There are two accounts of creation in Genesis, the first book of the Bible.
The first is Genesis 1:1-2:3, contains the story of creation of the earth by God in six days. God speaks and things happen.
The second account, in Genesis 2:4-3:23, is different because it concentrates on the development of humans.
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Day 1 - Heavens, earth, light and dark.
Day 2 - Water and sky.
Day 3 - Land and plant life.
Day 4 - Sun, moon and stars.
Day 5 - Fish and birds.
Day 6 - Land animals and humans.
Day 7 - God rested and admired his work
The 1st Creation Story (Genesis 1:1-2:3)
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The 2nd Creation Story (Genesis 2:4-3:23)
1. 'Than the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.' Genesis 2.7
2. 'The Lord God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.' Genesis 2:15
3. 'And the Lord God commanded the man, 'You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of good and evil, for when you eat it you will certainly die.' Genesis 2:16-17
4. ' Than the lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man...' Genesis 2:22
5. 'When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good […] she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband. Genesis 3:6-7
6. 'So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden...' Genesis 3:23
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Interpretations of the creation story
There are differing views on exactly what the Bible means in the account of creation.
The metaphorical view - Many Christians believe this account is a metaphor, and is not literally true. They would argue that this is a story to help people to understand that God is the creator of all things.
The literal view - Others would say that the Bible account is literally true and God created the world exactly as the Bible says. This is called creationism. Creationists believe that the Bible is the sacred word of God and believe that it should be interpreted literally where possible. Young Earth Creationists believe that the world was made in six days approximately 10,000 years ago.
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The word and the spirit
The Bible teaches that God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit - the Trinity - were all involved in the act of creation.
The Word
Jesus is the word
God created things by speaking, not by using his hands