It may come as a surprise to you, but the Bible points in several ways to the existence of death and suffering before the fall.
The most blatant example falls (pun intended) within Genesis 3:16.
To the woman [God] said,
"I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing;
in pain you shall bring forth children.
Your desire shall be contrary to your husband,
but he shall rule over you."
— Genesis 3:16 ESV (emphasis mine)
God tells the woman that childbirth is not going to suddenly become painful, but that the pain is going to “multiply” (ESV) or “intensify” (CSB) or “greatly increase” (NRSV) because of human rebellion.
When someone pointed this verse out to me, I couldn’t believe it. How can the Church propagate a creation without pain when the Bible openly talks about the consequences of the fall increasing pain?
