Genesis 3:4 kjv
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Genesis 3:4 nkjv
Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die.
Genesis 3:4 niv
"You will not certainly die," the serpent said to the woman.
Genesis 3:4 esv
But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die.
Genesis 3:4 nlt
"You won't die!" the serpent replied to the woman.
Genesis 3 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 2:17 | "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat... thou shalt surely die." | God's direct command & warning |
| Rom 5:12 | "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin..." | Sin and death's origin in humanity |
| 1 Cor 15:21-22 | "For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead... in Adam all die..." | Adam's role in bringing death |
| Jas 1:15 | "Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." | The progression from desire to death |
| Jn 8:44 | "Ye are of your father the devil... for he is a liar, and the father of it." | Satan's nature as the origin of lies |
| 2 Cor 11:3 | "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty..." | The serpent's deception of Eve |
| Rev 12:9 | "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world..." | Serpent identified as Satan |
| Rev 20:2 | "And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan..." | Further identification of the serpent as Satan |
| Num 23:19 | "God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent..." | God's absolute truthfulness |
| Rom 3:4 | "Let God be true, but every man a liar..." | God's truth stands above all human deceit |
| Ps 119:160 | "Your word is true from the beginning: and every one of your righteous judgments endureth for ever." | God's word is eternally true |
| Deut 8:3 | "That he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live." | Man's life dependent on God's word |
| Heb 3:19 | "So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief." | Consequences of not believing God's word |
| Eph 2:1 | "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins..." | Spiritual death as separation from God |
| Col 2:13 | "And you, being dead in your sins... hath he quickened together with him..." | Further description of spiritual death |
| 1 Jn 2:16 | "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life..." | Elements of the serpent's temptation |
| Rom 6:23 | "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." | Sin's consequence and God's solution |
| 1 Cor 15:54-55 | "Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting?" | Christ's victory over death |
| Heb 2:14-15 | "That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil..." | Christ's defeat of the devil through His death |
| Prov 14:12 | "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." | Following deceit leads to death |
| Jer 17:9 | "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" | The human capacity for deception and self-deception |
| Hos 13:4 | "Yet I am the LORD your God... and there is no saviour besides Me." | Implied challenge to God as sole source of truth and life |
| Is 5:20 | "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness..." | Perversion of truth, relevant to the lie |
| Mat 4:4 | "But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." | Jesus countering temptation with God's word |
| Lk 4:8 | "And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." | Jesus' refusal to yield to Satan's authority and lies |
Genesis 3 verses
Genesis 3 4 Meaning
Genesis 3:4 describes the pivotal moment in human history where the serpent directly contradicts God's clear warning concerning the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. It is the serpent's deceptive assertion to the woman that disobedience will not lead to death, fundamentally challenging God's truthfulness and fostering doubt in His word. This statement is the foundation of the first lie recorded in scripture, leading humanity into sin and its dire consequences.
Genesis 3 4 Context
Genesis chapter 3 recounts the fall of humanity into sin. Preceding verse 4, God had given a direct and clear command to Adam (Gen 2:17) not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, stating that on the day they ate of it, they would "surely die." The woman, Eve, recounts this command to the serpent in Genesis 3:3, though slightly misquoting it (adding 'neither shall ye touch it'). The serpent initiates the deception by subtly questioning God's true intention and trustworthiness in Genesis 3:1, "Has God said...?" Having gained an audience and prepared the ground of doubt, Genesis 3:4 is the moment the serpent boldly, unequivocally, and directly contradicts God's decree, initiating the fatal step towards disobedience and sin for mankind.
Genesis 3 4 Word analysis
- And: Links directly to the serpent's initial question in verse 1 and the woman's response in verse 3, indicating a continuous conversation.
- the serpent: Hebrew: ha-nachash (הַנָּחָשׁ). While meaning a physical snake, nachash also carries connotations of "shrewd," "cunning," "cly", or "brilliant/enchanting." This creature is clearly more than just an animal; it is empowered or possessed by a malicious, supernatural intelligence (later identified as Satan).
- said unto the woman: Direct address. The target of the specific, crucial lie, suggesting a calculated attack on humanity, beginning with the more susceptible in that moment (as she had not heard the direct command from God, only through Adam).
- Ye shall not surely die: Hebrew: Lo mot temutun (לֹא מ֤וֹת תְּמֻת֑וּן).
- Lo: The negative particle "not."
- Mot temutun: This uses the infinitive absolute with the imperfect form of the verb mut (to die), meaning "dying you shall not die" or "you shall not surely die." This directly and emphatically negates God's precise command in Gen 2:17, Mot tamut ("dying you shall die" / "you shall surely die").
Words-group analysis:
- "The serpent said unto the woman": Highlights the deceptive conversation's initiation. This is not a random animal interaction but a targeted, malicious encounter, signifying the adversarial role this creature (and the evil behind it) plays against God and humanity. The cunning and strategic nature of evil is revealed from the outset.
- "Ye shall not surely die": This phrase is a complete and absolute negation of God's Word. It represents the very essence of spiritual warfare: challenging the truthfulness, authority, and goodness of God. It attempts to invalidate God's command by denying its consequence, promising impunity for disobedience. This lie suggests that God is either deceitful or restrictive, withholding good from His creation, and that humanity can transcend divine limitations and become like God through forbidden knowledge.
Genesis 3 4 Bonus section
- The serpent's lie "Ye shall not surely die" directly contrasts with the truth found throughout Scripture that "the wages of sin is death" (Rom 6:23).
- This verse represents the devil's unchanging tactic of presenting a false alternative to God's revealed truth, often appealing to human desires for independence, forbidden knowledge, or perceived freedom. Every temptation from that point onward in human history carries echoes of this first lie against God's Word.
- The fact that God's immediate judgment (spiritual death and eventual physical decay) did indeed follow for Adam and Eve, despite the serpent's claim, profoundly demonstrates the certainty of God's word and the destructive power of the lie.
Genesis 3 4 Commentary
Genesis 3:4 is the devil's direct declaration of war on God's truth. Moving past the initial subtle questioning of God's command (Gen 3:1), the serpent now launches a brazen, emphatic denial: "Ye shall not surely die." This statement is not merely a lie; it is a profound assault on God's character, implying that He is a liar or a benevolent figure who is restricting good from His creation. By directly contradicting the divine word, the serpent presents an alternate reality, promising autonomy and unauthorized "knowledge" without the feared consequences. This promise resonates with human desire for self-determination and liberation from perceived divine restrictions.
This verse reveals the core strategy of temptation: to sow doubt about God's integrity and word, and then to present a counter-narrative that sounds more appealing and promises desirable outcomes, even if it contradicts divine revelation. The "death" being denied here is not solely physical but primarily spiritual—a severance of the relationship with God and an immediate fall from grace and purity. The lie successfully deceived Eve, opening the door for Adam's choice, plunging humanity into a state of sin and leading to separation from God, guilt, shame, and eventually physical death, echoing God's warning despite the serpent's denial. It also reveals the insidious nature of sin: it begins by rejecting God's word and believing a lie about Him.