The Bible opens with "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). By the word of the LORD "were the heavens made" (Psalm 33:6), "All things were made by him" (John 1:3), and the Creator still "giveth to all life, and breath, and all things" (Acts 17:25).
Creation is where the Bible begins, and it ends with a new heaven and a new earth. People search for creation verses for Sunday school and homeschool lessons, nature walks, questions about faith and science, and worship. These twelve King James verses walk through the days of creation in Genesis, show that the universe was made by God's word and through Christ, and praise the Creator who still gives life and breath. For enjoying God's creation outdoors, see nature; for how God made you, see fearfully and wonderfully made.
In the beginning: the days of creation
1. Genesis 1:5
"And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day."
On the first day God created light (Genesis 1:3) and named the light Day and the darkness Night. The refrain the evening and the morning repeats for each day, showing order and purpose from the very start. See light.
2. Genesis 1:26
"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."
On the sixth day God said, Let us make man in our image. Human beings alone are made in God's image and given responsibility to care for the earth. That gives every person dignity, and every Christian a reason to care for creation. See stewardship.
3. Genesis 2:1
"Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them."
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished. Creation was complete and very good (Genesis 1:31), and God rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2-3), not because He was tired but because the work was done. See rest.
4. Hebrews 1:10
"And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:"
Hebrews applies Psalm 102:25 to Jesus, the Son: in the beginning He laid the foundation of the earth. The New Testament presents Christ as the Creator, not as part of creation. See Jesus is God.
He spake, and it was done
5. Psalms 33:6
"By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth."
God made the heavens by His word and all their host by the breath of his mouth. In Hebrew, breath and spirit are the same word, so the verse echoes Genesis 1:2-3, where the Spirit moves and God speaks.
6. Psalms 33:9
"For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast."
He spake, and it was done. Creation needed no struggle, only God's command. The next verses say the same Lord brings the plans of nations to nothing, while His own counsel stands for ever (Psalm 33:10-11).
7. Jeremiah 10:12
"He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion."
Jeremiah contrasts idols made by human hands with the God who made the earth by His power, established the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heavens by His discretion. Power, wisdom and understanding are all on display in creation. See idols.
8. John 1:3
"All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."
John's Gospel begins like Genesis, with In the beginning (John 1:1). All things were made by Jesus, the Word, and without Him nothing that exists was made. The Creator came into His own creation at Christmas (John 1:14).
The Creator who gives life and breath
9. Isaiah 45:18
"For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else."
God created the earth not in vain but formed it to be inhabited. The world was designed as a home for people, so creation has a purpose, and so does your life in it. See God.
10. Isaiah 42:5
"Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:"
The God who stretched out the heavens also gives breath to the people on the earth. The same God who made the galaxies gives you every breath you take. See stars.
11. Acts 17:24-25
"God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;"
Speaking to philosophers in Athens, Paul began with creation: the God who made the world does not live in temples or need anything from us, because He gives us life, breath and all things. Creation is a starting point for knowing God.
12. Psalms 148:5
"Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created."
Psalm 148 calls everything, from angels and stars to sea creatures and snow, to praise the LORD, for he commanded, and they were created. Creation exists to praise its Maker, and so do we. See worship.
A short prayer
Creator God, You spoke and the heavens were made. Thank You for light and darkness, sea and land, every living thing and the breath in my lungs. Thank You that all things were made through Jesus and are held together by Him. Help me to care for Your creation, to see Your wisdom in it and to join all creation in praising You. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Go deeper: a SOAP study prompt
Pick one verse above and write: - Scripture: copy the verse by hand. - Observation: what does it say? Who is speaking, to whom? - Application: what does it mean for you today? - Prayer: turn it into a two-line prayer.
New to this method? See our Bible study guide or pick a Bible reading plan.
Start reading at Genesis 1 with the free One-Year Bible Reading Plan · Download our free SOAP study page · Print our free Bible verse bookmarks
Frequently asked questions
What was created on each day of creation?
Genesis gives this order: day one, light, day and night (Genesis 1:3-5); day two, the firmament or sky (1:6-8); day three, dry land, seas and plants (1:9-13); day four, the sun, moon and stars (1:14-19); day five, sea creatures and birds (1:20-23); day six, land creatures and the first man and woman (1:24-31); and on the seventh day God rested (2:1-3).
Do Christians agree on how long the days of creation were?
No. Some read Genesis 1 as six ordinary days; others read the days as long ages or as a literary framework. Sincere believers discuss science and the age of the earth from all of these views. What they share is the main point of the text: God alone created everything, on purpose, by His word, and it was very good (Genesis 1:31). Hebrews 11:3 adds that "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God" (Hebrews 11:3).
Which Bible verses talk about creation besides Genesis?
Many do: Job 38 to 41; Psalms 8, 19, 104 and 148; Isaiah 40:26-28; Jeremiah 10:12; John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 11:3; and Revelation 4:11, which praises God because "thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created" (Revelation 4:11). See new creation for the Bible's promise of a world made new.
What is a good creation Bible verse for kids?
"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Genesis 1:1) is the place to start. Psalm 33:9, "For he spake, and it was done," is short and easy to remember. Kids can draw one day of creation each day for a week and say the verse as they go. See Bible verses for kids.
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
Related: Bible verses about nature · Bible verses about being fearfully and wonderfully made · Bible verses about new creation · Bible verses about God · Bible verses about stars · Bible verses about light · Bible verses about worship · Bible verses about summer · Bible verses about rainbows · Bible verses about the sun · Bible verses about the moon
Explore more: All Bible verses by topic · KJV Bible verses · Verse of the day · Prayers · Bible study · Bible reading plans
