1 John 3:12

Sin Envy and jealousy Conflict and reconciliation

¹⁰ By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother.

¹¹ This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.

Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous.

¹³ So do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you.

¹⁴ We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous.
KJV: Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
WEB: unlike Cain, who was of the evil one and killed his brother. Why did he kill him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
ASV: not as Cain was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his works were evil, and his brother`s righteous.
DARBY: not as Cain was of the wicked one, and slew his brother; and on account of what slew he him? because his works were wicked, and those of his brother righteous.
BLB: not as Cain, [who] was of the evil one and slew his brother. And why did he slay him? Because his works were evil, but those of his brother [were] righteous.

ÅB: ikke som Kain, som var av den onde og slo sin bror ihjel. Og hvorfor slo han ham ihjel? Fordi hans gjerninger var onde, men hans brors rettferdige.
OTB: ikke som Kain, som tilhørte den onde og drepte sin bror. Og hvorfor drepte han ham? Fordi hans egne handlinger var onde, mens hans brors var rettferdige.
B1930: ikke som Kain, som var av den onde og slo sin bror ihjel. Og hvorfor slo han ham ihjel? Fordi hans gjerninger var onde, men hans brors rettferdige.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Hebrews 11:4
By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
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Genesis 4:4–15
while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock. And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,
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Proverbs 29:27
An unjust man is detestable to the righteous, and one whose way is upright is detestable to the wicked.
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Genesis 4:25
And Adam again had relations with his wife, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another seed in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.”
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Jude 1:11
Woe to them! They have traveled the path of Cain; they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam; they have perished in Korah’s rebellion.
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Proverbs 29:10
Men of bloodshed hate a blameless man, but the upright care for his life.
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Luke 11:51
from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, all of it will be charged to this generation.
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Psalms 37:12
The wicked scheme against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them,
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