• Hebrews 11:4
    The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures

    • 4 Πίστει To faith πλείονα more θυσίαν sacrifice Ἅβελ Abel παρὰ beside Καὶν Cain προσήνεγκεν bore toward τῷ to the θεῷ, God, δι’ through ἧς which [faith] ἐμαρτυρήθη he was borne witness to εἶναι to be δίκαιος, righteous, μαρτυροῦντος of (one) witnessing ἐπὶ upon τοῖς the δώροις gifts αὐτοῦ of him τοῦ of the θεοῦ, God, καὶ and δι’ through αὐτῆς it ἀποθανὼν having died ἔτι yet λαλεῖ. he is speaking.

  • Hebrews 11:4
    The Bible in Living English

    • 4 It was by faith Abel offered to God more of a sacrifice than Cain, through which he had himself attested to be righteous, God testifying over his gifts; and it is through it he still speaks after he dies.

  • Hebrews 11:4
    American Standard Version

    • 4 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.

  • Hebrews 11:4
    The Emphasized Bible

    • 4 By faith a fuller sacrifice did Abel offer unto God than Cain,—Through which he received witness that he was righteous, There being a witnessing upon his gifts by God; And through it though he died he yet is speaking.

  • Hebrews 11:4
    King James Version

    • 4 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.

  • Hebrews Study Notes—Chapter 11
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)

    • 11:4

      By faith: This is the second of 18 occurrences of the phrase “by faith” in this chapter. Paul names 16 men and women of outstanding faith; in addition, he mentions others but without naming them, such as himself and his fellow Christians (Heb 11:3), Moses’ parents (Heb 11:23), and the people who marched around Jericho until its walls fell down (Heb 11:30). Paul shows that his list is far from complete by saying: “Time will fail me if I go on to relate . . .” (Heb 11:32) One reference work calls this chapter a “gallery of faith.” Paul later includes all these faithful ones in the phrase “a great cloud of witnesses.” All such examples of faith would help the Hebrew Christians to endure the sufferings they would face.​—Heb 12:1 and study notes, 4 and study note.

      Abel: He was the first human with faith that moved him to action. That faith was likely based on God’s promise about the “offspring” who would crush the head of “the serpent.” (Ge 3:14, 15) Abel did not have the written Word of God. Still, he found convincing evidence to support his faith, and that motivated him to offer God a sacrifice. (Ge 4:4; Heb 11:1 and study note) For example, he could meditate on God’s qualities revealed through creation (Ro 1:20), on the fulfillment of God’s sentence on his parents (Ge 3:16-19), and on the faithfulness of the cherubs (Ge 3:24).

      he received the witness that: See study note on Heb 11:2.

      approved: Or “bore witness by acknowledging.”​—See study notes on Heb 11:2, 39.

      although he died, he still speaks through his faith: The Bible does not contain one word that Abel uttered. Instead, he speaks by means of his exemplary faith. Abel was the first human to develop and exercise faith, which he demonstrated by offering a sacrifice that pleased God. (Ge 4:4) Jehovah had an inspired record of the faith of Abel and others preserved in the Scriptures so that future generations could learn about and benefit from their examples. Paul’s inspired words in this verse also indicate that it was Abel’s faith that made his sacrifice pleasing to Jehovah, not the sacrifice itself.