Genesis 3:5
New International Version
“For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

New Living Translation
“God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”

English Standard Version
For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Berean Standard Bible
“For God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

King James Bible
For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

New King James Version
For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

New American Standard Bible
For God knows that on the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will become like God, knowing good and evil.”

NASB 1995
“For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

NASB 1977
“For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Legacy Standard Bible
For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Amplified Bible
For God knows that on the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened [that is, you will have greater awareness], and you will be like God, knowing [the difference between] good and evil.”

Christian Standard Bible
“In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

American Standard Version
for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil.

Contemporary English Version
"God understands what will happen on the day you eat fruit from that tree. You will see what you have done, and you will know the difference between right and wrong, just as God does."

English Revised Version
for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened. You'll be like God, knowing good and evil."

Good News Translation
God said that because he knows that when you eat it, you will be like God and know what is good and what is bad."

International Standard Version
"Even God knows that on the day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened and you'll become like God, knowing good and evil."

Majority Standard Bible
?For God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.?

NET Bible
for God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will open and you will be like divine beings who know good and evil."

New Heart English Bible
for God knows that in the day you eat it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

Webster's Bible Translation
For God doth know, that in the day ye eat of it, then your eyes shall be opened: and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

World English Bible
for God knows that in the day you eat it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
for God knows that in the day of your eating of it—your eyes have been opened, and you have been as God, knowing good and evil.”

Young's Literal Translation
for God doth know that in the day of your eating of it -- your eyes have been opened, and ye have been as God, knowing good and evil.'

Smith's Literal Translation
For God is knowing in the day of your eating from it, and your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
For God doth know that in what day soever you shall eat thereof, your eyes shall be opened: and you shall be as Gods, knowing good and evil.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For God knows that, on whatever day you will eat from it, your eyes will be opened; and you will be like gods, knowing good and evil.”

New American Bible
God knows well that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods, who know good and evil.”

New Revised Standard Version
for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be like gods, knowing good and evil.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Because God knew that in the day that you eat from it, your eyes are opened and you are like God, knowing the good and the evil.”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
For God knew that in whatever day ye should eat of it your eyes would be opened, and ye would be as gods, knowing good and evil.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Serpent's Deception
4“You will not surely die,” the serpent told her. 5“For God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6When the woman saw that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eyes, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom, she took the fruit and ate it. She also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate it.…

Cross References
2 Corinthians 11:3
I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ.

John 8:44
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies.

Romans 5:12
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned.

1 Timothy 2:14
And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman who was deceived and fell into transgression.

Revelation 12:9
And the great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

Revelation 20:2
He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.

Isaiah 14:14
I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”

Ezekiel 28:2
“Son of man, tell the ruler of Tyre that this is what the Lord GOD says: Your heart is proud, and you have said, ‘I am a god; I sit in the seat of gods in the heart of the sea.’ Yet you are a man and not a god, though you have regarded your heart as that of a god.

Ezekiel 28:17
Your heart grew proud of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor; so I cast you to the earth; I made you a spectacle before kings.

Matthew 4:3-4
The tempter came to Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” / But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Matthew 4:8-10
Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. / “All this I will give You,” he said, “if You will fall down and worship me.” / “Away from Me, Satan!” Jesus told him. “For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”

1 John 3:8
The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil.

James 1:14-15
But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed. / Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Romans 16:20
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

2 Thessalonians 2:4
He will oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.


Treasury of Scripture

For God does know that in the day you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

God.

Exodus 20:7
Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

1 Kings 22:6
Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

Jeremiah 14:13,14
Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place…

your.

Genesis 3:7,10
And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons…

Matthew 6:23
But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

Acts 26:18
To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

as gods.

Exodus 5:2
And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.

2 Chronicles 32:15
Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him: for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand?

Psalm 12:4
Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?

knowing.

Genesis 3:22
And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

Genesis 2:17
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

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Eat Eating Evil Eyes Fruit Gods Good Open Opened Thereof
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Eat Eating Evil Eyes Fruit Gods Good Open Opened Thereof
Genesis 3
1. The serpent deceives Eve.
6. Both she and Adam transgress the divine command, and fall into sin.
8. God arraigns them.
14. The serpent is cursed.
15. The promised seed.
16. The punishment of mankind.
21. Their first clothing.
22. Their expulsion from paradise.














For God knows
This phrase introduces the serpent's assertion about God's omniscience. The Hebrew word for "knows" is "יָדַע" (yada), which implies an intimate, experiential knowledge. The serpent suggests that God is withholding something beneficial from Adam and Eve, challenging the trustworthiness of God's character. In a conservative Christian perspective, this is the first instance of Satan's deception, casting doubt on God's goodness and His intentions for humanity.

that in the day you eat of it
The phrase "in the day" indicates immediacy and certainty. The Hebrew word "יוֹם" (yom) can mean a literal day or a period of time, but here it emphasizes the direct consequence of disobedience. The act of eating from the tree is pivotal, representing a deliberate choice to defy God's command. This moment is crucial in biblical history, marking the fall of man and the introduction of sin into the world.

your eyes will be opened
The opening of the eyes symbolizes gaining insight or understanding. The Hebrew word "פָּקַח" (paqach) means to open or to make aware. The serpent implies that Adam and Eve will gain wisdom and enlightenment, but this is a half-truth. While their eyes are indeed opened, it leads to shame and separation from God, not the divine wisdom they were led to expect. This highlights the deceptive nature of sin, promising freedom but delivering bondage.

and you will be like God
The desire to be "like God" reflects a deeper temptation of pride and autonomy. The Hebrew word "אֱלֹהִים" (Elohim) is used here, which can mean God or gods, but in this context, it refers to the divine nature of God. The serpent tempts Eve with the prospect of equality with God, a direct challenge to the Creator-creature distinction. This echoes Satan's own fall, as pride and the desire to usurp God's authority led to his rebellion.

knowing good and evil
The knowledge of "good and evil" suggests a comprehensive understanding of moral and ethical dimensions. The Hebrew words "טוֹב" (tov) and "רַע" (ra) encompass all that is morally right and wrong. The serpent presents this knowledge as desirable, yet it is a burden that humanity was not meant to bear independently of God. In a conservative Christian view, true wisdom and discernment come from a relationship with God, not from autonomous moral judgment.

(5) Ye shall be as gods.--Rather, as God, as Elohim himself, in the particular quality of knowing good and evil. It was a high bait which the tempter offered; and Eve, who at first had answered rightly, and who as yet knew nothing of falsehood, dallied with the temptation, and was lost. But we must not comment too severely upon her conduct. It was no mean desire which led her astray: she longed for more know ledge and greater perfection; she wished even to rise above the level of her nature; but the means she used were in violation of God's command, and so she fell. And, as usual, the tempter kept the promise to the ear. Eve knew good and evil, but only by feeling evil within herself. It was by moral degradation, and not by intellectual insight, that her ambitious wish was fulfilled.

Verse 5. - For (מאנ ־ כִּי, γαρ, for because; assigning the reason

(1) for the devil's, statement, and so,

(2) by implication, for the Divine prohibition) God doth know. Thus the serpent practically charges the Deity with

(1) envy of his creatures' happiness, as if he meant to say, Depend upon it, it is not through any fear of your dying from its fruit that the tree has been interdicted, but through fear of your becoming rivals to your Master himself; and . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“For
כִּ֚י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

God
אֱלֹהִ֔ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

knows
יֹדֵ֣עַ (yō·ḏê·a‘)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3045: To know

that
כִּ֗י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

in the day
בְּיוֹם֙ (bə·yō·wm)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3117: A day

you eat
אֲכָלְכֶ֣ם (’ă·ḵā·lə·ḵem)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 398: To eat

of it,
מִמֶּ֔נּוּ (mim·men·nū)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

your eyes
עֵֽינֵיכֶ֑ם (‘ê·nê·ḵem)
Noun - cdc | second person masculine plural
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain

will be
וִהְיִיתֶם֙ (wih·yî·ṯem)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

opened
וְנִפְקְח֖וּ (wə·nip̄·qə·ḥū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 6491: To open, to be observant

and you will be like God,
כֵּֽאלֹהִ֔ים (kê·lō·hîm)
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

knowing
יֹדְעֵ֖י (yō·ḏə·‘ê)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3045: To know

good
ט֥וֹב (ṭō·wḇ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good

and evil.”
וָרָֽע׃ (wā·rā‘)
Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil


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OT Law: Genesis 3:5 For God knows that in the day (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 3:4
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