Cain and Abel

(Hebrews 11:4)

And Adam had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain.[fn]

“With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man,” she said.

2 

Later she gave birth to [Cain’s] brother Abel.

Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, while Cain was a tiller of the soil. 3 So in the course of time Cain brought some of the fruit of the soil as an offering to the LORD, 4 while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock.

And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but He had no regard for Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell.

6 

“Why are you angry,” said the LORD to Cain, and why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do what is right, {will} you not be accepted? But if you refuse to do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires you,[fn] but you must master it.”

8 

Then Cain said to his brother Abel, [“Let us go out to the field.”][fn] And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

9 

And the LORD said to Cain,“Where [is] your brother Abel?”

“I do not know!” he answered.“{Am} I my brother’s keeper?”

10 

“What have you done?” replied [the LORD].“The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. 11 Now you [are] cursed and banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you till the ground, {it will} no longer yield its produce to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”

13 

But Cain said to the LORD,“My punishment[fn] [is] greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, this day You have driven me from the face of the earth, and from Your face I will be hidden; I {will} be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me {will} kill me.”

15 

“Not so!”[fn] replied the LORD“ If anyone slays Cain, [then Cain] will be avenged sevenfold.” And the LORD placed a mark on Cain, so that no one who found him would kill him.

16 

So Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod,[fn] east of Eden.

17