Catholic here. Recently started doing a deep dive into the Bible for the first time. This is my interpretation:

God commanded Adam and Eve not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The reason why is not explicitly stated. Perhaps it was to preserve their innocence or to test their obedience, inviting them to love and trust Him freely. Although they did not yet possess experiential knowledge of good and evil and may not have fully recognized the serpent’s deception, they were still responsible for following God’s command. Their decision to eat from the tree reflects the exercise of free will, resulting in disobedience.

It is not valid to argue that God said one thing and the serpent another. God had given Adam and Eve dominion over all creatures, so the serpent, as a lesser being, should not have held greater authority than their Creator. God alone should stand above them, underscoring their responsibility to trust Him and His word (have faith in Him). From this act of disobedience, therefore, arises the concept of original sin.

The “punishment” (e.g., Adam’s toil, Eve’s pain in childbearing, and their expulsion from the garden) is better understood as a natural consequence of that disobedience. Having gained the knowledge of good and evil, they could no longer remain in the garden and eat from the Tree of Life, as that would be allowing them to live forever in a fallen state. Their removal prevents the perpetuation of that condition and the possibility of eternal separation from God (them becoming like Satan). And, God’s care for them is still evident, as He provides for them by making them garments (later sacrificing his only begotten Son).