Hebrews 11:4

“By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he received testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts; and through it, though he died, he still speaks.”
Hebrews 11:4 · direct translation from the Greek

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With the Greek beneath

By faithΠίστειAbelἍβελofferedπροσήνεγκενto Godτῷ θεῷa betterπλείοναsacrificeθυσίανthanπαρὰCain,Κάϊνthroughδι’whichἧςhe received testimonyἐμαρτυρήθηthat he wasεἶναιrighteous,δίκαιοςGodτοῦ θεοῦtestifyingμαρτυροῦντοςaboutἐπὶhis gifts;τοῖς δώροις αὐτοῦandκαὶthroughδι’it,αὐτῆςthough he died,ἀποθανὼνhe stillἔτιspeaks.λαλεῖ

Allusion · Genesis 4:4

Go to Genesis 4:4

Both texts speak of Abel and his offering. Genesis 4:4 says that YHWH regarded it with favor; Hebrews says that God bore witness about it.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

ἍβελHabelG6הֶבֶלhevelH1893“Abel”
δώροιςdōroisG1435מִנְחָתminjatH4503“offering, gift”

Hebrews 11:4, word by word

By faithΠίστειPistei

trust

Truly trusting in God or in Jesus.

Where else “Pistei” appears

AbelἍβελHabel

Abel

Abel: second son of Adam and Eve, murdered by his brother Cain.

Where else “Habel” appears

offeredπροσήνεγκενprosēnenken

offer

To present a sacrifice or gift to God.

Where else “prosēnenken” appears

to Godθεῷtheōi

God

The Creator and Lord of all, the one God of Israel.

Where else “theōi” appears

a betterπλείοναpleiona

Abundantly, often, or to a still higher degree.

Where else “pleiona” appears

sacrificeθυσίανthysian

sacrifice

What was offered to God on the altar.

Where else “thysian” appears

CainΚάϊνKain

Cain

Cain, son of Adam and Eve, who killed his brother Abel.

Where else “Kain” appears

he received testimonyἐμαρτυρήθηemartyrēthē

have good repute

To have a good name.

Where else “emartyrēthē” appears

that he wasεἶναιeinai

To be: says who or what something is.

Where else “einai” appears

righteousδίκαιοςdikaios

righteous

One who lives well, as God wants.

Where else “dikaios” appears

his giftsδώροιςdōrois

offering

What is given to God.

Where else “dōrois” appears

though he diedἀποθανὼνapothanōn

die

To stop living: the end of life in the body.

Where else “apothanōn” appears

speaksλαλεῖlalei

speak

To use voice and words to communicate with others.

Where else “lalei” appears

Translation note

This recalls Genesis 4:4.

The context

3By faith we understand that the ages were set in order by the word of God, so that what is seen did not come into being from things that appear.

4 · This verse (above)

5By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him up; for before being taken up he had received testimony that he had pleased God.

Read all of Hebrews 11

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