Genesis 4

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. ¹⁶So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence^(AB) and lived in the land of Nod,^[f] east of Eden.^(AC)

¹⁷Cain made love to his wife,^(AD) and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city,^(AE) and he named it after his son^(AF) Enoch. ¹⁸To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech.

¹⁹Lamech married^(AG) two women,^(AH) one named Adah and the other Zillah. ²⁰Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. ²¹His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play stringed instruments^(AI) and pipes.^(AJ) ²²Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged^(AK) all kinds of tools out of^[g] bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain’s sister was Naamah.

²³Lamech said to his wives,

“Adah and Zillah, listen to me;
    wives of Lamech, hear my words.
I have killed^(AL) a man for wounding me,
    a young man for injuring me.
²⁴If Cain is avenged^(AM) seven times,^(AN)
    then Lamech seventy-seven times.^(AO)”

²⁵Adam made love to his wife^(AP) again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth,^[h]^(AQ) saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.”^(AR) ²⁶Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh.^(AS)

At that time people began to call on^[i] the name of the Lord.^(AT)

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
Genesis 4:16 Nod means wandering (see verses 12 and 14).
Genesis 4:22 Or who instructed all who work in
Genesis 4:25 Seth probably means granted.
Genesis 4:26 Or to proclaim

Psalm 2

New International Version

Psalm 2

¹Why do the nations conspire^[a]
    and the peoples plot^(A) in vain?
²The kings^(B) of the earth rise up
    and the rulers band together
    against the Lord and against his anointed,^(C) saying,
³“Let us break their chains^(D)
    and throw off their shackles.”^(E)

⁴The One enthroned^(F) in heaven laughs;^(G)
    the Lord scoffs at them.
⁵He rebukes them in his anger^(H)
    and terrifies them in his wrath,^(I) saying,
⁶“I have installed my king^(J)
    on Zion,^(K) my holy mountain.^(L)”

⁷I will proclaim the Lord’s decree:

He said to me, “You are my son;^(M)
    today I have become your father.^(N)
⁸Ask me,
    and I will make the nations^(O) your inheritance,^(P)
    the ends of the earth^(Q) your possession.
⁹You will break them with a rod of iron^[b];^(R)
    you will dash them to pieces^(S) like pottery.^(T)”

¹⁰Therefore, you kings, be wise;^(U)
    be warned, you rulers^(V) of the earth.
¹¹Serve the Lord with fear^(W)
    and celebrate his rule^(X) with trembling.^(Y)
¹²Kiss his son,^(Z) or he will be angry
    and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath^(AA) can flare up in a moment.
    Blessed^(AB) are all who take refuge^(AC) in him.