What does the Bible say about knowledge of good and evil?

Bible Topic · WEB

The Bible teaches that true moral wisdom belongs to God, and human attempts to define good and evil apart from him lead to sin, shame, and death. In Genesis 2:16-17, God gave Adam a good command, but Genesis 3 records humanity's grasping for autonomy through the forbidden tree. The result was alienation from God and exile, while Genesis 3:22 underscores the tragic reality of fallen human knowledge. Scripture therefore calls us to receive God's word humbly rather than trust our own judgment. Isaiah 5:20 warns against reversing God's moral order, and Romans 12:21 calls believers to overcome evil with good. Knowledge must also be joined to love, as 1 Corinthians 8:1-3 teaches.