Genesis 3 in the early church
1564 passages quote, allude to, or echo Genesis 3, grouped by verse; passages on the same verse are in date order. Verse text from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). References use the Protestant English Bible's numbering, with a writer's own numbering in brackets where it differs.
Verses: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 · 11 · 12 · 13 · 14 · 15 · 16 · 17 · 18 · 19 · 20 · 21 · 22 · 23 · 24
Genesis 3:1
Now the serpent 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?’”
Genesis 3:2
The woman answered the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden,
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 3:2 | Against Heresies 5.23.1 · Irenaeus of Lyons | quotation, high confidence | ca. 180–190 |
| Gen 3:2–3 | On Paradise 32 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 375-378 |
Genesis 3:3
but about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You must not eat of it or touch it, or you will die.’”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 3:3 | Against Heresies 5.23.1 · Irenaeus of Lyons | quotation, high confidence | ca. 180–190 |
| Gen 3:3 | Fragments on Luke, column 361 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 220-254 |
| Gen 3:3 | Commentary on Matthew 15.33 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 246–248 |
| Gen 3:3 | On Jacob and the Happy Life 1.8 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 386-390 |
| Gen 3:3 | Against Faustus the Manichaean 14.4 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 398–400 |
| Gen 3:3 | Against Faustus the Manichaean 14.7 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 398–400 |
Genesis 3:4
“You will not surely die,” the serpent told the woman.
Genesis 3:5
“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.”
Genesis 3:6
When 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.
Genesis 3:7
And the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; so they sewed together fig leaves and made coverings for themselves.
Genesis 3:8
Then the man and his wife heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the breeze of the day, and they hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
Genesis 3:9
But the LORD God called out to the man, “Where are you?”
Genesis 3:10
“I heard Your voice in the garden,” he replied, “and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.”
Genesis 3:11
“Who told you that you were naked?” asked the LORD God. “Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 3:11 | On Pascha 48 · text not on this site · Melito of Sardis | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 160-180 |
| Gen 3:11 | Against Marcion 2.25 · Tertullian | allusion, high confidence | 207/208 (third edition, completed later) |
| Gen 3:11 | Ancoratus 38.7 · Epiphanius of Salamis | allusion, high confidence | 374 |
| Gen 3:11 | Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 64.65.14 · Epiphanius of Salamis | quotation, high confidence | 374-377 |
| Gen 3:11 | On Paradise 59 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 375-378 |
| Gen 3:11 | Exposition of Psalm 118 1.13.2 · Ambrose | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Gen 3:11 | On Genesis against the Manichaeans 2.16 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 388–390 |
| Gen 3:11–13 | Literal Commentary on Genesis 11.35 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 401–415 |
Genesis 3:12
And the man answered, “The woman whom You gave me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 3:12–13 | Homily on 1 Samuel 1.15 · Origen | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Gen 3:12–13 | Demonstration 14.42 · Aphrahat | quotation, high confidence | 337-345 |
| Gen 3:12 | Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 64.65.14 · Epiphanius of Salamis | quotation, high confidence | 374-377 |
| Gen 3:12 | On Genesis against the Manichaeans 2.17 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 388–390 |
| Gen 3:12–13 | Literal Commentary on Genesis 11.42 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 401–415 |
| Gen 3:12 | City of God 14.11 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | 413–426 |
| Gen 3:12 | City of God 14.14 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | 413–426 |
| Gen 3:12–13 | Part 1, chapter 2 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage | allusion, high confidence | ca. 445-450 |
Genesis 3:13
Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” “The serpent deceived me,” she replied, “and I ate.”
Genesis 3:14
So the LORD God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and every beast of the field! On your belly will you go, and dust you will eat, all the days of your life.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 3:14 | Dialogue with Trypho 79.4 · Justin Martyr | allusion, high confidence | ca. 155–160 |
| Gen 3:14 | Dialogue with Trypho 91.4 · Justin Martyr | allusion, high confidence | ca. 155–160 |
| Gen 3:14 | Dialogue with Trypho 112.2 · Justin Martyr | allusion, high confidence | ca. 155–160 |
| Gen 3:14 | To Autolycus 2.21 · Theophilus of Antioch | quotation, high confidence | ca. 180–185 |
| Gen 3:14 | To Autolycus 2.23 · Theophilus of Antioch | allusion, high confidence | ca. 180–185 |
| Gen 3:14 | The Instructor 2.1.7 · Clement of Alexandria | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 190–200 |
| Gen 3:14 | Exhortation to the Greeks 11.111 · Clement of Alexandria | allusion, high confidence | ca. 190–200 |
| Gen 3:14–24 | Against Heresies 1.30.8 · Irenaeus of Lyons | allusion, high confidence | ca. 180–190 |
| Gen 3:14 | Against Heresies 3.23.3 · Irenaeus of Lyons | quotation, high confidence | ca. 180–190 |
| Gen 3:14 | Miscellanies 4.16.100 · Clement of Alexandria | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Gen 3:14 | On Patience 5 · Tertullian | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 198–206 |
| Gen 3:14 | On the Great Ode (Deut 32), fragment 1 (Deut 32:26?) · Hippolytus of Rome | allusion, low confidence | ca. 202-235 |
| Gen 3:14 | Homilies on Ezekiel 1.3 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Jerome's translation in the 380s) |
| Gen 3:14 | Homilies on Numbers 15.3 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Gen 3:14 | Homilies on Numbers 16.1 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Gen 3:14 | Against Celsus 6.28 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 248 |
| Gen 3:14 | Commentary on Matthew, Latin Series 49 · Origen | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 244–249 (Latin translation, 4th–5th century) |
| Gen 3:14 | Commentary on Romans 5.1 · Origen | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 244–246 (Rufinus's translation ca. 405–406) |
| Gen 3:14–15 | To Quirinus 2.9 · Cyprian of Carthage | quotation, high confidence | ca. 248–250 (book 3 perhaps later) |
| Gen 3:14 | On the Lapsed 11 · Cyprian of Carthage | allusion, high confidence | 251 |
| Gen 3:14 | Homilies 10.11 · Anonymous | allusion, high confidence | 4th century (reworking earlier material) |
| Gen 3:14 | Recognitions 2.44 · Anonymous | allusion, high confidence | Greek original 3rd–4th century; Rufinus's Latin translation before 407 |
| Gen 3:14 | Recognitions 2.53 · Anonymous | allusion, high confidence | Greek original 3rd–4th century; Rufinus's Latin translation before 407 |
| Gen 3:14 | Recognitions 5.17 · Anonymous | allusion, high confidence | Greek original 3rd–4th century; Rufinus's Latin translation before 407 |
| Gen 3:14 | Demonstration 2.19 · Aphrahat | allusion, medium confidence | 337-345 |
| Gen 3:14–15 | Demonstration 9.8 · Aphrahat | allusion, high confidence | 337-345 |
| Gen 3:14 | Demonstration 14.10 · Aphrahat | allusion, high confidence | 337-345 |
| Gen 3:14 | Demonstration 14.37 · Aphrahat | allusion, medium confidence | 337-345 |
| Gen 3:14–19 | Cento, lines 245–269 · Proba | allusion, high confidence | ca. 360 |
| Gen 3:14–15 | On Saint Athanasius 1.1 · Lucifer of Cagliari | quotation, high confidence | ca. 356–361 |
| Gen 3:14 | Tractates on the Psalms 51.12 · Hilary of Poitiers | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 360–367 |
| Gen 3:14 | Tractates on the Psalms 118.19.12 · Hilary of Poitiers | allusion, high confidence | ca. 360–367 |
| Gen 3:14 | Hexaemeron 7.3 · Basil of Caesarea | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370 |
| Gen 3:14 | Question 31, section 1 · Ambrosiaster | quotation, high confidence | ca. 370–384 |
| Gen 3:14–15 | Question 31, section 2 · Ambrosiaster | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–384 |
| Gen 3:14 | Question 127, section 27 · Ambrosiaster | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–384 |
| Gen 3:14 | Letter 7.3 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Gen 3:14 | Letter 10.1 · Jerome | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Gen 3:14 | Letter 22.3 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Gen 3:14 | Letter 38.4 · Jerome | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Gen 3:14 | Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 64.65.15 · Epiphanius of Salamis | allusion, high confidence | 374-377 |
| Gen 3:14–19 | On Paradise 73 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 375-378 |
| Gen 3:14 | On Paradise 74 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 375-378 |
| Gen 3:14 | On Paradise 75 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 375-378 |
| Gen 3:14 | On Paradise 76 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 375-378 |
| Gen 3:14 | On Paradise 77 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 375-378 |
| Gen 3:14–15 | Homily 2 · Gregory of Nyssa | allusion, high confidence | ca. 379–394 |
| Gen 3:14 | On the Lord's Prayer 1183 · Gregory of Nyssa | allusion, high confidence | ca. 380–394 |
| Gen 3:14 | On Fleeing the World 41 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 387-391 |
| Gen 3:14 | On Genesis against the Manichaeans 2.1 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 388–390 |
| Gen 3:14 | On Genesis against the Manichaeans 2.17 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 388–390 |
| Gen 3:14 | On Genesis against the Manichaeans 2.18 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 388–390 |
| Gen 3:14 | On Genesis against the Manichaeans 2.26 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | ca. 388–390 |
| Gen 3:14 | Sermon 13.1 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 391-430 |
| Gen 3:14 | Poem 28, lines 251–281 · Paulinus of Nola | allusion, high confidence | ca. 393–431 |
| Gen 3:14 | On the Christian Struggle 2 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 396–397 |
| Gen 3:14 | Against Faustus the Manichaean 15.3 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, low confidence | ca. 398–400 |
| Gen 3:14 | On the Trinity 13.12 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 399–419 |
| Gen 3:14–15 | Literal Commentary on Genesis 11.36 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 401–415 |
| Gen 3:14 | Tractates on the Gospel of John 38.4 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 406–420 |
| Gen 3:14 | Formulae of Spiritual Understanding 3 · Eucherius of Lyon | quotation, high confidence | ca. 420-430 |
| Gen 3:14–16 | Book 1, lines 483–507 · Claudius Marius Victor | allusion, high confidence | ca. 425-430 |
| Gen 3:14 | The Conferences 8.10 · John Cassian | allusion, high confidence | ca. 426–429 |
| Gen 3:14 | The Conferences 8.11 · John Cassian | allusion, high confidence | ca. 426–429 |
| Gen 3:14 | Part 1, chapter 3 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage | quotation, high confidence | ca. 445-450 |
Genesis 3:15
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
Genesis 3:16
To the woman He said: “I will sharply increase your pain in childbirth; in pain you will bring forth children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”
Genesis 3:17
And to Adam He said: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat, cursed is the ground because of you; through toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.
Genesis 3:18
Both thorns and thistles it will yield for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.
Genesis 3:19
By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread, until you return to the ground—because out of it were you taken. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”
Genesis 3:20
And Adam named his wife Eve, because she would be the mother of all the living.
Genesis 3:21
And the LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and He clothed them.
Genesis 3:22
Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil. And now, lest he reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever...”
Genesis 3:23
Therefore the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.
Genesis 3:24
So He drove out the man and stationed cherubim on the east side of the Garden of Eden, along with a whirling sword of flame to guard the way to the tree of life.