Hebrews 11:4

Hebrews 11:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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 International Version (NIV)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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)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.

Context of Hebrews 11:4

2For by this [kind of] faith the men of old gained [divine] approval. 3By faith [that is, with an inherent trust and enduring confidence in the power, wisdom and goodness of God] we understand that the worlds (universe, ages) were framed and created [formed, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose] by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. 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. 5By faith [that pleased God] Enoch was caught up and taken to heaven so that he would not have a glimpse of death; and he was not found because God had taken him; for even before he was taken [to heaven], he received the testimony [still on record] that he had walked with God and pleased Him. 6But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him.

Hebrews 11:4 word by word

Πίστει πλείονα θυσίαν Ἅβελ παρὰ Κάϊν προσήνεγκεν τῷ θεῷ, δι᾽ ἧς ἐμαρτυρήθη εἶναι δίκαιος μαρτυροῦντος ἐπὶ τοῖς δώροις αὐτοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ· καὶ δι᾽ αὐτῆς ἀποθανὼν ἔτι λαλεῖ.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• By faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
• AbelἌβελAbel · AbelG6
• offeredπροσφέρωprospherō · to bring toG4374
• unto Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• unto Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• aθυσίαthusia · sacrificeG2378
• more excellentπλείων, πλεῖονpleiōn pleion pleon · greaterG4119
• thanπαράpara · from/with/besideG3844
• CainΚάϊνKain · CainG2535
• byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• he obtained witnessμαρτυρέωmartureō · to testifyG3140
• that he wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• righteousδίκαιοςdikaios · justG1342
• ofἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• giftsδῶρονdōron · giftG1435
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• he being deadἀποθνήσκωapothnēskō · to dieG599
• yetἔτιeti · stillG2089
• speakethλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980

Cross-references for Hebrews 11:4

• Genesis 4:3And in the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground.
• 1 John 3:11For this is the message which you [believers] have heard from the beginning [of your relationship with Christ], that we should [unselfishly] love and seek the best for one another;
• Hebrews 9:22In fact under the Law almost everything is cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness [neither release from sin and its guilt, nor cancellation of the merited punishment].
• Proverbs 15:8The sacrifice of the wicked is hateful and exceedingly offensive to the Lord, But the prayer of the upright is His delight!
• Proverbs 21:27The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable and offensive [to the Lord]. How much more [unacceptable and insulting can it be] when he brings it with evil intention?
• Jude 1:11Woe to them! For they have gone the [defiant] way of Cain, and for profit they have run headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of [mutinous] Korah.
• Leviticus 9:24Then fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the portions of fat on the altar; and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell face downward [in awe and worship].
• 1 Kings 18:38Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood, and even the stones and the dust; it also licked up the water in the trench.
• Matthew 23:35so that on you will come the guilt of all the blood of the righteous shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah [the priest], the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.
• Luke 11:51from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah [the priest], who was murdered between the altar and the house of God. Yes, I tell you, charges will be brought against this generation.’
• Hebrews 12:1Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who by faith have testified to the truth of God’s absolute faithfulness], stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us,
• Genesis 4:10The Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s [innocent] blood is crying out to Me from the ground [for justice].

Commentaries on Hebrews 11:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4By faith Abel offered - a more excellent sacrifice - · More sacrifice; as if he had said: Abel, by faith, made more than one offering; and hence it is said, God testified of his Gifts, . The plain state of the case seems to have been this: Cain and Abel both brought offerings to the altar of God, probably the altar erected for the family worship. As Cain was a husbandman, he brought a mincha, or eucharistic offering, of the fruits of the ground, by which…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4By faith Abel offered - see Genesis 4:4-5. In the account in Genesis of the offering made by Abel, there is no mention of “faith” - as is true also indeed of most of the instances referred to by the apostle. The account in Genesis is, simply, that Abel “brought of the firstlings of his flock, and the fat thereof, and that the Lord had respect to Abel and his offering.” Men have speculated much as to the reason why the offering of Abel was accepted, and…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-7Verses 4-7 Here follow some illustrious examples of faith from the Old Testament. Abel brought a sacrifice of atonement from the firstlings of the flock, acknowledging himself a sinner who deserved to die, and only hoping for mercy through the great Sacrifice. Cain's proud rage and enmity against the accepted worshipper of God, led to the awful effects the same principles have produced in every age; the cruel persecution, and even murder of believers. By…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4Abel: See Genesis 4:3–5. By faith he was commended as righteous: Compare with Hebrews 10:38. he still speaks: The story of his faith challenges us, and his blood testifies to his righteousness and the injustice of his murder (see 12:24).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. more excellent sacrifice--because offered in faith. Now faith must have some revelation of God on which it fastens. The revelation in this case was doubtless God's command to sacrifice animals ("the firstlings of the flock") in token of the forfeiture of men's life by sin, and as a type of the promised bruiser of the serpent's head (Ge 3:15), the one coming sacrifice: this command is implied in God's having made coats of skin for Adam and Eve (Ge…Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 11:4

• Abel
• Atonement
• Cain
• Decision
• Faith
• Influence
• Justification
• Religion

In the dictionaries

• Abel
• Cain
• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Builder
• Conceive
• Confess
• Cruel
• Faith
• Impossible

Commentaries on Hebrews 11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings