Genesis 3:20-4:15

New American Standard Bible

²⁰ Now the man named his wife ^[a](A)Eve, because she was the mother of all the living. ²¹ And the Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.

²² Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of ^(B)Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might reach out with his hand, and take fruit also from ^(C)the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— ²³ therefore the Lord God sent him out of the Garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. ²⁴ So ^(D)He drove the man out; and at the ^(E)east of the Garden of Eden He stationed the ^(F)cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to ^(G)the tree of life.

Cain and Abel

4 Now the man ^[b]had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, “I have obtained a male child with the help of the Lord.” ² And again, she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now ^(H)Abel was ^(I)a keeper of flocks, but Cain was a cultivator of the ground. ³ So it came about ^[c]in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the Lord from the fruit of the ground. ^4 (J)Abel, on his part also brought an offering, from the firstborn of his flock and from their fat portions. And ^(K)the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering; ⁵ but ^(L)for Cain and his offering He had no regard. So ^(M)Cain became very angry and his face ^[d]was gloomy. ⁶ Then the Lord said to Cain, “^(N)Why are you angry? And why is your face ^[e]gloomy? ^7 (O)If you do well, ^[f]will your face not be ^[g]cheerful? ^(P)And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; and its desire is for you, ^(Q)but you must master it.” ⁸ Cain ^[h]talked to his brother Abel; and it happened that when they were in the field Cain rose up against his brother Abel and ^(R)killed him.

⁹ Then the Lord said to Cain, “^(S)Where is Abel your brother?” And he said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” ¹⁰ Then He said, “What have you done? ^(T)The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to Me from the ground. ¹¹ Now ^(U)you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. ^12 (V)When you cultivate the ground, it will no longer yield its strength to you; ^(W)you will be a wanderer and a drifter on the earth.” ¹³ Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is too great to endure! ¹⁴ Behold, You have ^(X)driven me this day from the face of the ground; and I will be hidden from Your face, and ^(Y)I will be a wanderer and a drifter on the earth, and ^(Z)whoever finds me will kill me.” ¹⁵ So the Lord said to him, “Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him ^(AA)seven times as much.” And the Lord ^[i](AB)placed a mark on Cain, so that no one finding him would kill him.