A poem rooted in Scripture
Milton built Paradise Lost around the events of Genesis: God creates the world, Adam and Eve live in Eden, the serpent tempts them, and they disobey God. Those are biblical events, and the poem takes the seriousness of sin, death, judgement, and mercy seriously. Genesis presents the human fall as a real turning from God's command, with consequences for both people and the ground they inhabit (Genesis 3:6, Genesis 3:17-19).
The poem also looks ahead to restoration. That broad movement, from a good creation through human rebellion to God's saving purpose, fits the Bible's story. Paul contrasts Adam's sin and death with the grace and life that come through Jesus Christ (Romans 5:12, Romans 5:18).
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
Where Milton goes beyond the text
The Bible does not give a long, scene-by-scene account of Satan planning in heaven, debating with other fallen angels, or travelling through the universe. Milton creates speeches, personalities, settings, and motives that Scripture does not spell out. His famous Satan is therefore a literary character as well as a figure drawn from biblical teaching about the devil.
Scripture does speak of Satan's opposition to God and of a conflict involving angels. Jesus refers to Satan's fall (Luke 10:18), and Revelation portrays the dragon and his angels being cast out after war in heaven (Revelation 12:7-9). Yet Christians should be careful not to treat every detail in Milton's imagined scenes as a revealed fact.
Some interpretations are debated
Milton was a devoted but independent-minded Christian writer, and his theological views do not line up neatly with every Christian tradition. His presentation of free will, angelic life, marriage, and the relationship between the Father and the Son reflects his own reading of Scripture. At points, faithful Christians will read the relevant passages differently.
For example, the Bible plainly teaches that Eve was deceived and that Adam also transgressed (1 Timothy 2:14). But Genesis gives a concise account, while Milton develops their conversations, emotions, and differing responsibilities at great length. His expansion may help readers imagine the tragedy, but it should not be mistaken for information Genesis supplies.
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Read it with an open Bible
Paradise Lost can sharpen your sense of the beauty of Eden, the ugliness of temptation, and the cost of rebellion. It may also prompt worthwhile questions: Why does sin appeal to us? What does trust in God look like when his command feels limiting? Those questions belong in Christian discipleship.
Still, let Scripture set the boundaries. When a striking image or speech in the poem stays with you, check what the biblical text actually says. The Bible's central hope is not simply that paradise was lost. It is that God acts through Christ to defeat the devil's work and bring life to those who belong to him (1 John 3:8).
He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.