Genesis 3:1-6

The Temptation and the Fall

1 Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You can't eat from any tree in the garden'?"^[a]

2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit from the trees in the garden.

3 But about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, 'You must not eat it or touch it, or you will die.' "^[b]

4 "No! You will not die," the serpent said to the woman.^[c]

5 "In fact, God knows that when^[d] you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God,^[e] knowing good and evil."

6 Then the woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate [it]; she also gave [some] to her husband, [who was] with her, and he ate [it].^[f]

Genesis 3:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 3

In this chapter an account is given of the temptation of our first parents, of the instrument of it, and of their fall into it, and of the effect of it, Ge 3:1-7 their summons upon it to appear before God, against whom they had sinned, Ge 3:8-10 their examination by him, and the excuses they made, Ge 3:11-13 the various sentences passed of the serpent, the woman, and the man, Ge 3:14-19 some incidental things recorded, expressive of faith and hope in man, and of favour to him, Ge 3:20,21 and his expulsion from the garden of Eden, Ge 3:22-24.

Footnotes

• [a] 2 Co 11:3
• [b] Gn 2:17
• [c] Jn 8:44
• [d] Lit on the day
• [e] Or gods, or divine beings
• [f] Jms 1:14-15; 1 Jn 2:16