New International VersionThe LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.
New Living TranslationThe LORD observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil.
English Standard VersionThe LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Berean Standard BibleThen the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was altogether evil all the time.
King James BibleAnd GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
New King James VersionThen the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
New American Standard BibleThen the LORD saw that the wickedness of mankind was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually.
NASB 1995Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
NASB 1977Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Legacy Standard BibleThen Yahweh saw that the evil of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Amplified BibleThe LORD saw that the wickedness (depravity) of man was great on the earth, and that every imagination or intent of the thoughts of his heart were only evil continually.
Christian Standard BibleWhen the LORD saw that human wickedness was widespread on the earth and that every inclination of the human mind was nothing but evil all the time,
Holman Christian Standard BibleWhen the LORD saw that man’s wickedness was widespread on the earth and that every scheme his mind thought of was nothing but evil all the time,
American Standard VersionAnd Jehovah saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Contemporary English VersionThe LORD saw how bad the people on earth were and that everything they thought and planned was evil.
English Revised VersionAnd the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
GOD'S WORD® TranslationThe LORD saw how evil humans had become on the earth. All day long their deepest thoughts were nothing but evil.
Good News TranslationWhen the LORD saw how wicked everyone on earth was and how evil their thoughts were all the time,
International Standard VersionThe LORD saw that human evil was growing more and more throughout the earth, with every inclination of people's thoughts becoming only evil on a continuous basis.
NET BibleBut the LORD saw that the wickedness of humankind had become great on the earth. Every inclination of the thoughts of their minds was only evil all the time.
New Heart English BibleAnd God saw that the wickedness of humankind was great on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Webster's Bible TranslationAnd GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleThen the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was altogether evil all the time.
World English BibleYahweh saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of man’s heart was continually only evil. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd YHWH sees that the wickedness of man [is] abundant in the earth, and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart [is] only evil every day;
Young's Literal Translation And Jehovah seeth that abundant is the wickedness of man in the earth, and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart only evil all the day;
Smith's Literal TranslationAnd Jehovah will see that great the evil of man in the earth, and every formation of the thoughts of his heart only evil all the days. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd God seeing that the wickedness of men was great on the earth, and that all the thought of their heart was bent upon evil at all times,
Catholic Public Domain VersionThen God, seeing that the wickedness of men was great upon the earth and that every thought of their heart was intent upon evil at all times,
New American BibleWhen the LORD saw how great the wickedness of human beings was on earth, and how every desire that their heart conceived was always nothing but evil,
New Revised Standard VersionThe LORD saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was evil continually.
Peshitta Holy Bible TranslatedAnd LORD JEHOVAH saw that the evil of man increased in the earth and every inclination of the reasonings of his heart was evil every day. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Brenton Septuagint TranslationAnd the Lord God, having seen that the wicked actions of men were multiplied upon the earth, and that every one in his heart was intently brooding over evil continually,
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context Corruption on the Earth… 4The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and afterward as well—when the sons of God had relations with the daughters of men. And they bore them children who became the mighty men of old, men of renown. 5Then the LORDsawthatthe wickednessof manwas greatupon the earth,and that everyinclinationof the thoughtsof his heartwas altogetherevilallthe time.6And the LORD regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.…
Cross References Jeremiah 17:9The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
Matthew 15:19For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander.
Romans 3:10-12As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one. / There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. / All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”
Romans 1:21-22For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. / Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools,
Psalm 14:1-3For the choirmaster. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good. / The LORD looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God. / All have turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.
Mark 7:21-23For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, / greed, wickedness, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness. / All these evils come from within, and these are what defile a man.”
Romans 8:7because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.
Ephesians 2:1-3And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, / in which you used to walk when you conformed to the ways of this world and of the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit who is now at work in the sons of disobedience. / All of us also lived among them at one time, fulfilling the cravings of our flesh and indulging its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature children of wrath.
Ecclesiastes 9:3This is an evil in everything that is done under the sun: There is one fate for everyone. Furthermore, the hearts of men are full of evil and madness while they are alive, and afterward they join the dead.
Isaiah 64:6Each of us has become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.
Proverbs 6:18a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil,
James 1:14-15But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed. / Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
1 Corinthians 2:14The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Psalm 53:1-3For the choirmaster. According to Mahalath. A Maskil of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their ways are vile. There is no one who does good. / God looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God. / All have turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.
2 Timothy 3:2-4For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, / unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, without love of good, / traitorous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
Treasury of Scripture And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. God. Genesis 13:13 But the men of Sodomwere wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly. Genesis 18:20,21 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; … Psalm 14:1-4 To the chief Musician,A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart,There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works,there is none that doeth good… every imagination. Genesis 8:21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heartis evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. Deuteronomy 29:19 And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst: Job 15:16 How much more abominable and filthyis man, which drinketh iniquity like water? thoughts. Jeremiah 4:14 O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee? continually. Jump to Previous AbundantContinuallyEarthEvilGreatHeartImaginationIntentSinThoughtsTimeWickednessJump to Next AbundantContinuallyEarthEvilGreatHeartImaginationIntentSinThoughtsTimeWickednessGenesis 6 1.The wickedness of the world, which provoked God's wrath.8.Noah finds grace.9.His family line14.The order, form, dimensions, and building of the ark.Then the LORD sawThis phrase emphasizes God's omniscience and His ability to perceive the moral state of humanity. It reflects the biblical theme that nothing is hidden from God ( Hebrews 4:13). The use of "LORD" (YHWH) highlights the covenantal relationship God has with His creation, underscoring His authority to judge. that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth
The term "wickedness" indicates a profound moral corruption that had spread throughout humanity. This echoes the earlier narrative of the Fall inGenesis 3, where sin entered the world. The phrase "upon the earth" suggests that this corruption was not localized but widespread, affecting all of creation. This sets the stage for the coming judgment through the flood, a theme of divine retribution seen throughout Scripture. and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart
This highlights the depth of human depravity, focusing on the internal motivations and desires rather than just external actions. The "heart" in biblical terms often refers to the center of human will and emotion (Jeremiah 17:9). This phrase underscores the totality of human sinfulness, a concept that is foundational to the doctrine of original sin. was altogether evil all the time
The repetition of "altogether" and "all the time" emphasizes the continuous and pervasive nature of human sin. This total depravity is a key theme in understanding the need for divine intervention and redemption. It foreshadows the necessity of a savior, ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who offers a new heart and spirit (Ezekiel 36:26-27). This phrase also connects to the New Testament teaching that without Christ, humanity is enslaved to sin (Romans 6:20). Persons / Places / Events 1. The LORD (Yahweh)The covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal existence and His relationship with humanity. In this context, He is the observer and judge of human actions. 2. Man (Humanity)Refers to all of humanity at the time, whose collective moral state had deteriorated significantly. 3. The EarthThe setting for human activity and the stage for divine observation and judgment. It is the creation that God once declared "very good" but now sees as corrupted by human sin. 4. WickednessThe moral corruption and sinful behavior that had become pervasive among humans. 5. The HeartIn Hebrew thought, the heart ("lev") is the center of thought, emotion, and will. It represents the inner life and moral character of a person. Teaching Points The Reality of Human SinfulnessRecognize the pervasive nature of sin in human life and its impact on our relationship with God. The Importance of the HeartUnderstand that God looks at the heart, the source of our thoughts and actions, and calls us to purity and righteousness. God's Awareness and JudgmentAcknowledge that God sees all human actions and thoughts, and He is just in His judgments. The Need for RedemptionRealize our need for a Savior to transform our hearts and minds, leading us away from sin. Living in a Fallen WorldBe vigilant in guarding our hearts and minds against the pervasive influence of sin in the world. Lists and Questions Top 10 Lessons from Genesis 6
What is the summary of Noah's story in the Bible?
What characterized the days of Noah?
What do the birds symbolize in Noah's flood story?
What does the Bible say about degeneracy?(5) And God saw.--Really, And Jehovah saw.Imagination.--More exactly,form, shape.Thus every idea or embodied thought, which presented itself to the mind through the working of the heart--that is, the whole inner nature of man--"was only evil continually"--Heb.,all the day,from morning to night, without reproof of conscience or fear of the Divine justice. A more forcible picture of complete depravity could scarcely be drawn; and this corruption of man's inner nature is ascribed to the overthrow of moral and social restraints. Verse 5. - And God (Jehovah, which should have been rendered 'the Lord') saw - indicative of the long-continued patience (Calvin) of the Deity, under whose immediate cognizance the great experiment of the primeval age of the world was wrought out - that the wickedness ( ra'ath; from the root raa, to make a loud noise, to rage, hence to be wicked) of man (literally, of the Adam: this was the first aggravation of the wickedness which God beheld; it was the tumultuous rebellion of the being whom he had created in his own image) was great (it was no slight iniquity, but a wide-spread, firmly-rooted, and deeply-staining corruption, the second aggravation) in the earth. This was the third aggravation; it was in the world which he had made, and not only in it, but pervading it so "that integrity possessed no longer a single corner" (Calvin). And that every imagination - yetzer, a device, like pottery ware, from yatza, to fashion as a potter ( Genesis 2:7; Genesis 8:19). Cf. yotzer, a potter, used of God ( Psalm 94:9, 20). Hence the fashioned purpose ( ἐνθύμησις) as distinguished from the thought out of which it springs - "a distinction not generally or constantly recognized by the mental philosopher, though of essential importance in the theory of the mind" (Murphy) - of the thoughts - mahshevoth; from hashal, to think, to meditate = ἔννοια; cf. Hebrews 9:12 (T. Lewis) - of his heart - or, the heart, the seat of the affections and emotions of the mind. Cf. Judges 16:15 (love); Proverbs 31:11 (confidence); Proverbs 5:12 (contempt); Psalm 104:15 (joy). Here "the feeling, or deep mother heart, the state of soul, lying below all, and giving moral character to all (Lewis). Cf. the psychological division of Hebrews 4:12was only evil continually. Literally, every day. "If this is not total depravity, how can language express it?" Though the phrase does not mean "from infancy," yet "the general doctrine" (of man's total and universal depravity) "is properly and consistently elicited hence" (Calvin).
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew Then the LORDיְהוָ֔ה(Yah·weh)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068:LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israelsawוַיַּ֣רְא(way·yar)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7200:To seethatכִּ֥י(kî)Conjunction
Strong's 3588:A relative conjunctionthe wickednessרָעַ֥ת(rā·‘aṯ)Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 7451:Bad, evilof manהָאָדָ֖ם(hā·’ā·ḏām)Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 120:Ruddy, a human being[was] greatרַבָּ֛ה(rab·bāh)Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 7227:Much, many, greatupon the earth,בָּאָ֑רֶץ(bā·’ā·reṣ)Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776:Earth, landand [that] everyוְכָל־(wə·ḵāl)Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605:The whole, all, any, everyinclinationיֵ֙צֶר֙(yê·ṣer)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3336:A form, framing, purposeof the thoughtsמַחְשְׁבֹ֣ת(maḥ·šə·ḇōṯ)Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 4284:A contrivance, a texture, machine, intention, planof his heartלִבּ֔וֹ(lib·bōw)Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3820:The heart, the feelings, the will, the intellect, centre[was] altogetherרַ֥ק(raq)Adverb
Strong's 7535:But, even, except, howbeit howsoever, at the least, neverthelessevilרַ֖ע(ra‘)Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7451:Bad, evilallכָּל־(kāl-)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605:The whole, all, any, everythe time.הַיּֽוֹם׃(hay·yō·wm)Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3117:A day
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OT Law: Genesis 6:5 Yahweh saw that the wickedness of man (Gen. Ge Gn) |
