Genesis 4:9-16

New International Version

⁹ Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”^(A)

“I don’t know,^(B)” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

¹⁰ The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.^{(C) 11} Now you are under a curse^(D) and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. ¹² When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you.^(E) You will be a restless wanderer^(F) on the earth.^(G)”

¹³ Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can bear. ¹⁴ Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence;^(H) I will be a restless wanderer on the earth,^(I) and whoever finds me will kill me.”^(J)

¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, “Not so^[a]; anyone who kills Cain^(K) will suffer vengeance^(L) seven times over.^(M)” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. ¹⁶ So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence^(N) and lived in the land of Nod,^[b] east of Eden.^(O)