the
angel departed from him.
9 Then when it was day, Abel came to Adam and Eve, and told them of the
vision he had seen. When they heard it, they grieved much over it, but
said nothing to him about it; they only comforted him.
10 But as to the hard-hearted Cain, Satan came to him by night, showed
himself and said to him, "Since Adam and Eve love your brother Abel so
much more than they love you, they wish to join him in marriage to your
beautiful sister because they love him. However, they wish to join you
in marriage to his ugly sister, because they hate you.
11 Now before they do that, I am telling you that you should kill your
brother. That way your sister will be left for you, and his sister will
be cast away."
12 And Satan departed from him. But the devil remained behind in
Cain's heart, and frequently aspired to kill his brother.
Chapter LXXVII - Cain, 15 years old, and Abel 12 years old, grow apart.
1 But when Adam saw that the older brother hated the younger, he
endeavored to soften their hearts, and said to Cain, "O my son, take of
the fruits of your sowing and make an offering to God, so that He might
forgive you for your wickedness and sin."
2 He said also to Abel, "Take some of your sowing and make an offering
and bring it to God, so that He might forgive you for your wickedness
and sin."
3 Then Abel obeyed his father's voice, took some of his sowing, and
made a good offering, and said to his father, Adam, "Come with me and
show me how to offer it up."
4 And they went, Adam and Eve with him, and they showed him how to
offer up his gift on the altar. Then after that, they stood up and
prayed that God would accept Abel's offering.
5 Then God looked at Abel and accepted his offering. And God was more
pleased with Abel than with his offering, because of his good heart and
pure body. There was no trace of guile in him.
6 Then they came down from the altar, and went to the cave in which
they lived. But Abel, by reason of his joy at having made his
offering, repeated it three times a week, after the example of his
father Adam.
7 But as to Cain, he did not want to make an offering, but after his
father became very angry, he offered up a gift once. He took the
smallest of his sheep for an offering and when he offered it up, his
eyes were on the lamb.
8 Therefore God did not accept his offering, because his heart was full
of murderous thoughts.
9 And they all thus lived t
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