Old Testament
The Book of Genesis
The Book of Genesis is the first of the 46 books of the Old Testament: 50 chapters and 1,530 verses.
About Genesis
About Genesis · Origins narrative
Genesis opens the Bible with the stories Israel told about where everything came from: the world, the human family, and the one people God chose to begin repairing it. Tradition names Moses as its author, though the Church today recognizes that the book took shape over centuries from Israel's oldest traditions. It was written to give a wandering, often defeated people their identity: you are not an accident, you are the family of Abraham, carried by promises God does not break. Everything after it — law, prophets, gospels — assumes the story this book tells first.
| Testament | Old Testament — book 1 of 46, 1 of 73 in the Bible |
|---|---|
| Canon | Protocanonical (in every Christian canon) |
| Chapters | 50 |
| Verses | 1,530, as Bless numbers them |
| Latin | Clementine Vulgate, every chapter |
| Bp. Challoner | Summaries of all 50 chapters · 89 notes |
| Catechism | 98 paragraphs cite it |
Chapter by chapter
All 50 chapters, in brief.
Bishop Richard Challoner’s summary of each chapter, from his revision of the Douay-Rheims (1749–52). Open a chapter for the full text.
Genesis 1
31 versesGod createth Heaven and Earth, and all things therein, in six days.
Genesis 2
25 versesGod resteth on the seventh day and blesseth it. The earthly paradise, in which God placeth man. He commandeth him not to eat of the tree of knowledge. And formeth a woman of his rib.
Genesis 3
24 versesThe serpent's craft. The fall of our first parents. Their punishment. The promise of a Redeemer.
Genesis 4
26 versesThe history of Cain and Abel.
Genesis 5
31 versesThe genealogy, age, and death of the Patriarchs, from Adam to Noe. The translation of Henoch.
Genesis 6
22 versesMan's sin is the cause of the deluge. Noe is commanded to build the ark.
Genesis 7
24 versesNoe with his family go into the ark. The deluge overflows the earth.
Genesis 8
22 versesThe deluge ceaseth. Noe goeth out of the ark, and offereth a sacrifice. God's covenant to him.
Genesis 9
29 versesGod blesseth Noe: forbiddeth blood, and promiseth never more to destroy the world by water. The blessing of Sem and Japheth.
Genesis 10
32 versesThe genealogy of the children of Noe, by whom the world was peopled after the flood.
Genesis 11
32 versesThe tower of Babel. The confusion of tongues. The genealogy of Sem down to Abram.
Genesis 12
20 versesThe call of Abram, and the promise made to him. He sojourneth in Chanaan, and then by occasion of a famine, goeth down to Egypt.
Genesis 13
18 versesAbram and Lot part from each other. God's promise to Abram.
Genesis 14
24 versesThe expedition of the four kings; the victory of Abram; he is blessed by Melchisedech.
Genesis 15
21 versesGod promiseth seed to Abram. His faith, sacrifice and vision.
Genesis 16
16 versesAbram marrieth Agar, who bringeth forth Ismael.
Genesis 17
27 versesThe Covenant of circumcision.
Genesis 18
33 versesAngels are entertained by Abraham. They foretell the birth of Isaac. Abraham's prayer for the men of Sodom.
Genesis 19
38 versesLot, entertaining Angels in his house, is delivered from Sodom, which is destroyed: his wife for looking back is turned into a statue of salt.
Genesis 20
18 versesAbraham sojourned in Gerara: Sara is taken into king Abimelech's house, but by God's commandment is restored untouched.
Genesis 21
34 versesIsaac is born. Agar and Ismael are cast forth.
Genesis 22
24 versesThe faith and obedience of Abraham is proved in his readiness to sacrifice his son Isaac. He is stayed from the act by an angel. Former promises are renewed to him. His brother Nachor's issue.
Genesis 23
20 versesSara's death and burial in the field bought of Ephron.
Genesis 24
67 versesAbraham's servant, sent by him into Mesopotamia, bringeth from thence Rebecca, who is married to Isaac.
Genesis 25
34 versesAbraham's children by Cetura; his death and that of Ismael. Isaac hath Esau and Jacob twins. Esau selleth his first birthright to Jacob.
Genesis 26
35 versesIsaac sojourneth in Gerara, where God reneweth to him the promise made to Abraham. King Abimelech maketh league with him.
Genesis 27
46 versesJacob, by him mother's counsel, obtaineth his father's blessing instead of Esau. And by her is advised to fly to his uncle Laban.
Genesis 28
22 versesJacob's journey to Mesopotamia: his vision and vow.
Genesis 29
35 versesJacob serveth Laban seven years for Rachel: but is deceived with Lia: he afterwards marrieth Rachel. Lia bears him four sons.
Genesis 30
43 versesRachel, being barren, delivereth her handmaid to Jacob; she beareth two sons. Lia ceasing to bear, giveth also her handmaid, and she beareth two more. Then Lia beareth other two sons and one daughter. Rachel beareth Joseph. Jacob, desirous to return home, is hired to stay for a certain part of the flock's increase, whereby he becometh exceeding rich.
Genesis 31
55 versesJacob's departure: he is pursued and overtaken by Laban. They make a covenant.
Genesis 32
32 versesJacob's vision of angels; his message and presents to Esau; his wrestling with an angel.
Genesis 33
20 versesJacob and Esau meet: Jacob goeth to Salem, where he raiseth an altar.
Genesis 34
31 versesDina is ravished, for which the Sichemites are destroyed.
Genesis 35
29 versesJacob purgeth his family from idols: goeth by God's commandment to Bethel, and there buildeth an altar. God appearing again to Jacob blesseth him, and changeth his name into Israel. Rachel dieth in childbirth. Isaac also dieth.
Genesis 36
43 versesEsau with his wives and children parteth from Jacob. An account of his descendants, and of the first kings of Edom.
Genesis 37
36 versesJoseph's dreams: he is sold by his brethren, and carried into Egypt.
Genesis 38
30 versesThe sons of Juda: the death of Her and Onan: the birth of Phares and Zara.
Genesis 39
23 versesJoseph hath charge of his master's house: rejecteth his mistress's solicitations: is falsely accused by her, and cast into prison, where he hath the charge of all the prisoners.
Genesis 40
23 versesJoseph interpreteth the dreams of two of Pharao's servants in prison: the event declareth the interpretations to be true, but Joseph is forgotten.
Genesis 41
57 versesJoseph interpreteth the two dreams of Pharao: he is made ruler over all Egypt.
Genesis 42
38 versesJacob sendeth his ten sons to buy corn in Egypt. Their treatment by Joseph.
Genesis 43
34 versesThe sons of Jacob go again into Egypt with Benjamin. They are entertained by Joseph.
Genesis 44
34 versesJoseph's contrivance to stop his brethren. The humble supplication of Juda.
Genesis 45
28 versesJoseph maketh himself known to his brethren: and sendeth for his father.
Genesis 46
34 versesIsrael, warranted by a vision from God, goeth down into Egypt with all his family.
Genesis 47
31 versesJacob and his sons are presented before Pharao: he giveth them the land of Gessen. The famine forceth the Egyptians to sell all their possessions to the king.
Genesis 48
22 versesJoseph visiteth his father in his sickness, who adopteth his two sons Manasses and Ephraim, and blesseth them, preferring the younger before the elder.
Genesis 49
32 versesJacob's prophetical blessings of his twelve sons: his death.
Genesis 50
25 versesThe mourning for Jacob, and his interment. Joseph's kindness towards his brethren. His death.
Bp. Richard Challoner · chapter summaries
Coming up
Read at Mass.
From October 29, 2026 to October 28, 2027, Genesis is read at the principal Mass on 27 days in the US calendar. The next 8 readings:
| Date | Celebration | Reading | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary | First Reading | Genesis 3:9-15, 20 | |
| Thursday of the Third Week of Advent | First Reading | Genesis 49:2, 8-10 | |
| Monday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | Genesis 1:1-19 | |
| Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | Genesis 1:20—2:4a | |
| First Sunday of Lent | First Reading | Genesis 9:8-15 | |
| Second Sunday of Lent | First Reading | Genesis 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18 | |
| Friday of the Second Week of Lent | First Reading | Genesis 37:3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a | |
| Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent | First Reading | Genesis 17:3-9 | |
| Holy Saturday — the Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter | First Reading | Genesis 1:1—2:2 | |
| Holy Saturday — the Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter | Second Reading | Genesis 22:1-18 | |
| Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church | First Reading | Genesis 3:9-15, 20 | |
| computed | Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time | First Reading | Genesis 3:9-15 |
| computed | St. Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious | First Reading | Genesis 12:1-9 |
| computed | Tuesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | Genesis 13:2, 5-18 |
| computed | Wednesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18 |
| computed | Friday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | Genesis 17:1, 9-10, 15-22 |
| computed | Saturday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | Genesis 18:1-15 |
| computed | St. Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr | First Reading | Genesis 18:16-33 |
| computed | Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | Genesis 21:5, 8-20a |
| computed | Thursday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | Genesis 22:1b-19 |
| computed | Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | Genesis 23:1-4, 19; 24:1-8, 62-67 |
| computed | Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | Genesis 28:10-22a |
| computed | Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | Genesis 32:23-33 |
| computed | Wednesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | Genesis 41:55-57; 42:5-7a, 17-24a |
No more readings are listed here; the liturgical calendar has every date through December 31, 2028.
Citations as published in the USCCB liturgical calendar (principal Mass, first option). Dates after May 31, 2027 are computed by Bless from the US Lectionary cycle — confirm with your parish.