English Standard Version
Hebrews 11:4
4By 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)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.
Context of Hebrews 11:4
2For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. 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. 5By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. 6And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Read all of Hebrews 11Hebrews 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 4:3In 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 that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
- Hebrews 9:22Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
- Proverbs 15:8The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.
- Proverbs 21:27The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; how much more when he brings it with evil intent.
- Jude 1:11Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam's error and perished in Korah's rebellion.
- Leviticus 9:24And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the pieces of fat on the altar, and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.
- 1 Kings 18:38Then the fire of the Lord 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 on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.
- Luke 11:51from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation.
- Hebrews 12:1Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
- Genesis 4:10And the Lord said, "What have you done? The voice of your 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
In the dictionaries
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
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