky.

<p class="bodytext">The heavens and the earth<n id="1" /> were completed with everything that was in them.<n id="2" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">In the beginning<n id="1" /> God<n id="2" /> created<n id="3" /> the heavens and the earth.<n id="4" />p>

God placed the lights<n id="1" /> in the expanse of the sky to shine on the earth,

<p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s angel called to Abraham a second time from heaven

God called the expanse &#8220;sky.&#8221;<n id="1" /> There was evening, and there was morning, a second day.p>

and let them serve as lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth.&#8221; It was so.

He blessed Abram, saying,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Blessed be Abram by<n id="1" /> the Most High God,p> <p class="poetry">Creator<n id="2" /> of heaven and earth.<n id="3" />p>

Then the <sc>Lordsc> rained down<n id="1" /> sulfur and fire<n id="2" /> on Sodom and Gomorrah. It was sent down from the sky by the <sc>Lordsc>.<n id="3" />

But the <sc>Lord&#8217;sc>s angel<n id="1" /> called to him from heaven, &#8220;Abraham! Abraham!&#8221; &#8220;Here I am!&#8221; he answered.

<p class="poetry">May God give youp> <p class="poetry">the dew of the sky<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and the richness<n id="2" /> of the earth,p> <p class="poetry">and plenty of grain and new wine.p>

<p class="bodytext">God said, &#8220;Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place<n id="1" /> and let dry ground appear.&#8221;<n id="2" /> It was so.

<p class="bodytext">God said, &#8220;Let there be lights<n id="1" /> in the expanse<n id="2" /> of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them be signs<n id="3" /> to indicate seasons and days and years,

<p class="bodytext">God said, &#8220;Let the water swarm with swarms<n id="1" /> of living creatures and let birds fly<n id="2" /> above the earth across the expanse of the sky.&#8221;

So the man named all the animals, the birds of the air, and the living creatures of the field, but for Adam<n id="1" /> no companion who corresponded to him was found.<n id="2" />

and also seven<n id="1" /> of every kind of bird in the sky, male and female,<n id="2" /> to preserve their offspring<n id="3" /> on the face of the earth.

The waters completely inundated<n id="1" /> the earth so that even<n id="2" /> all the high mountains under the entire sky were covered.

Then they said, &#8220;Come, let&#8217;s build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens<n id="1" /> so that<n id="2" /> we may make a name for ourselves. Otherwise<n id="3" /> we will be scattered<n id="4" /> across the face of the entire earth.&#8221;p>

But Abram replied to the king of Sodom, &#8220;I raise my hand<n id="1" /> to the <sc>Lordsc>, the Most High God, Creator of heaven and earth, and vow<n id="2" />