1Adam 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.” 2Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.

Abel took care of sheep. Cain farmed the land. 3After some time, Cain gathered some things he had grown. He brought them as an offering to the Lord. 4And 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. 5But he wasn’t pleased with Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his face was sad.

6Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why are you looking so sad? 7Do 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.”

8Cain 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.

9Then 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?”

10The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground. 11So 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. 12When 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.”

13Cain said to the Lord, “You are punishing me more than I can take. 14Today 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.”

15But 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. 16So Cain went away from the Lord. He lived in the land of Nod. It was east of Eden.

17Cain 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. 18Enoch had a son named Irad. Irad was the father of Mehujael. Mehujael was the father of Methushael. And Methushael was the father of Lamech.

19Lamech married two women. One was named Adah, and the other was named Zillah. 20Adah gave birth to Jabal. He was the father of people who live in tents and raise livestock. 21His brother’s name was Jubal. He was the father of everyone who plays stringed instruments and wind instruments. 22Zillah 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.

23Lamech 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.

24Anyone who would have killed Cain would have been paid back seven times.

But anyone who hurts me will be paid back 77 times.”

25Adam 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.” 26Seth also had a son and named him Enosh.

Then people began to call on the name of the Lord.

Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®

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Genesis 4

1And Adam (Man, ground; red; earthling) knew Khav’vah [Eve] (to breath, to live) his wife; and she conceived, and bore Kayin [something produced, spear], and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) (literally “I have given birth to the man who is in fact Yehovah – Messiah).

2And she again bore his brother Hevel (herdsman). And Hevel (herdsman) was a keeper of sheep, but Kayin [something produced, spear] was a tiller of the ground.

3And in process of time it came to pass, that Kayin [something produced, spear] brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate).

4And Hevel (herdsman), he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) had respect unto Hevel (herdsman) and to his offering:

5But unto Kayin [something produced, spear] and to his offering he had not respect. And Kayin [something produced, spear] was very exceedingly angry, and his Countenance (Face, appearance; show favor) fell.

6And the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) said unto Kayin [something produced, spear], Why are youi exceedingly angry? and why is youri Countenance (Face, appearance; show favor) fallen?

7If youi do well, shall youi not be accepted? and if youi do not well, sin crouches at the door. And unto youi [shall be] his desire, and youi shall rule over him.

8And Kayin [something produced, spear] talked with Hevel (herdsman) his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Kayin [something produced, spear] rose up against Hevel (herdsman) his brother, and killed him.

9And the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) said unto Kayin [something produced, spear], Where [is] Hevel (herdsman) youri brother? And he said, I know not: [Am] I my brother’s keeper?

10And he said, What have youi done? the voice of youri brother’s blood cries unto me from the ground.

11And now [are] youi cursed from the earth, which has opened her mouth to receive youri brother’s blood from youri hand;

12When youi till the ground, it shall not from this time forth (from now on) yield unto youi her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shall youi be in the earth.

13And Kayin [something produced, spear] said unto the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate), My punishment [is] greater than I can bore.

14Behold, youi hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from youri face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, [that] every one that finds me shall slay me.

15And the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) said unto him, Therefore whosoever slays Kayin [something produced, spear], vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) set a mark upon Kayin [something produced, spear], lest any finding him should kill him.

16And Kayin [something produced, spear] went out from the presence of the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate), and dwelt in the land of Nod (vagabond; fugitive), on the east of ‘Eden (bliss).

17And Kayin [something produced, spear] knew his wife; and she conceived, and bore Hanokh (trained and vowed, dedicated; profound (go deep into something)): and he built a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Hanokh (trained and vowed, dedicated; profound (go deep into something)).

18And unto Hanokh (trained and vowed, dedicated; profound (go deep into something)) was born ‘Irad (wild donkey; heap of empire; dragon): and ‘Irad (wild donkey; heap of empire; dragon) begat (to be father of; be ancestor of) Mechuya’el (who proclaims God): and Mechuya’el (who proclaims God) begat (to be father of; be ancestor of) Metusha’el (Man Of God; I’m Mortal, Where’s God?; Man Of Inquisition or Requested Man; [the Man We Wanted]): and Metusha’el (Man Of God; I’m Mortal, Where’s God?; Man Of Inquisition or Requested Man; [the Man We Wanted]) begat (to be father of; be ancestor of) Lemekh (poor; made low).

19And Lemekh (poor; made low) took unto him two wives: the name of the one [was] ‘Adah (an assembly) and Tzilah (shadow).

20And ‘Adah bore Yaval (bring, carry, lead, conduct): he was the father of such as dwell in tents [artificial structures], and [of such as have] cattle [vocation (what God calls, gifts a person to do)].

21And his brother’s name [was] Yuv’al (stream): he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ [artistry].

22And Zillah, she also bore Tuval-Kayin (the inhabited world [and its economy] and production, a spear [weapons]), an instructor of every artisan in brass and iron [manufacturing – with military applications]: and the sister of Tuval-Kayin [was] Na’amah [Loveliness] (pleasant).

23And Lemekh (poor; made low) said unto his wives, ‘Adah (an assembly) and Tzilah (shadow), Hear my voice; youf wives of Lemekh (poor; made low), hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.

24If Kayin [something produced, spear] shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lemekh (poor; made low) seventy and sevenfold.

25And Adam (Man, ground; red; earthling) knew his wife again; and she bore a son, and called his name Shet (Appointed; with connotations of Gluteus Maximus and tumult): For God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered], [said she], has appointed me another seed instead of Hevel (herdsman), whom Kayin [something produced, spear] killed.

26And to Shet (Appointed), to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enosh (mortal, frail, or miserable; mortal man; sick; despaired of; forgetful): then began men to curse the name (lit. Profane (treat as common; defile) the name) of the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate).

For more information about the NMV, details about why the names of God are notated and translated as they are, or to learn about the special markings and translations used in this text, click below.

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Genesis 4

Genesis 4