Hebrews 11:4
New International Version
By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.

New Living Translation
It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith.

English Standard Version
By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.

Berean Standard Bible
By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.

Berean Literal Bible
By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he was testified to be righteous, God bearing witness to his gifts; and through it, having died, he still speaks.

King James Bible
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

New King James Version
By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.

New American Standard Bible
By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he was attested to be righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.

NASB 1995
By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.

NASB 1977
By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.

Legacy Standard Bible
By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he was approved as being righteous—God approving his gifts—and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.

Amplified Bible
By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which it was testified of him that he was righteous (upright, in right standing with God), and God testified by accepting his gifts. And though he died, yet through [this act of] faith he still speaks.

Christian Standard Bible
By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was approved as a righteous man, because God approved his gifts, and even though he is dead, he still speaks through his faith.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was approved as a righteous man, because God approved his gifts, and even though he is dead, he still speaks through his faith.

American Standard Version
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had witness borne to him that he was righteous, God bearing witness in respect of his gifts: and through it he being dead yet speaketh.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
By faith, Abel offered to God a sacrifice much better than that of Cain, and because of it there is a testimony concerning him that he was righteous, and God testifies concerning his offering; and because of it, although he died, he also speaks.

Contemporary English Version
Because Abel had faith, he offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. God was pleased with him and his gift, and even though Abel is now dead, his faith still speaks for him.

Douay-Rheims Bible
By faith Abel offered to God a sacrifice exceeding that of Cain, by which he obtained a testimony that he was just, God giving testimony to his gifts; and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

English Revised Version
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had witness borne to him that he was righteous, God bearing witness in respect of his gifts: and through it he being dead yet speaketh.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Faith led Abel to offer God a better sacrifice than Cain's sacrifice. Through his faith Abel received God's approval, since God accepted his sacrifices. Through his faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.

Good News Translation
It was faith that made Abel offer to God a better sacrifice than Cain's. Through his faith he won God's approval as a righteous man, because God himself approved of his gifts. By means of his faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.

International Standard Version
By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did, and by faith he was declared to be righteous, since God himself accepted his offerings. And by faith he continues to speak, even though he is dead.

Literal Standard Version
By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice to God than Cain, through which he was testified to be righteous, God testifying of his gifts, and through it, he being dead, yet speaks.

Majority Standard Bible
By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.

New American Bible
By faith Abel offered to God a sacrifice greater than Cain’s. Through this he was attested to be righteous, God bearing witness to his gifts, and through this, though dead, he still speaks.

NET Bible
By faith Abel offered God a greater sacrifice than Cain, and through his faith he was commended as righteous, because God commended him for his offerings. And through his faith he still speaks, though he is dead.

New Revised Standard Version
By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain’s. Through this he received approval as righteous, God himself giving approval to his gifts; he died, but through his faith he still speaks.

New Heart English Bible
By faith, Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he was attested as righteous, God testifying with respect to his gifts; and though he died he still speaks through it.

Webster's Bible Translation
By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained testimony that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

Weymouth New Testament
Through faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain did, and through this faith he obtained testimony that he was righteous, God giving the testimony by accepting his gifts; and through it, though he is dead, he still speaks.

World English Bible
By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had testimony given to him that he was righteous, God testifying with respect to his gifts; and through it he, being dead, still speaks.

Young's Literal Translation
by faith a better sacrifice did Abel offer to God than Cain, through which he was testified to be righteous, God testifying of his gifts, and through it, he being dead, doth yet speak.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Faith of Abel, Enoch, Noah
3By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 4By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead. 5By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.…

Cross References
Genesis 4:4
while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock. And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,

Genesis 4:8
Then Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let us go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

Matthew 23:35
And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

Hebrews 5:1
Every high priest is appointed from among men to represent them in matters relating to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.

Hebrews 11:2
This is why the ancients were commended.

Hebrews 12:24
to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

2 Peter 2:8
(for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)--


Treasury of Scripture

By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaks.

faith.

Genesis 4:3-5,15,25
And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD…

1 John 3:11,12
For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another…

a more.

Hebrews 9:22
And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

Proverbs 15:8
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

Proverbs 21:27
The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?

he obtained.

Leviticus 9:24
And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.

1 Kings 18:38
Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

Matthew 23:35
That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

and by.

Hebrews 12:1,24
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, …

Genesis 4:10
And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.

Matthew 23:35
That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

yet speaketh.

Jump to Previous
Abel Acceptable Bearing Better Cain Dead Excellent Faith Gifts Obtained Offered Received Respect Righteous Sacrifice Speaketh Speaks Testifying Testimony Witness
Jump to Next
Abel Acceptable Bearing Better Cain Dead Excellent Faith Gifts Obtained Offered Received Respect Righteous Sacrifice Speaketh Speaks Testifying Testimony Witness
Hebrews 11
1. What faith is.
6. Without faith we cannot please God.
7. The examples of faithfulness in the fathers of old time.














(4) A more excellent.--The Greek literally means that Abel's sacrifice was "more than" Cain's (comp. Hebrews 3:3, "more glory"; Matthew 6:25; Luke 11:32, et al.). The word "sacrifice" (which, as is the case with very many words in this chapter, is taken directly from the LXX.) has not its special sense (see Note on Hebrews 10:5) in the narrative of Genesis 4; for the offerings of the two brothers are there designated by the same name, both in the Hebrew ("offering") and in the Greek ("sacrifice"). Hence, apart from the first words, "by faith," there is nothing here said to explain the superiority of Abel's offering; though one who believes sacrifice to have been of Divine institution, and who notes the close connection between God's word and the actions of the men whose faith is here recorded, may hold it probable that Abel's obedience was manifested in his mode of approaching God.

By which he obtained witness.--Probably, "through which faith," but the Greek may also mean through which sacrifice. The witness (Hebrews 11:2) is that borne by God in His acceptance of the offering (shown by some visible sign); we might also add that such a testimony to Abel is implied in the reproof of Cain (Genesis 4:7), but the following words, "God bearing witness over" (or in regard to) "his gifts," show what was chiefly in the writer's thought. Such acceptance implied Abel's righteousness and thus testified to his "faith." It is remarkable that in three out of the four places in which Abel is mentioned in the New Testament this epithet is used (Matthew 23:35; 1John 3:12). In the later Jewish tradition (contained in the Targum of Jerusalem) the brothers are represented as types of faith and unbelief; and in Hebrews 11:10, "thy brother's blood" (Hebrew, "bloods") is expanded into "the blood of the multitude of the righteous who were to arise from thy brother." In this clause the authorities for the Greek text are much divided. One reading, "he testifying over his gifts to God," has the support of the three oldest MSS., but can hardly be correct. . . .

Verse 4. - By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which (i.e. faith, not sacrifice, "faith" being the ruling idea of the whole passage) he obtained witness (literally, was witnessed of) that he was righteous, God testifying of (literally, witnessing upon, or, in respect to) his gifts: and through it (faith) he being dead yet speaketh. In the traditions preserved in Genesis of the dim and distant antediluvian period, three figures stand out prominently as representing the righteous seed in the midst of growing evil - Abel, Enoch, and Noah. These are, therefore, first adduced with the view of showing that it is in respect of faith that they are thus distinguished in the sacred record. With respect to Abel, it is not necessary to inquire or conjecture whether the bloody character of his offering is to be considered as constituting its superior excellence. The record in Genesis simply represents the two brothers as offering each what he had to offer in accordance with his occupation and pursuits, the only difference being that Abel is said to, have offered his firstlings and the fat thereof, while nothing is said of Cain having brought his first fruits or his best. Then, in the account of the result, we are only told that unto one the LORD had respect, and not to the other, without mention of the reason why. It is usual to find a reason in the nature of Abel's offering as signifying atonement, and to suppose his faith manifested in his recognition of the need of such atonement, signified to him, as has been further supposed, by Divine command. This view of the intention of the narrative is indeed suggested by the description of what his offering was, viewed in the light of subsequent sacrificial theory; but it is not apparent in the narrative taken by itself, or in the reference to it in the passage before us. The acceptableness of the offering is here simply attributed, as of necessity, to the faith of the offerer, without any intimation of how that faith had been evinced. And with this view of the matter agrees the record itself, where it is said that "unto Abel and his offering the LORD had respect;" i.e. to Abel first, and then to his offering - the offering was accepted because Abel was, not Abel on account of his kind of offering. "Crone quod datur Deo ex dantis mente pensatur... Neque enim sacrum eloquimn dicit, Respexit ad munera Abel et ad Cain mqnera non respexit, sed prius air quid respexit ad Abel, ac deinde subjunxit, 'et ad munera ejus.' Idcirco non Abel ex muneribus, sed ex Abel munera oblata placuerunt" (St. Gregory, quoted by Delitzsch). "And he being dead," etc., refers plainly to Genesis 4:10, "The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground." The same voice of innocent blood, which appealed at the beginning of human history to the God of righteousness, cries still through all the ages; it sounds in our own cars now, telling us that faith prevails on high, and that "right dear in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints." Cf. Hebrews 12:24 for an allusion again to the cry of the blood of Abel. The word αλεῖν is there also used, supporting the reading λαλεῖ, rather than the λαλεῖται of the Textus Receptus here.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
By faith
Πίστει (Pistei)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4102: Faith, belief, trust, confidence; fidelity, faithfulness.

Abel
Ἅβελ (Habel)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 6: Abel, second son of Adam and Eve, brother of Cain. Of Hebrew origin; Abel, the son of Adam.

offered
προσήνεγκεν (prosēnenken)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4374: From pros and phero; to bear towards, i.e. Lead to, tender, treat.

God
Θεῷ (Theō)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

a better
πλείονα (pleiona)
Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular - Comparative
Strong's 4119: Or neuter pleion, or pleon comparative of polus; more in quantity, number, or quality; also the major portion.

sacrifice
θυσίαν (thysian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2378: Abstr. and concr: sacrifice; a sacrifice, offering. From thuo; sacrifice.

than
παρὰ (para)
Preposition
Strong's 3844: Gen: from; dat: beside, in the presence of; acc: alongside of.

Cain [did].
Κάϊν (Kain)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2535: (Hebrew), Cain, son of Adam and Eve and brother of Abel. Of Hebrew origin; Cain, the son of Adam.

By
δι’ (di’)
Preposition
Strong's 1223: A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through.

[faith]
ἧς (hēs)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

he was commended
ἐμαρτυρήθη (emartyrēthē)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3140: To witness, bear witness, give evidence, testify, give a good report. From martus; to be a witness, i.e. Testify.

as
εἶναι (einai)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

righteous
δίκαιος (dikaios)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1342: From dike; equitable; by implication, innocent, holy.

[when] God
Θεοῦ (Theou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

gave approval
μαρτυροῦντος (martyrountos)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3140: To witness, bear witness, give evidence, testify, give a good report. From martus; to be a witness, i.e. Testify.

to
ἐπὶ (epi)
Preposition
Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

his
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

gifts.
δώροις (dōrois)
Noun - Dative Neuter Plural
Strong's 1435: A gift, present. A present; specially, a sacrifice.

And
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

by
δι’ (di’)
Preposition
Strong's 1223: A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through.

[faith]
αὐτῆς (autēs)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

he still speaks,
λαλεῖ (lalei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2980: A prolonged form of an otherwise obsolete verb; to talk, i.e. Utter words.

[even though] he is dead.
ἀποθανὼν (apothanōn)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 599: To be dying, be about to die, wither, decay. From apo and thnesko; to die off.


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NT Letters: Hebrews 11:4 By faith Abel offered to God (Heb. He. Hb)
Hebrews 11:3
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