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 in [the power of] this the elders have obtained testimony. 3By faith we apprehend that the worlds were framed by [the] word of God, so that that which is seen should not take its origin from things which appear. By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained testimony of being righteous, God bearing testimony to his gifts, and by it, having died, he yet speaks. 5By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him; for before [his] translation he has the testimony that he had pleased God. 6But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]. For he that draws near to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them who seek him out.

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

• faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
• AbelἌβελAbel · AbelG6
• offeredπροσφέρωprospherō · to bring toG4374
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• moreπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
• sacrificeθυσίαthusia · sacrificeG2378
• CainΚάϊνKain · CainG2535
• beingεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• righteousδίκαιοςdikaios · justG1342
• giftsδῶρονdōron · giftG1435
• diedἀποθνήσκωapothnēskō · to dieG599
• speaksλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980

Cross-references for Hebrews 11:4

• Genesis 4:3And in process of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering to Jehovah.
• 1 John 3:11For this is the message which ye have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another:
• Hebrews 9:22and almost all things are purified with blood according to the law, and without blood-shedding there is no remission.
• Proverbs 15:8The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to Jehovah; but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
• Proverbs 21:27The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more when they bring it with a wicked purpose!
• Jude 1:11Woe to them! because they have gone in the way of Cain, and given themselves up to the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
• Leviticus 9:24And there went out fire from before Jehovah, and consumed on the altar the burnt-offering, and the pieces of fat; and all the people saw it, and they shouted, and fell on their face.
• 1 Kings 18:38And the fire of Jehovah fell, and consumed the burnt-offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
• Matthew 23:35so that all righteous blood shed upon the earth should come upon you, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
• Luke 11:51from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zacharias, who perished between the altar and the house; yea, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation.
• Hebrews 12:1Let us also therefore, having so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, laying aside every weight, and sin which so easily entangles us, run with endurance the race that lies before us,
• Genesis 4:10And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood is crying to me from the ground.

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
• Builder
• Conceive
• Confess
• Cruel
• Faith
• Impossible
• Proper

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