Genesis 4:1-26 NCV

[1] Adam had sexual relations with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. Eve said, "With the LORD's help, I have given birth to a man." [2] After that, Eve gave birth to Cain's brother Abel. Abel took care of flocks, and Cain became a farmer. [3] Later, Cain brought some food from the ground as a gift to God. [4] Abel brought the best parts from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD accepted Abel and his gift, [5] but he did not accept Cain and his gift. So Cain became very angry and felt rejected. [6] The LORD asked Cain, "Why are you angry? Why do you look so unhappy? [7] If you do things well, I will accept you, but if you do not do them well, sin is ready to attack you. Sin wants you, but you must rule over it." [8] Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out into the field." While they were out in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. [9] Later, the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" Cain answered, "I don't know. Is it my job to take care of my brother?" [10] Then the LORD said, "What have you done? Your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground. [11] And now you will be cursed in your work with the ground, the same ground where your brother's blood fell and where your hands killed him. [12] You will work the ground, but it will not grow good crops for you anymore, and you will wander around on the earth." [13] Then Cain said to the LORD, "This punishment is more than I can stand! [14] Today you have forced me to stop working the ground, and now I must hide from you. I must wander around on the earth, and anyone who meets me can kill me." [15] The LORD said to Cain, "No! If anyone kills you, I will punish that person seven times more." Then the LORD put a mark on Cain warning anyone who met him not to kill him. [16] So Cain went away from the LORD and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden. [17] He had sexual relations with his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. At that time Cain was building a city, which he named after his son Enoch. [18] Enoch had a son named Irad, Irad had a son named Mehujael, Mehujael had a son named Methushael, and Methushael had a son named Lamech. [19] Lamech married two women, Adah and Zillah. [20] Adah gave birth to Jabal, who became the first person to live in tents and raise cattle. [21] Jabal's brother was Jubal, the first person to play the harp and flute. [22] Zillah gave birth to Tubal-Cain, who made tools out of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah. [23] Lamech said to his wives: "Adah and Zillah, hear my voice! You wives of Lamech, listen to what I say. I killed a man for wounding me, a young man for hitting me. [24] If Cain's killer is punished seven times, then Lamech's killer will be punished seventy-seven times." [25] Adam had sexual relations with his wife Eve again, and she gave birth to a son. She named him Seth and said, "God has given me another child. He will take the place of Abel, who was killed by Cain." [26] Seth also had a son, and they named him Enosh. At that time people began to pray to the LORD.