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Gen 3 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21 V22 V23 V24
Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. This view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on any Bible version abbreviation to see the verse in more of its context. The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.
OET (OET-RV) Now the snake was the craftiest of all the animals that Yahweh God had created, and one day he asked the woman, “Did God really command you to not eat fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”
OET-LV And_the_snake it_was crafty from_all (the)_animal the_field which he_had_made Yahweh god and_he/it_said to the_woman also DOM did_he_say god not you_all_must_eat from_all (the)_tree the_garden.
UHB וְהַנָּחָשׁ֙ הָיָ֣ה עָר֔וּם מִכֹּל֙ חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל־הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה אַ֚ף כִּֽי־אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֔ים לֹ֣א תֹֽאכְל֔וּ מִכֹּ֖ל עֵ֥ץ הַגָּֽן׃ ‡
(vəhannāḩāsh hāyāh ˊārūm miⱪol ḩayyat hassādeh ʼₐsher ˊāsāh yahweh ʼₑlohiym vayyoʼmer ʼel-hāʼishshāh ʼaf ⱪiy-ʼāmar ʼₑlohiym loʼ toʼkəlū miⱪol ˊēʦ haggān.)
Key: yellow:verbs, red:negative, blue:Elohim, green:YHWH.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).
ULT Now the serpent was more crafty than every living thing of the field that Yahweh God had made. And he said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree of the garden’?”
UST Now the snake was the craftiest of all the animals that Yahweh God had created. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really command you to not eat fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”
BSB § Now the serpent [fn] was more crafty than any beast of the field that the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’”
3:1 Hebrew nachash, translated in this chapter as serpent, is translated in most cases as snake.
OEB Now the snake was craftier than any other wild beast that the Lord God had made. It said to the woman, ‘Has God really said, “You must not eat from any tree of the garden”?’
WEB Now the serpent was more subtle than any animal of the field which Yahweh God had made. He said to the woman, “Has God really said, ‘You shall not eat of any tree of the garden’?”
WMB Now the serpent was more subtle than any animal of the field which the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Has God really said, ‘You shall not eat of any tree of the garden’?”
NET Now the serpent was more shrewd
¶ than any of the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Is it really true that God said, ‘You must not eat from any tree of the orchard’?”
LSV And the serpent has been cunning above every beast of the field which YHWH God has made, and he says to the woman, “Is it true that God has said, You do not eat from every tree of the garden?”
FBV The serpent was more cunning than any of the other wild animals that the Lord God had made. He asked Eve, “Did God really say that you can't eat fruit from every[fn] tree in the garden?”
3:1 “Every”: the word could also be translated “any,” however this would then mean that the serpent was suggesting that God had told Adam and Eve not to eat fruit from any tree in the garden, which seems less likely.
T4T The snake was more cunning than all the other wild animals that Yahweh God had made. One day Satan gave to the snake the ability to talk to the woman. The snake said to her, “Did God really say to you, ‘Do not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the park/garden’?”
LEB Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal[fn] which Yahweh God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God indeed say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
?:? Literally “animal of the field”
BBE Now the snake was wiser than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, Has God truly said that you may not take of the fruit of any tree in the garden?
MOF No MOF GEN book available
JPS Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman: 'Yea, hath God said: Ye shall not eat of any tree of the garden?'
ASV Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which Jehovah God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of any tree of the garden?
DRA Now the serpent was more subtle than any of the beasts of the earth which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman: Why hath God commanded you, that you should not eat of every tree of paradise?
YLT And the serpent hath been subtile above every beast of the field which Jehovah God hath made, and he saith unto the woman, 'Is it true that God hath said, Ye do not eat of every tree of the garden?'
DBY And the serpent was more crafty than any animal of the field which Jehovah Elohim had made. And it said to the woman, Is it even so, that [fn]God has said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
3.1 Elohim
RV Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of any tree of the garden?
WBS Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made: and he said to the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
KJB Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?[fn]
(Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath/has God said, Ye/You_all shall not eat of every tree of the garden?)
3.1 Yea…: Heb. Yea, because, etc.
BB And the serpent was suttiller then euery beast of the fielde which ye lord God hadde made, and he sayde vnto the woman: yea, hath God saide, ye shall not eate of euery tree of the garden?
(And the serpent was suttiller then every beast of the field which ye/you_all lord God had made, and he said unto the woman: yea, hath/has God said, ye/you_all shall not eat of every tree of the garden?)
GNV Now the serpent was more subtill then any beast of the fielde, which the Lord God had made: and he said to the woman, Yea, hath God in deede said, Ye shall not eate of euery tree of the garden?
(Now the serpent was more subtle then any beast of the field, which the Lord God had made: and he said to the woman, Yea, hath/has God indeed said, Ye/You_all shall not eat of every tree of the garden? )
CB Bvt the serpent was sotyller then all the beastes of the felde (which ye LORDE God had made) and sayde vnto the woman: Yee, hath God sayde indede: Ye shall not eate of all maner trees in the garden?
(Bvt the serpent was sotyller then all the beasts/animals of the field (which ye/you_all LORD God had made) and said unto the woman: Yee, hath/has God said indede: Ye/You_all shall not eat of all manner trees in the garden?)
WYC But and the serpent was feller than alle lyuynge beestis of erthe, whiche the Lord God hadde maad. Which serpent seide to the womman, Why comaundide God to you, that ye schulden not ete of ech tre of paradis?
(But and the serpent was feller than all living beasts/animals of earth, which the Lord God had made. Which serpent said to the woman, Why commanded God to you, that ye/you_all should not eat of each tree of paradis?)
LUT Und die Schlange war listiger denn alle Tiere auf dem Felde, die GOtt der HErr gemacht hatte, und sprach zu dem Weibe: Ja, sollte GOtt gesagt haben: Ihr sollt nicht essen von allerlei Bäumen im Garten.
(And the Schlange was listiger because all Tiere on to_him Felde, the God the LORD made hatte, and spoke to to_him Weibe: Ya, sollte God gesagt have: Ihr sollt not eat from allerlei Bäumen in_the Garten.)
CLV Sed et serpens erat callidior cunctis animantibus terræ quæ fecerat Dominus Deus. Qui dixit ad mulierem: Cur præcepit vobis Deus ut non comederetis de omni ligno paradisi?[fn]
(But and serpens was callidior cunctis animantibus terræ which fecerat Master God. Who he_said to mulierem: Cur præcepit to_you God as not/no comederetis about all ligno paradisi?)
3.1 Sed et serpens erat callidior cunctis animantibus, etc. AUG., lib. II de Gen. ad litt. c. 2, 3, tom. 3 Alii, prudentissimus, translative dictum. Quidam codices habent sapientissimus, non proprie, sicut in bono solet accipi sapientia Dei, vel angelorum, vel animæ rationalis, etc., usque ad sed potestas a Deo. Sed serpens, etc. STRAB. Sic diabolus loquebatur per serpentem ignorantem, sicut per energumenos vel fanaticos: quemcunque enim arripit, intellectum et rationem tollit. Spiritus vero bonus quoscunque gratia repleverit, videntes et intelligentes facit, unde spiritus prophetarum subjectus est prophetis. Qui dixit ad mulierem. AUG., lib. II de Gen. ad litt., c. 30, et ex capp. 7, 8, 6, 10, passim. Inexcusabilis est prævaricatio mulieris, quia memor erat præcepti Dei. Oblivio tamen, etc., usque ad hæc c. 10: Providet bonos et malos futuros, et creat: seipsum ad fruendum præstans bonis, multa etiam largiens malis. Cur præcepit, etc. STRAB. Ideo callidus hostis interrogat hoc, et mandatum Dei memorat, ne cum peccaverit, excusationem habeat quasi oblita. Cur præcepit, etc. GREG. Moral., l. 23, tom. 2 Idem quotidie agit hostis humani generis: verba Dei de cordibus hominum molitur evellere, et minas leviare, et ad credendum quod falso promittit, invitat enim ad temporalia, ut levet quod Deus minetur æterna supplicia. Spondens siquidem gloriam præsentis vitæ, dicit: Gustate, et eritis sicut dii, et temporalem concupiscentiam tangite, et in hoc mundo sublimes apparete; et cum timorem divinæ sententiæ conatur amovere, quodammodo dicit: Cur præcepit vobis Deus? AUG., lib. II de Gen. ad litt., c. 4, tom. 3 Quæritur cur Deus hominem tentari permiserit, etc., usque ad sive terrenum, ut hominis anima. Ibid., c. 5 Nec putandum quod homo dejiceretur, nisi præcessisset in eo quædam elatio comprimenda, ut per humilitatem peccati sciret quod falso de se præsumpserit, et quod non bene se habet facta natura, si a faciente recesserit. Commendatur enim quale bonum Deus sit, quando nulli bene est ab ipso recedere. Ibid., c. 18 Hæc quæstio de beata vita, etc., usque ad minus quam in vita sanctorum angelorum. Ibid., c. 16 Non frustra putari potest ab initio temporis diabolum cecidisse, etc., usque ad quibus non dedit Deus præscientiam de seipsis? Ibid., c. 14 Quomodo autem beati esse possint, quibus est incerta sua beatitudo? etc., usque ad mihi autem unde asserant, non occurrit. Ibid., c. 21 Sed non frustra putandum est ab ipso creaturæ exordio, etc., usque ad prævidens quanta de illo sua bonitate esset facturus. Ibid., c. 22 Initium autem figmenti dicitur, etc., usque ad ut homines malos. Ibid., c. 23 Quod ergo putatur diabolus nunquam in veritate stetisse, etc., usque ad plura in corpus ejus conveniunt. GREG., hom. 16, in Evang., tom. 2 Primum parentem diabolus tribus modis tentavit, etc., usque ad delectatione vincimur, consensu ligamur.
3.1 But and serpens was callidior cunctis animantibus, etc. AUG., lib. II about Gen. to litt. c. 2, 3, tom. 3 Alii, prudentissimus, translative dictum. Quidam codices habent sapientissimus, not/no proprie, like in bono solet accipi sapientia God, or angelorum, or animæ rationalis, etc., usque to but potestas a Deo. But serpens, etc. STRAB. So diabolus loquebatur per serpentem ignorantem, like per energumenos or fanaticos: quemcunque because arripit, intellectum and rationem tollit. Spiritus vero bonus quoscunque gratia repleverit, videntes and intelligentes facit, whence spiritus prophetarum subyectus it_is prophetis. Who he_said to mulierem. AUG., lib. II about Gen. to litt., c. 30, and ex capp. 7, 8, 6, 10, passim. Inexcusabilis it_is prævaricatio mulieris, because memor was præcepti God. Oblivio tamen, etc., usque to hæc c. 10: Providet bonos and malos futuros, and creat: seipsum to fruendum præstans bonis, multa also largiens malis. Cur præcepit, etc. STRAB. Ideo callidus hostis interrogat hoc, and mandatum God memorat, ne when/with peccaverit, excusationem have as_if oblita. Cur præcepit, etc. GREG. Moral., l. 23, tom. 2 Idem quotidie agit hostis humani generis: verba God about cordibus hominum molitur evellere, and minas leviare, and to credendum that falso promittit, invitat because to temporalia, as levet that God minetur æterna supplicia. Spondens siquidem gloriam præsentis vitæ, he_says: Gustate, and eritis like dii, and temporalem concupiscentiam tangite, and in hoc mundo sublimes apparete; and when/with timorem divinæ sententiæ conatur amovere, quodammodo he_says: Cur præcepit to_you God? AUG., lib. II about Gen. to litt., c. 4, tom. 3 Quæritur cur God hominem tentari permiserit, etc., usque to if/or terrenum, as hominis anima. Ibid., c. 5 Nec putandum that human deyiceretur, nisi præcessisset in eo quædam elatio comprimenda, as per humilitatem peccati sciret that falso about se præsumpserit, and that not/no bene se habet facts natura, when/but_if a faciente recesserit. Commendatur because quale bonum God let_it_be, when nulli bene it_is away ipso recedere. Ibid., c. 18 Hæc quæstio about beata vita, etc., usque to minus how in vita sanctorum angelorum. Ibid., c. 16 Non frustra putari potest away initio temporis diabolum cecidisse, etc., usque to to_whom not/no he_gave God præscientiam about seipsis? Ibid., c. 14 Quomodo however beati esse possint, to_whom it_is incerta his_own beatitudo? etc., usque to mihi however whence asserant, not/no occurrit. Ibid., c. 21 But not/no frustra putandum it_is away ipso creaturæ exordio, etc., usque to prævidens quanta about illo his_own bonitate was facturus. Ibid., c. 22 The_beginning however figmenti it_is_said, etc., usque to as homines malos. Ibid., c. 23 That ergo putatur diabolus nunquam in veritate stetisse, etc., usque to plura in corpus his conveniunt. GREG., hom. 16, in Evang., tom. 2 Primum parentem diabolus tribus modis tentavit, etc., usque to delectatione vincimur, consensu ligamur.
BRN Now the serpent was the most crafty of all the brutes on the earth, which the Lord God made, and the serpent said to the woman, Wherefore has God said, Eat not of every tree of the garden?
BrLXX Ὁ δὲ ὄφις ἦν φρονιμώτατος πάντων τῶν θηρίων τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὧν ἐποίησε Κύριος ὁ Θεός· καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ὄφις τῇ γυναικὶ, τί ὅτι εἶπεν ὁ Θεός, οὐ μὴ φάγητε ἀπὸ παντὸς ξύλου τοῦ παραδείσου;
(Ho de ofis aʸn fronimōtatos pantōn tōn thaʸriōn tōn epi taʸs gaʸs, hōn epoiaʸse Kurios ho Theos; kai eipen ho ofis taʸ gunaiki, ti hoti eipen ho Theos, ou maʸ fagaʸte apo pantos xulou tou paradeisou? )
3:1 Genesis describes the deceiver as a serpent, one of the animals God created (see also 3:14 and study note). He is later identified as Satan, the great enemy of God’s people (Rev 12:9; 20:2). His manipulative language and his disguise as a serpent, the shrewdest of all creatures, show him as a master deceiver. Satan has various methods for opposing God’s people (see 1 Chr 21:1; Zech 3:1-2); deception remains among his key strategies (cp. 2 Cor 11:3, 14). The Hebrew term for shrewd (‘arum) can be positive (“prudent,” Prov 14:8) or negative (as here; see Job 5:12). It forms a wordplay with “naked” (‘arummim) in Gen 2:25. Adam and Eve were naked and vulnerable; the serpent was shrewd and cunning.
• Probably the serpent asked the woman because the prohibition was given to Adam prior to Eve’s creation (see 2:16-17). Adam was probably aware of the serpent’s cunning, having assessed and named all the animals before Eve was created (2:19-20, 23).
• Did God really say? The deceiver began by twisting God’s language to cast doubt on God’s goodness. God’s original prohibition applied to only one tree (2:16-17), not to all (any) of them.
The Fall
Genesis 3 describes how human moral innocence collapsed through rebellion. What God declared as “very good” (Gen 1:31) was no longer completely so. Man and woman ate the fruit that promised knowledge of good and evil, thus breaking God’s command (2:16-17) and attempting to become like God (see 3:5). In doing so, they fell from their sinless state. Alienated from God, one another, and creation, they also became subject to death.
Consequently, all humans are “fallen”—born in sin, predisposed to sin (Gen 8:21; Job 4:17-21; Pss 51:5; 103:10; 143:2; Prov 20:9), and awaiting death. When the first man and woman ate the fruit in disobedience to God, they forfeited their own innocence and that of their children, the entire human race (Rom 5:12-14; 1 Cor 15:21-22, 45-49). The expression “original sin” denotes sin’s complete, universal infiltration into individual lives and human society as a result of human rebellion. As people yield to their inherited predisposition to sin, they become responsible for their own wrongdoing (Eccl 7:20; Rom 3:23).
The first man, Adam, introduced sin, but the “second Adam,” Jesus Christ, is sin’s antidote (1 Cor 15:3; 2 Cor 5:21). When Christ died as Redeemer, he made God’s salvation from sin available to all (John 3:16; Rom 1:16).
Passages for Further Study
Gen 3:1-19; 8:21; Exod 34:7; Job 4:17-21; Ps 51:5; Prov 22:15; Ezek 36:16-36; John 8:1-11; Rom 1:18–3:20; 5:12-21; 1 Cor 15:21-22; Gal 3:22; 5:17-24; Eph 2:1-10; 1 Jn 3:14
Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-time-background
וְהַנָּחָשׁ֙
and=the=snake
The conjunction Now introduces background information about the serpent. See how you translated this conjunction in Gen 2:5, 8, 19.
הָיָ֣ה עָר֔וּם מִכֹּל֙ חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה
it_became cunning from=all being/animal the=field
Make sure that your translation of crafty means that the snake had evil intent and was clever in a way that was not good. See how you translated living thing of the field in Gen 2:19-20. Alternate translation: “was more deceptive and clever than any of the other creatures that live in the wild”
אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֑ים
which/who he/it_had_made YHWH ʼₑlhīmv
Make sure your translation of this phrase refers to the animals that God had made, not the fields. Also see how you translated Yahweh God in chapter 2, beginning in verse 4. Alternate translation: “that Yahweh who is God had made” or “that God whose name is Yahweh had made”
Note 2 topic: writing-pronouns
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל־הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה
and=he/it_said to/towards the=woman
If you use a pronoun (he) here in your translation, make sure it refers to the serpent, not God. Also, since the snake asked a question, some languages have to be more specific and say “asked” in the quote margin. Do what is best in your language. Alternate translation: “One day the snake went to the woman and asked her,”
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / quotesinquotes
אַ֚ף כִּֽי אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֔ים לֹ֣א תֹֽאכְל֔וּ
also/though that/for/because/then/when he/it_had_said ʼₑlhīmv not you_all_must_eat
Consider whether it is better in your language to translate this embedded quote as a direct or indirect quote. Alternate translation: “Did God actually command you to not eat” or “Is it true that God commanded you not to eat”
מִכֹּ֖ל עֵ֥ץ הַגָּֽן
from=all tree/word the=garden
See how you translated garden in Genesis 2, beginning in verse 8. Alternate translation: “fruit from any of the trees that is in the garden?” or “any fruit from the trees in the garden?”