¹⁵ Then the Lord replied to him, “In that case,^[a] whoever kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” And he placed a mark^(A) on Cain so that whoever found him would not kill him.

⁴ In struggling against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. ⁵ And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons:

⁷ Endure suffering as discipline: God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? ⁸ But if you are without discipline—which all receive^[b]—then you are illegitimate children and not sons.^{(B) 9} Furthermore, we had human fathers discipline us, and we respected them. Shouldn’t we submit even more to the Father of spirits and live?^{(C) 10} For they disciplined us for a short time based on what seemed good to them, but he does it for our benefit, so that we can share his holiness.^{(D) 11} No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit^(E) of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.^(F)