6:1 Now in those ¹  days, when the disciples were growing in number, ²  a complaint arose on the part of the Greek-speaking Jews ³  against the native Hebraic Jews, ⁴  because their widows ⁵  were being overlooked ⁶  in the daily distribution of food. ⁷  6:2 So the twelve ⁸  called ⁹  the whole group ¹⁰  of the disciples together and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to wait on tables. ¹¹  6:3 But carefully select from among you, brothers, ¹²  seven ¹³  men who are well-attested, ¹⁴  full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge ¹⁵  of this necessary task. ¹⁶  6:4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 6:5 The ¹⁷  proposal pleased the entire group, so ¹⁸  they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, with ¹⁹  Philip, ²⁰  Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a Gentile convert to Judaism ²¹  from Antioch. ²²  6:6 They stood these men before the apostles, who prayed ²³  and placed ²⁴  their hands on them. 6:7 The word of God continued to spread, ²⁵  the number of disciples in Jerusalem ²⁶  increased greatly, and a large group ²⁷  of priests became obedient to the faith.

6:8 Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and miraculous signs ²⁸  among the people. 6:9 But some men from the Synagogue ²⁹  of the Freedmen (as it was called), ³⁰  both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, as well as some from Cilicia and the province of Asia, ³¹  stood up and argued with Stephen. 6:10 Yet ³²  they were not able to resist ³³  the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. 6:11 Then they secretly instigated ³⁴  some men to say, “We have heard this man ³⁵  speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 6:12 They incited the people, the ³⁶  elders, and the experts in the law; ³⁷  then they approached Stephen, ³⁸  seized him, and brought him before the council. ³⁹  6:13 They brought forward false witnesses who said, “This man does not stop saying things against this holy place ⁴⁰  and the law. ⁴¹  6:14 For we have heard him saying that Jesus the Nazarene will destroy this place and change the customs ⁴²  that Moses handed down to us.” 6:15 All ⁴³  who were sitting in the council ⁴⁴  looked intently at Stephen ⁴⁵  and saw his face was like the face of an angel. ⁴⁶ 

4:1 Now ¹  the man had marital relations with ²  his wife Eve, and she became pregnant ³  and gave birth to Cain. Then she said, “I have created ⁴  a man just as the Lord did!” ⁵  4:2 Then she gave birth ⁶  to his brother Abel. ⁷  Abel took care of the flocks, while Cain cultivated the ground. ⁸ 

4:3 At the designated time ⁹  Cain brought some of the fruit of the ground for an offering ¹⁰  to the Lord. 4:4 But Abel brought ¹¹  some of the firstborn of his flock – even the fattest ¹²  of them. And the Lord was pleased with ¹³  Abel and his offering, 4:5 but with Cain and his offering he was not pleased. ¹⁴  So Cain became very angry, ¹⁵  and his expression was downcast. ¹⁶ 

4:6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why is your expression downcast? 4:7 Is it not true ¹⁷  that if you do what is right, you will be fine? ¹⁸  But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching ¹⁹  at the door. It desires to dominate you, but you must subdue it.” ²⁰ 

4:8 Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” ²¹  While they were in the field, Cain attacked ²²  his brother ²³  Abel and killed him.

4:9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” ²⁴  And he replied, “I don’t know! Am I my brother’s guardian?” ²⁵  4:10 But the Lord said, “What have you done? ²⁶  The voice ²⁷  of your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground! 4:11 So now, you are banished ²⁸  from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 4:12 When you try to cultivate ²⁹  the

ground it will no longer yield ³⁰  its best ³¹  for you. You will be a homeless wanderer ³²  on the earth.” 4:13 Then Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment ³³  is too great to endure! ³⁴  4:14 Look! You are driving me off the land ³⁵  today, and I must hide from your presence. ³⁶  I will be a homeless wanderer on the earth; whoever finds me will kill me.” 4:15 But the Lord said to him, “All right then, ³⁷  if anyone kills Cain, Cain will be avenged seven times as much.” ³⁸  Then the Lord put a special mark ³⁹  on Cain so that no one who found him would strike him down. ⁴⁰  4:16 So Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and lived in the land of Nod, ⁴¹  east of Eden.

4:17 Cain had marital relations ⁴²  with his wife, and she became pregnant ⁴³  and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was building a city, and he named the city after ⁴⁴  his son Enoch. 4:18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father ⁴⁵  of Mehujael. Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech.

4:19 Lamech took two wives for himself; the name of the first was Adah, and the name of the second was Zillah. 4:20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the first ⁴⁶  of those who live in tents and keep ⁴⁷  livestock. 4:21 The name of his brother was Jubal; he was the first of all who play the harp and the flute. 4:22 Now Zillah also gave birth to Tubal-Cain, who heated metal and shaped ⁴⁸  all kinds of tools made of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah.

4:23 Lamech said to his wives,

“Adah and Zillah! Listen to me!

You wives of Lamech, hear my words!

I have killed a man for wounding me,

a young man ⁴⁹  for hurting me.

4:24 If Cain is to be avenged seven times as much,

then Lamech seventy-seven times!” ⁵⁰ 

4:25 And Adam had marital relations ⁵¹  with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son. She named him Seth, saying, “God has given ⁵²  me another child ⁵³  in place of Abel because Cain killed him.” 4:26 And a son was also born to Seth, whom he named Enosh. At that time people ⁵⁴  began to worship ⁵⁵  the Lord.