Beginnings · Old Testament
The Story of the Fall
The serpent questions God’s word, the man and the woman eat the forbidden fruit, and they are sent out of the garden of Eden.
Editorial text in English. Scripture is quoted from the version you choose; references stay the same in every version.
Introduction
Genesis 3 follows the account of the garden. The serpent questions what God said, the woman and the man eat from the tree God had forbidden, and trust between them, and between them and God, is broken. Genesis 3:1–13
God pronounces consequences, clothes the man and the woman, and sends them out of the garden. Genesis itself does not use the word “fall”; it is the name later readers gave to this story. Genesis 3:14–24
Principal passages
People in this story
Places named
- The garden of Eden Genesis 3:23–24
Only places the passages name. Locations are not guessed.
The story, event by event
In the order Scripture presents them. Expand an event to read its passage here.
The serpent’s question
The serpent asks the woman whether God really said they must not eat from any tree, and tells her they will not die but will be like God, knowing good and evil.
They eat the fruit
The woman sees that the tree is good for food and desirable, eats, and gives some to her husband, who eats. Their eyes are opened and they cover themselves with fig leaves.
Hiding from God
They hide when they hear God in the garden. When God asks what they have done, the man blames the woman and the woman blames the serpent.
The consequences
God curses the serpent and puts hostility between its offspring and the woman’s offspring; the woman will have pain in childbearing; the ground is cursed and the man will work it with toil until he returns to the dust.
Clothed and sent out of Eden
The man names his wife Eve. God makes garments of skin for them and sends them out of the garden, placing cherubim and a flaming sword to guard the way to the tree of life.
Related and parallel passages
Related stories
- Creation Continues the story
Genesis 3 continues directly from the garden account. Genesis 3:1
Later in the Bible
Later passages that recall or interpret this story. They are not events within it.
- Romans 5:12–19 Teaching or quotation mentioning them — Paul contrasts Adam, through whom sin and death came, with Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 15:21–22 Teaching or quotation mentioning them — “As in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.”
- 2 Corinthians 11:3 Direct reference — Paul refers to the serpent deceiving Eve.
- 1 Timothy 2:13–14 Teaching or quotation mentioning them — The letter refers to the order of creation and to Eve’s deception.
- Revelation 12:9 Interpretive or typological connection (an interpretation, not a statement of the text) — Revelation calls the dragon “the old serpent”; Genesis 3 itself does not identify the serpent with Satan.
Connected themes
- Redemption
Many Christian readers see in Genesis 3:15 a first hint of redemption; the verse itself speaks of the woman’s offspring and the serpent striking each other. This is an interpretation, not a statement of the verse. Genesis 3:15
- Repentance
The chapter shows the opposite of repentance: hiding and blaming. Genesis 3:10–13
Related life situations
- Guilt and Regret
The first response to wrongdoing is shame and hiding. Genesis 3:7–10
Questions for study
Written by BibleKenya editors. They are not Scripture.
- How does the serpent change God’s words in Genesis 3:1-5? Compare Genesis 2:16-17.
- What do the man and the woman do when God asks what happened?
- Which of the consequences in Genesis 3:14-19 affect relationships, and which affect work and the ground?
- What does God do for the man and the woman in Genesis 3:21 before sending them out?
Study guides
- Understanding the Book of Genesis
Lesson two in story form. Genesis 3:6
Use offline
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