Genesis 4:1-15

New International Version

Cain and Abel

4 Adam^[a] made love to his wife^(A) Eve,^(B) and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain.^[b]^(C) She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth^[c] a man.” ²Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.^(D)

Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.^(E) ³In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering^(F) to the Lord.^(G) ⁴And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions^(H) from some of the firstborn of his flock.^(I) The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering,^(J) ⁵but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

⁶Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry?^(K) Why is your face downcast? ⁷If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door;^(L) it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.^(M)”

⁸Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.”^[d] While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.^(N)

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

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

¹⁰The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.^(Q) ¹¹Now you are under a curse^(R) and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. ¹²When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you.^(S) You will be a restless wanderer^(T) on the earth.^(U)”

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

¹⁵But the Lord said to him, “Not so^[e]; anyone who kills Cain^(Y) will suffer vengeance^(Z) seven times over.^(AA)” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him.

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Footnotes

Genesis 4:1 Or The man
Genesis 4:1 Cain sounds like the Hebrew for brought forth or acquired.
Genesis 4:1 Or have acquired
Genesis 4:8 Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; Masoretic Text does not have “Let’s go out to the field.”
Genesis 4:15 Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; Hebrew Very well

Psalm 5

New International Version

Psalm 5^[a]

For the director of music. For pipes. A psalm of David.

¹Listen^(A) to my words, Lord,
    consider my lament.^(B)
²Hear my cry for help,^(C)
    my King and my God,^(D)
    for to you I pray.

³In the morning,^(E) Lord, you hear my voice;
    in the morning I lay my requests before you
    and wait expectantly.^(F)
⁴For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;
    with you, evil people^(G) are not welcome.
⁵The arrogant^(H) cannot stand^(I)
    in your presence.
You hate^(J) all who do wrong;
⁶    you destroy those who tell lies.^(K)
The bloodthirsty and deceitful
    you, Lord, detest.
⁷But I, by your great love,
    can come into your house;
in reverence^(L) I bow down^(M)
    toward your holy temple.^(N)

⁸Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness^(O)
    because of my enemies—
    make your way straight^(P) before me.
⁹Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
    their heart is filled with malice.
Their throat is an open grave;^(Q)
    with their tongues they tell lies.^(R)
¹⁰Declare them guilty, O God!
    Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,^(S)
    for they have rebelled^(T) against you.
¹¹But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
    let them ever sing for joy.^(U)
Spread your protection over them,
    that those who love your name^(V) may rejoice in you.^(W)

¹²Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous;^(X)
you surround them^(Y) with your favor as with a shield.^(Z)

Footnotes

Psalm 5:1 In Hebrew texts 5:1-12 is numbered 5:2-13.

2 Timothy 4:6-8

New International Version

⁶For I am already being poured out like a drink offering,^(A) and the time for my departure is near.^(B) ⁷I have fought the good fight,^(C) I have finished the race,^(D) I have kept the faith. ⁸Now there is in store for me^(E) the crown of righteousness,^(F) which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day^(G)—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.^(H)

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2 Timothy 4:16-18

New International Version

¹⁶At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them.^(A) ¹⁷But the Lord stood at my side^(B) and gave me strength,^(C) so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it.^(D) And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth.^(E) ¹⁸The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack^(F) and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.^(G) To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.^(H)

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Luke 18:9-17

New International Version

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

⁹To some who were confident of their own righteousness^(A) and looked down on everyone else,^(B) Jesus told this parable: ¹⁰“Two men went up to the temple to pray,^(C) one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹The Pharisee stood by himself^(D) and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. ¹²I fast^(E) twice a week and give a tenth^(F) of all I get.’

¹³“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast^(G) and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’^(H)

¹⁴“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”^(I)

The Little Children and Jesus^(J)

¹⁵People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. ¹⁶But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁷Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child^(K) will never enter it.”

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