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)

¹¹ Put on the full armor of God,^(A) so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,^(B) but against the rulers, against the authorities,^(C) against the powers^(D) of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.^{(E) 13} Therefore put on the full armor of God,^(F) so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,^(G) with the breastplate of righteousness in place,^{(H) 15} and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.^{(I) 16} In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith,^(J) with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.^{(K) 17} Take the helmet of salvation^(L) and the sword of the Spirit,^(M) which is the word of God.^(N)

¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit^(O) on all occasions^(P) with all kinds of prayers and requests.^(Q) With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying^(R) for all the Lord’s people.