The Fall

3 Now the serpent^(A) was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?^(B)”

² The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,^{(C) 3} but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”^(D)

⁴ “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman.^{(E) 5} “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God,^(F) knowing good and evil.”

⁶ When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable^(G) for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband,^(H) who was with her, and he ate it.^{(I) 7} Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked;^(J) so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.^(K)

⁸ Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking^(L) in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid^(M) from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. ⁹ But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”^(N)

¹⁰ He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid^(O) because I was naked;^(P) so I hid.”

¹¹ And he said, “Who told you that you were naked?^(Q) Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?^(R)”

¹² The man said, “The woman you put here with me^(S)—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

¹³ Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”

The woman said, “The serpent deceived me,^(T) and I ate.”

¹⁴ So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,

¹⁶ To the woman he said,

¹⁷ To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’^(AB)

²⁰ Adam^[c] named his wife Eve,^[d](AL) because she would become the mother of all the living.

²¹ The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.^{(AM) 22} And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us,^(AN) knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life^(AO) and eat, and live forever.” ²³ So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden^(AP) to work the ground^(AQ) from which he had been taken. ²⁴ After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side^[e] of the Garden of Eden^(AR) cherubim^(AS) and a flaming sword^(AT) flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.^(AU)

Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ

4 As a prisoner^(A) for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy^(B) of the calling^(C) you have received. ² Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another^(D) in love.^{(E) 3} Make every effort to keep the unity^(F) of the Spirit through the bond of peace.^{(G) 4} There is one body^(H) and one Spirit,^(I) just as you were called to one hope when you were called^(J); ⁵ one Lord,^(K) one faith, one baptism; ⁶ one God and Father of all,^(L) who is over all and through all and in all.^(M)

⁷ But to each one of us^(N) grace^(O) has been given^(P) as Christ apportioned it. ⁸ This is why it^[a] says:

⁹ (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions^[c]? ¹⁰ He who descended is the very one who ascended^(S) higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)^{(T) 11} So Christ himself gave^(U) the apostles,^(V) the prophets,^(W) the evangelists,^(X) the pastors and teachers,^{(Y) 12} to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ^(Z) may be built up^{(AA) 13} until we all reach unity^(AB) in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God^(AC) and become mature,^(AD) attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.^(AE)

¹⁴ Then we will no longer be infants,^(AF) tossed back and forth by the waves,^(AG) and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.^{(AH) 15} Instead, speaking the truth in love,^(AI) we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head,^(AJ) that is, Christ. ¹⁶ From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows^(AK) and builds itself up^(AL) in love,^(AM) as each part does its work.

Instructions for Christian Living

¹⁷ So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer^(AN) live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.^{(AO) 18} They are darkened in their understanding^(AP) and separated from the life of God^(AQ) because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.^{(AR) 19} Having lost all sensitivity,^(AS) they have given themselves over^(AT) to sensuality^(AU) so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

²⁰ That, however, is not the way of life you learned ²¹ when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. ²² You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off^(AV) your old self,^(AW) which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;^{(AX) 23} to be made new in the attitude of your minds;^{(AY) 24} and to put on^(AZ) the new self,^(BA) created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.^(BB)

²⁵ Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully^(BC) to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.^{(BD) 26} “In your anger do not sin”^[d]:^(BE) Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷ and do not give the devil a foothold.^{(BF) 28} Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work,^(BG) doing something useful with their own hands,^(BH) that they may have something to share with those in need.^(BI)

²⁹ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,^(BJ) but only what is helpful for building others up^(BK) according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,^(BL) with whom you were sealed^(BM) for the day of redemption.^{(BN) 31} Get rid of^(BO) all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.^{(BP) 32} Be kind and compassionate to one another,^(BQ) forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.^(BR)