Genesis 4-6
New International Reader's Version
Cain and Abel
4 Adam loved his wife Eve and slept with her. She became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the Lord’s help I have had a baby boy.” 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.
Abel took care of sheep. Cain farmed the land. 3 After some time, Cain gathered some things he had grown. He brought them as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also brought an offering. He brought the fattest parts of some animals from his flock. They were the first animals born to their mothers. The Lord was pleased with Abel and his offering. 5 But he wasn’t pleased with Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his face was sad.
6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why are you looking so sad? 7 Do what is right and then you will be accepted. If you don’t do what is right, sin is waiting at your door to grab you. It desires to control you. But you must rule over it.”
8 Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” So they went out. There Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
“I don’t know,” Cain replied. “Am I supposed to take care of my brother?”
10 The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground. 11 So I am putting a curse on you. I am driving you away from this ground. It has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you farm the land, it will not produce its crops for you anymore. You will be a restless person who wanders around on the earth.”
13 Cain said to the Lord, “You are punishing me more than I can take. 14 Today you are driving me away from the land. I will be hidden from you. I’ll be a restless person who wanders around on the earth. Anyone who finds me will kill me.”
15 But the Lord said to him, “No. Anyone who kills you will be paid back seven times.” The Lord put a mark on Cain. Then anyone who found him wouldn’t kill him. 16 So Cain went away from the Lord. He lived in the land of Nod. It was east of Eden.
17 Cain loved his wife and slept with her. She became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. At that time Cain was building a city. He named it after his son Enoch. 18 Enoch had a son named Irad. Irad was the father of Mehujael. Mehujael was the father of Methushael. And Methushael was the father of Lamech.
19 Lamech married two women. One was named Adah, and the other was named Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal. He was the father of people who live in tents and raise livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal. He was the father of everyone who plays stringed instruments and wind instruments. 22 Zillah also had a son. His name was Tubal-Cain. He made all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain’s sister was Naamah.
23 Lamech said to his wives,
“Adah and Zillah, listen to me!
You wives of Lamech, hear my words!
I have killed a man because he wounded me.
I have killed a young man because he hurt me.
24 Anyone who would have killed Cain would have been paid back seven times.
But anyone who hurts me will be paid back 77 times.”
25 Adam slept with his wife again. She gave birth to a son and named him Seth. She said, “God has given me another child. He will take the place of Abel, because Cain killed him.” 26 Seth also had a son and named him Enosh.
Then people began to call on the name of the Lord.
The Family Line of Adam
5 Here is the written story of Adam’s family line.
When God created human beings, he made them to be like him. 2 He created them as male and female, and he blessed them. He called them “human beings” when they were created.
3 When Adam was 130 years old, he had a son who was like him. He named him Seth. 4 Adam lived 800 years after Seth was born. He also had other sons and daughters. 5 Adam lived a total of 930 years. And then he died.
6 Seth lived 105 years. Then he became the father of Enosh. 7 Seth lived 807 years after Enosh was born. He also had other sons and daughters. 8 Seth lived a total of 912 years. And then he died.
9 Enosh lived 90 years. Then he became the father of Kenan. 10 Enosh lived 815 years after Kenan was born. He also had other sons and daughters. 11 Enosh lived a total of 905 years. And then he died.
12 Kenan lived 70 years. Then he became the father of Mahalalel. 13 Kenan lived 840 years after Mahalalel was born. He also had other sons and daughters. 14 Kenan lived a total of 910 years. And then he died.
15 Mahalalel lived 65 years. Then he became the father of Jared. 16 Mahalalel lived 830 years after Jared was born. He also had other sons and daughters. 17 Mahalalel lived a total of 895 years. And then he died.
18 Jared lived 162 years. Then he became the father of Enoch. 19 Jared lived 800 years after Enoch was born. He also had other sons and daughters. 20 Jared lived a total of 962 years. And then he died.
21 Enoch lived 65 years. Then he became the father of Methuselah. 22 Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years after Methuselah was born. He also had other sons and daughters. 23 Enoch lived a total of 365 years. 24 Enoch walked faithfully with God. And then he couldn’t be found, because God took him from this life.
25 Methuselah lived 187 years. Then he became the father of Lamech. 26 Methuselah lived 782 years after Lamech was born. He also had other sons and daughters. 27 Methuselah lived a total of 969 years. And then he died.
28 Lamech lived 182 years. Then he had a son 29 and named him Noah. Lamech said, “He will comfort us when we are working. He’ll comfort us when our hands work so hard they hurt. We have to work hard because the Lord put a curse on the ground.” 30 Lamech lived 595 years after Noah was born. He also had other sons and daughters. 31 Lamech lived a total of 777 years. And then he died.
32 After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.
The Sins of Everyone on Earth
6 There began to be many human beings on the earth. And daughters were born to them. 2 The sons of God saw that the daughters of human beings were beautiful. So they married any of them they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not struggle with human beings forever. They will have only 120 years to live.”
4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days. That was when the sons of God went to the daughters of human beings. Children were born to them. The Nephilim were famous heroes who lived long ago. Nephilim were also on the earth later on.
5 The Lord saw how bad the sins of everyone on earth had become. They only thought about evil things. 6 The Lord was very sad that he had made human beings on the earth. His heart was filled with pain. 7 So the Lord said, “I created human beings, but I will wipe them out. I will also destroy the animals, the birds in the sky, and the creatures that move along the ground. I am very sad that I have made human beings.” 8 But the Lord was very pleased with Noah.
Noah and the Flood
9 Here is the story of Noah’s family line.
Noah was a godly man. He was without blame among the people of his time. He walked faithfully with God. 10 Noah had three sons. Their names were Shem, Ham and Japheth.
11 The earth was very sinful in God’s eyes. It was full of people who did mean and harmful things. 12 God saw how sinful the earth had become. All its people were living very sinful lives. 13 So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to everyone. They have filled the earth with their harmful acts. I am certainly going to destroy them and the earth. 14 So make yourself an ark out of cypress wood. Make rooms in it. Cover it with tar inside and out. 15 Here is how I want you to build it. The ark has to be 450 feet long. It has to be 75 feet wide and 45 feet high. 16 Make a roof for it. Leave below the roof an opening all the way around that is a foot and a half high. Put a door in one side of the ark. Make lower, middle and upper decks. 17 I am going to bring a flood on the earth. It will destroy all life under the sky. It will destroy every living creature that breathes. Everything on earth will die. 18 But I will make my covenant with you. You will go into the ark. Your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives will enter it with you. 19 Bring a male and a female of every living thing into the ark. They will be kept alive with you. 20 Two of every kind of bird will come to you. Two of every kind of animal will also come to you. And so will two of every kind of creature that moves along the ground. All of them will be kept alive with you. 21 Take every kind of food that you will need. Store it away as food for you and them.”
22 Noah did everything just as God commanded him.
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