Genesis
Chapter 4
1 Adam was intimate with his wife Eve; she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain, saying, “I have had a son with God’s help.”
2 She also gave birth to his brother Abel. Abel took care of sheep, while Cain worked the soil.
3 After some time, Cain gave some of his crops as an offering to God.
4 Abel also gave the best of his sheep and their fat. And God respected Abel and his gift.
5 God did not accept Cain and his offering. Cain became very angry, and his face showed it.
6 God asked Cain, “Why are you angry? And why do you look upset?”
7 If you do good, won’t you be accepted? But if you don’t do good, sin is waiting to enter. It desires to control you, but you must rule over it.
8 Cain spoke to his brother Abel, and while they were in the field, Cain attacked Abel and killed him.
9 God asked Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” Cain replied, “I don’t know. Am I supposed to look after my brother?”
10 He asked, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood calls out to me from the ground.”
11 You are now cursed from the ground, which opened up to take your brother’s blood from your hands.
12 When you farm the land, it will no longer give you its best crops; you will be a wanderer and a runaway on the earth.
13 Cain said to God, “My punishment is too much for me to handle.”
14 Look, you have forced me to leave the land today; I will be hidden from you and I will wander the earth; anyone who finds me will kill me.
15 God said to him, “So, if anyone kills Cain, they will be punished seven times more.” And God put a mark on Cain to prevent anyone who found him from killing him.
16 Cain left God’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
17 Cain was intimate with his wife; she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Then he built a city and named it Enoch, after his son.
18 Enoch had a son named Irad. Irad had a son named Mehujael. Mehujael had a son named Methusael. Methusael had a son named Lamech.
19 Lamech married two women: one named Adah and the other named Zillah.
20 Adah gave birth to Jabal: he became the ancestor of those who live in tents and keep livestock.
21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the first musician who played the harp and flute.
22 Zillah also had Tubalcain, a teacher of all metalworkers in brass and iron, and Tubalcain’s sister was Naamah.
23 Lamech told his wives, Adah and Zillah, “Listen to me; you, Lamech’s wives, hear what I say: I have killed a man because he wounded me, and a young man because he hurt me.”
24 If God punishes someone seven times for hurting Cain, then for hurting Lamech, God will punish seventy-seven times.
25 Adam was close with his wife again, and she had a son named Seth. She said, “God has given me another child to replace Abel, who Cain killed.”
26 Seth also had a son, and he named him Enos. This is when people began to pray to God.