Bible: Titus 2:11-15; 3:1-7

2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people. 1  2:12 It trains us 2  to reject godless ways 3  and worldly desires and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 2:13 as we wait for the happy fulfillment of our hope in the glorious appearing 4  of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. 5  2:14 He 6  gave himself for us to set us free from every kind of lawlessness and to purify for himself a people who are truly his, 7  who are eager to do good. 8  2:15 So communicate these things with the sort of exhortation or rebuke 9  that carries full authority. 10  Don’t let anyone look down 11  on you.

The Temptation and the Fall

3:1 Now 1  the serpent 2  was more shrewd 3 

than any of the wild animals 4  that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Is it really true that 5  God 6  said, ‘You must not eat from any tree of the orchard? 7  3:2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat 8  of the fruit from the trees of the orchard; 3:3 but concerning the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the orchard God said, ‘You must not eat from it, and you must not touch it, 9  or else you will die.’ 10  3:4 The serpent said to the woman, “Surely you will not die, 11  3:5 for God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will open 12  and you will be like divine beings who know 13  good and evil.” 14 

3:6 When 15  the woman saw that the tree produced fruit that was good for food, 16  was attractive 17  to the eye, and was desirable for making one wise, 18  she took some of its fruit and ate it. 19  She also gave some of it to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. 20  3:7 Then the eyes of both of them opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

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