Genesis 9:6-8

New Catholic Bible

⁶“Whoever spills human blood,
    that person’s blood will be shed;
    for in the image of God
    has God made man.

⁷And as for you, be fruitful and multiply; become numerous upon the earth and have dominion over it.”

Covenant of Mercy.^[a] ⁸God said to Noah and his sons,

Genesis 9:8 God’s intention as enunciated in the Yahwist tradition (8:21-22) is rethought in this Priestly passage as a covenant between God and Noah, analogous to that which will later be established between God and Abraham (Gen 15; 17) and then between God and the Israelite people (Ex 19–24). The imagery brings out the unqualified steadfastness of the divine intention. The Covenant is freely made on God’s part, that is, it does not depend on the future behavior of human beings, for the Lord does not ask Noah to fulfill any particular requirement.

Genesis 9:6-8

New International Version

⁶“Whoever sheds human blood,
by humans shall their blood be shed;^(A)
for in the image of God^(B)
has God made mankind.

⁷As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.”^(C)

⁸Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him:

New Catholic Bible (NCB)

New International Version (NIV)