Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil

In Genesis, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil stands in Eden beside the Tree of Life. God forbids Adam and Eve to eat its fruit; after they do, they are expelled from the garden.

Original sin: In Christian theology, original sin is the condition of sin or inherited corruption associated with humanity’s first disobedience. Christian traditions connect the fruit’s forbidden eating to humanity’s fallen condition.
Adam and Eve: In Genesis, Adam and Eve are the first humans, placed by God in the Garden of Eden. They receive the prohibition and eat the tree’s fruit.
Book of Genesis: The Book of Genesis is the first book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament. Its opening chapters introduce Eden and the two trees.
Knowledge of good and evil: In Genesis, knowledge of good and evil is the capacity or discernment associated with the forbidden tree’s fruit. The phrase names what the tree is said to confer, though its precise meaning is debated.
Free will: Free will is the capacity to choose among possible actions in a way attributable to the agent. Adam and Eve’s choice makes the episode a lasting test case for human freedom and responsibility.
Serpent (Genesis): In Genesis, the serpent questions God’s prohibition and persuades Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. Its counterclaim—that eating will open their eyes—drives the choice to eat.
Garden of Eden: The Garden of Eden is the biblical paradise where Genesis places the first humans and the two trees. The tree’s setting and story depend on Eden’s garden narrative.
Moral autonomy: Moral autonomy is the capacity to determine moral principles through one’s own reasoning rather than external authority. Some interpretations understand eating as humans claiming moral judgment for themselves.
Theodicy: Theodicy is the attempt to reconcile God’s goodness and power with the existence of evil and suffering. Interpretations of the prohibition and its consequences bear on why a good God permits disobedience.
Tree of Life: In Genesis, the Tree of Life stands in Eden and is associated with continued life. The narrative distinguishes it from the forbidden tree and bars access to it after the humans’ disobedience.

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AdamRelated: The command concerning its fruit becomes the narrative’s central test.