Genesis 3

Now the snake was the craftiest of all the animals that God had created. {One day} he asked the woman, “Did God really command you not to eat {fruit} from any of the trees in the garden?”

The woman answered him, “{No,} {God said that} we may eat fruit from {any of} the tree{s} in the garden,

except fruit from the tree that is in the center of the garden. He commanded {us} not to eat that fruit or even touch it, because if we do, we will die!” \*

But the snake said to the woman, “{That is not true.} You will not die.

Actually, God knows that as soon as you eat {fruit} from that tree, you will understand new things, so that you will know {what is} right and {what is} wrong just like God does.”

The woman saw that the tree{’s fruit} {looked} good to eat and that the tree {itself} was {very} beautiful. She also wanted {to eat} the fruit so that it would make her wise. So she picked some of the fruit {off the tree} and ate it. She also gave {some of the fruit} to her husband, {who was} {there} with her, and he ate {it} {too}. \*

Suddenly they both understood new things, and they realized that their bodies {were} bare. So they sewed {some} fig {tree} leaves together and made clothes for themselves {to cover their nakedness}.

{Late that afternoon,} during the cool time of the day, the man and his wife heard God’s voice as he walked in the garden, but they hid from him behind some tree{s} in the garden. \*

So God called {out} to the man, “{Adam,} where are you?”

The man replied, “I heard the sound of you {walking} in the garden, but I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid {from you}.”

Then God asked, “Who told you that you were naked? Did you {disobey me and} eat {fruit} from the tree from which I ordered you not to eat?” \*

The man replied, “The woman whom you put here {to be} with me, she {is the one who} gave me some of that fruit, so I ate {it}.”

Then God asked the woman, “What did you do?” The woman replied, “The snake tricked me, so I ate {some of the fruit}.” \*

So God said to the snake, “Because you did that, I am cursing you more {severely} than all the livestock and all the animals in the fields! {As a result,} you must crawl {along the ground} on your belly, and you will eat dust {with your food} for as long as you live. 15 Besides that, I will cause you and your descendants to be enemies with the woman and her descendants. {In fact,} her descendant will crush your head, and you will bite his heel.” \*

{Then} God said to the woman, “I will greatly increase how much you suffer when you bear children, {yes,} you will suffer {much pain} when you give birth. But you will {still} desire {to be with} your husband, and he will dominate you.” \*

Then God said to Adam, “You did what your wife said and ate {fruit} from the tree that I commanded you not to eat {any fruit} from. Because of what you did, I have cursed the ground. {As a result,} for as long as you live, you will have to work {very} hard and suffer {to grow enough food} to eat. 18 In fact, thorn plants and thistle plants {and other weeds} will grow from the ground {and make it difficult} for you to grow {enough} crops in your fields for food. 19 You will have to {work hard and} sweat a lot in order to {produce} {enough} food to eat, until you {die and} again become dirt, which I created you from. Yes, {I created} you out of dirt, so dirt is what you will become again {after you die}.” \*

Then Adam named his wife Eve, {which means “living,”} because she would be the mother of everyone who would ever live.

Then God made {some} clothes out of {animal} skins for Adam and his wife, and he put the clothes on them. \*

Then God said {to himself}, “Look! The man {and his wife} have become like one of us, so that they know {what is} good and {what is} evil. So now we must do something so that they do not also pick and eat {fruit} from the tree that gives people {eternal} life, which will make them live forever!”

Then God expelled the man {and his wife} from Eden Garden to work the ground which he had made them from.

After he expelled them, he stationed to the east {side} of the garden {some} {powerful} cherubim {angels} and a burning sword that was swinging around in all directions to keep everyone away from the path to the tree whose fruit makes people live {forever}. \*