The Tree of Knowledge

1. Allow me to say next that once the archons had witnessed him and the female being who dwelt with him going astray unawares like beasts, they were extremely happy.

2. Upon learning that the deathless man would not ignore them, they grew upset that they instead would have to be afraid of the female being who had turned herself into a tree, and they said: “Maybe this is the real man, this being who put a mist over us, and who taught us that she who had been defiled resembles him, and then we will be defeated.”

3. Then together these seven concocted schemes together.

4. They nervously approached Adam and Eve, saying to him: “The fruit of any of the trees created for you in Paradise may be eaten, but regarding the tree of knowledge, exercise self-constraint, and do not eat of it.

5. If you do eat, you will die.”

6. After creating deep anxiety inside them, they retreated up to their authorities.

7. The cleverest of all creatures then approached, called “Beast,” and when he had beheld the likeness of their mother Eve, he said to her: “What has God said to you? Was it, ‘Eat not of the tree of knowledge’?”

8. She said: “Not only did he say, ‘Eat not of it,’ but, ‘Touch it not, or you will die.’”

9. He said to her: “Fear not, with death you will not die, because he knows that when you eat of it, your reasoning will grow sober, and you will become as gods, knowing the difference between evil and good humans.

10. In fact, he said this to you with jealously, to make you not eat of it.”

11. Eve now possessed confidence in the sayings of the teacher.

12. She observed the tree and recognized that it was beautiful and satisfying, and she liked it.

13. She took some of its fruit, and ate of it, and she also gave some to her husband, and he also ate of it.

14. Their mind then was opened, because upon eating, the light of knowledge had shone on them.

15. When they had clothed themselves with embarrassment, they realized they were naked without knowledge.

16. When they sobered up, they realized they were naked, and they fell in love with each other.

17. When they realized that the ones who had shaped them had the shape of beasts, they hated them.

18. They had become acutely aware.