After reading the crafted biblical story, answer the following questions to familiarize yourself with the details of the story.
Answer the following observation questions to gain a basic understanding of the story. Read the story as a community and answer these questions as a group.
Where did everything in the universe come from?
God created everything.
How long did it take God to create everything?
God took six days.
Before God formed his world, what was it like?
The earth was dark and empty.
Who was over the water?
God’s Spirit was over the water.
What did God create on the first day?
On the first day, God created light.
How did God create the light?
God created light by speaking. He said, “Let there be light.”
When God separated light and darkness, what did he call them?
God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.”
What was God’s response to the day and night he created on the first day?
God said they were good.
What did God create on the second day?
On the second day, God created the sky.
What did God create on the third day?
On the third day, God created dry land.
What names did God give to the dry land and the gathered waters?
God named the dry land “earth” and the gathered waters “seas.”
What was God’s response to the earth and the seas he created on the third day?
He said they were good.
What else did God create on the third day?
On the third day, God also created trees and plants.
What was God’s response to the trees and plants he created on the third day?
He said they were good.
What did God create on the fourth day?
On the fourth day, God created lights in the sky: the sun, moon, and stars.
What was the purpose of these lights?
The lights gave light to the earth and marked time.
What was God’s response to the sun, moon, and stars he created on the fourth day?
He said they were good.
What did God create on the fifth day?
On the fifth day, God made living creatures that swam in the water and flew in the sky.
What was God’s response to the things in the seas and the birds he created on the fifth day?
He said they were good, and he blessed them.
What did God create on the sixth day?
On the sixth day, God made land animals.
What kind of land animals did God create?
God made farm animals, crawling animals, and wild animals.
What was God’s response to the land animals he created on the sixth day?
God said they were good.
What else did God create on the sixth day?
On the sixth day, God also created humans.
In what way did God make man different than the animals?
God made man in his image and in his likeness.
What did God say would be the responsibility of the human beings?
They would have authority over the earth and over the animals, and would care for them.
How did God make the first man?
God formed him from the soil.
How did the man become alive?
God breathed life into him.
What was the name of the man?
His name was Adam.
Where did God put Adam?
God put Adam in a garden that God planted for Adam to care for the garden.
From which special tree was Adam not allowed to eat?
Adam could not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
What would happen if Adam ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil?
Adam would die.
Why was Adam alone when there were all kinds of animals?
The animals were not able to be a helper for Adam.
How did God make the woman?
God formed the woman from Adam’s rib.
What did the name woman mean to Adam?
The name woman meant that she was made from man.
What happens when a man and woman become husband and wife?
The man and the woman become one and start a family.
Who was created in God’s image?
Both man and woman were created in God’s image.
What did God say when he blessed humans?
God blessed humans and told them to have many children and fill the earth.
What did God say about his creation when he finished it?
God said it was very good.
What did God do on the seventh day?
God finished all his work, blessed the seventh day, and made it holy.
Use the following translation questions to understand specific details of the passage. Discuss how you might translate these specific elements of the story.
God The term God refers to the eternal being who created the universe out of nothing. God exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. What words in your language mean God as in the eternal, powerful, and supreme creator of all things?
In the beginning God has always existed, even before all creation. The world did not always exist. God created the world out of nothing. This marked the beginning of all created things. How would you phrase in the beginning to mean the beginning of all things (before anything existed except God)?
created God made all things out of nothing. What words in your language mean created as in God made all things from nothing?
dark and empty At this time the earth had no light and was empty. How would you say that the earth was dark to mean the earth was completely dark without light? How would you say that the earth was empty as in God had not yet created anything except for the bare earth covered by water?
God’s Spirit The Spirit of God, sometimes called the Holy Spirit, was present in the beginning. He is God and not a lesser spirit. The Holy Spirit was moving freely over the earth in order to create all that The Holy Spirit had planned to do. How would you say God’s Spirit as in he who is equal to God and not a lesser spirit?
Let there be light God created things by speaking commands. How would you say Let there be light to mean God commanded the light to exist?
there was light When God commanded the light to exist, it came into existence. How would you say there was light to mean that light came into existence as a result of God’s command?
separated When God separated light from darkness God made a distinction between them. What words in your language mean separated as in to distinguish or make a distinction between things?
God saw that the light was good When God created things, they were pleasing to him and accomplished his plan and purpose. How would you phrase God saw that the light was good to mean God was pleased with the light he created?
first day God’s work of creation was orderly, purposeful, and sequential. God made all things in six days. God created light on the first day in a sequence of six days. How would you refer to the the first day as in the day one of a sequence of six days?
expanse An expanse is a large empty space. This expanse is named the sky. What words in your language mean expanse as in a large empty space?
sky The sky refers to the space above the earth, including the air we breathe and the heavens. How would you refer to the sky as in the space above the earth?
Let the water come together in one place and the dry land appear God created the dry land by commanding the waters to gather together. When this happened, dry land became visible. How would you express the command Let the water come together in one place and the dry land appear to mean God ordered the waters to gather together and he ordered the dry land to become visible?
Let the earth produce all kinds of trees and plants God commanded the earth to produce trees and plants. How would you express the command Let the earth produce all kinds of trees and plants to mean God ordered the earth to sprout many different kinds of trees and plants?
Let there be lights in the sky God commanded lights to exist in the sky. These lights are shining objects that give light to the earth. These lights are the sun, the moon, and the stars. How would you express the phrase Let there be lights in the sky to mean God created shining objects in the sky by giving a command?
Let living things fill the waters, and birds fly in the sky God created water creatures and birds by commanding them to exist. How would you express Let living things fill the waters, and birds fly in the sky as a command in which God orders living creatures to fill waters and birds to fly in the sky?
blessed When God blessed the living creatures, God spoke his intent that these creatures prosper and that things would go well for them in the world in which he had placed them. What words in your language mean blessed as in to cause to prosper or to intend that good things happen?
Let there be all kinds of land animals God created land all kinds of animals that live on the land. He created farm animals, crawling animals, and wild animals. How would you express the command Let there be all kinds of land animals to mean that God ordered land animals to come into existence?
Let us make There is only one God. God is using a plural to refer to himself. Some think that God is using the plural to express his majesty and others think that God is speaking to the Spirit and the Son. God is one God who exists as three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. How would you phrase Let us make to mean God is making a deliberate, willful decision to create man in a particular way for a particular purpose?
in our image to be like us God created humans in God’s image. An image is a physical representation that displays the qualities or traits of something or someone else. How would you phrase in our image to be like us to mean God created humans to be very much like God, although not exactly the same?
rule over God gave humans the right and power to manage, guide, and oversee his creation. What words in your language mean rule over as in to exercise authority over as a king would have authority over his kingdom?
formed God created man by personally fashioning the man in the same way that a person shapes something with his hands. This is a different word than create. What words in your language mean formed as in to shape or fashion something?
to care for it God put Adam in the garden to maintain it by preparing soil, planting, tending, and harvesting. What words in your language me to care for it as in to look after and tend to as a farmer would cultivate his land?
the tree of the knowledge of good and evil God prohibited humans from eating from this tree. The fruit of this tree could enable a person to know both good and evil. How would you phrase the tree of the knowledge of good and evil to mean that this tree could enable a person to know both good and evil?
helper None of the animals were similar enough to Adam to be able to help Adam do what God wanted him to do. A helper is someone who can assist someone else in fulfilling a purpose or a task. What words in your language mean helper as in someone who can help someone else accomplish a task or a purpose?
deep sleep God caused Adam to fall asleep so that he was unaware of what was happening. What words in your language mean deep sleep as in a heavy sleep when one is not aware of what is going on?
like me Woman was created from Adam’s rib. She was like Adam but not identical. How would you phrase like me to mean the woman was the same kind of being as Adam, even though she was not exactly the same as Adam was?
very good After the creation of humans, God finished making everything. At this time, God considered it very good because he had completed his creation. How would you phrase very good to mean God was very pleased with his creation?
made it holy God set the seventh day apart from the other days. God did not want people to use it the same way as the other six days of the week. What words in your language mean made it holy to mean God set it apart or called it his own?