Genesis 3:4
“And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:”
KJV
Read in Genesis 3Meaning
The central contradiction is now explicit. The serpent does not merely reinterpret the command; he denies the consequence God attached to disobedience.
Read carefully
Adam and Eve do not collapse physically at the instant of eating, but Genesis 3 later introduces mortality and expulsion from the tree of life. The warning should be read within that whole narrative outcome.
Reflection
Temptation often reaches a point where competing voices cannot both be true. Discernment involves deciding which word deserves trust before the promised consequences can be seen.