Several parts of Genesis 1–3 (e.g. being created in the image of God in 1:27, or naming the animals in 2:20) have been understood, even celebrated, as giving humanity the mandate to fulfill its divine calling to be a community of co-creators. In this paper I will offer a more sceptical interpretation of these passages, arguing that these oft-quoted verses are either not about co-creation, or they cast a rather negative light on human attempts to participate in the activity of creation. These chapters in general seem to suggest that the activity of creation is dangerous. However, there is a silver lining: if we read these chapters in their wider canonical context, they suggest that it is not entirely impossible for human beings to participate in the act of creation in a positive way.