Common English Bible CEB
The Message Bible MSG
1 The man Adam knew his wife Eve intimately. She became pregnant and gave birth to Cain, and said, "I have given life to a man with the LORD's help."
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Adam slept with Eve his wife. She conceived and had Cain. She said, "I've gotten a man, with God's help!"
2 She gave birth a second time to Cain's brother Abel. Abel cared for the flocks, and Cain farmed the fertile land.
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Then she had another baby, Abel. Abel was a herdsman and Cain a farmer.
3 Some time later, Cain presented an offering to the LORD from the land's crops
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Time passed. Cain brought an offering to God from the produce of his farm.
4 while Abel presented his flock's oldest offspring with their fat. The LORD looked favorably on Abel and his sacrifice
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Abel also brought an offering, but from the firstborn animals of his herd, choice cuts of meat. God liked Abel and his offering,
5 but didn't look favorably on Cain and his sacrifice. Cain became very angry and looked resentful.
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but Cain and his offering didn't get his approval. Cain lost his temper and went into a sulk.
6 The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why do you look so resentful?
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God spoke to Cain: "Why this tantrum? Why the sulking?
7 If you do the right thing, won't you be accepted? But if you don't do the right thing, sin will be waiting at the door ready to strike! It will entice you, but you must rule over it."
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If you do well, won't you be accepted? And if you don't do well, sin is lying in wait for you, ready to pounce; it's out to get you, you've got to master it."
8 Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." When they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
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Cain had words with his brother. They were out in the field; Cain came at Abel his brother and killed him.
9 The LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" Cain said, "I don't know. Am I my brother's guardian?"
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God said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "How should I know? Am I his babysitter?"
10 The LORD said, "What did you do? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground.
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God said, "What have you done! The voice of your brother's blood is calling to me from the ground.
11 You are now cursed from the ground that opened its mouth to take your brother's blood from your hand.
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From now on you'll get nothing but curses from this ground; you'll be driven from this ground that has opened its arms to receive the blood of your murdered brother.
12 When you farm the fertile land, it will no longer grow anything for you, and you will become a roving nomad on the earth."
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You'll farm this ground, but it will no longer give you its best. You'll be a homeless wanderer on Earth."
13 Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is more than I can bear.
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Cain said to God, "My punishment is too much. I can't take it!
14 Now that you've driven me away from the fertile land and I am hidden from your presence, I'm about to become a roving nomad on the earth, and anyone who finds me will kill me."
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You've thrown me off the land and I can never again face you. I'm a homeless wanderer on Earth and whoever finds me will kill me."
15 The LORD said to him, "It won't happen; anyone who kills Cain will be paid back seven times. The LORD put a sign on Cain so that no one who found him would assault him.
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God told him, "No. Anyone who kills Cain will pay for it seven times over." God put a mark on Cain to protect him so that no one who met him would kill him.
16 Cain left the LORD's presence, and he settled down in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
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Cain left the presence of God and lived in No-Man's-Land, east of Eden.
17 Cain knew his wife intimately. She became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain built a city and named the city after his son Enoch.
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Cain slept with his wife. She conceived and had Enoch. He then built a city and named it after his son, Enoch.
18 Irad was born to Enoch. Irad fathered Mehujael, Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech.
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Enoch had Irad, Irad had Mehujael, Mehujael had Methushael, Methushael had Lamech.
19 Lamech took two wives, the first named Adah and the second Zillah.
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Lamech married two wives, Adah and Zillah.
20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the ancestor of those who live in tents and own livestock.
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Adah gave birth to Jabal, the ancestor of all who live in tents and herd cattle.
21 His brother's name was Jubal; he was the ancestor of those who play stringed and wind instruments.
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His brother's name was Jubal, the ancestor of all who play the lyre and flute.
22 Zillah also gave birth to Tubal-cain, the ancestor of blacksmiths and all artisans of bronze and iron. Tubal-cain's sister was Naamah.
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Zillah gave birth to Tubal-Cain, who worked at the forge making bronze and iron tools. Tubal-Cain's sister was Naamah.
23 Lamech said to his wives, "Adah and Zillah, listen to my voice; wives of Lamech, pay attention to my words: I killed a man for wounding me, a boy for striking me;
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Lamech said to his wives, Adah and Zillah, listen to me; you wives of Lamech, hear me out: I killed a man for wounding me, a young man who attacked me.
24 so Cain will be paid back seven times and Lamech seventy-seven times."
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If Cain is avenged seven times, for Lamech it's seventy-seven!
25 Adam knew his wife intimately again, and she gave birth to a son. She named him Seth"because God has given me another child in place of Abel, whom Cain killed."
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Adam slept with his wife again. She had a son whom she named Seth. She said, "God has given me another child in place of Abel whom Cain killed."
26 Seth also fathered a son and named him Enosh. At that time, people began to worship in the LORD's name.
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And then Seth had a son whom he named Enosh. That's when men and women began praying and worshiping in the name of God.