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ADDITIONAL INSIGHTS

A look at the words for "soul" and "spirit" in the original Bible languages

Soul

Hebrew Nephesh (from Naphash)—to breathe. Greek Psuche refers to both animal and human life.

• All usages of these words relate to a living being, its conditions or qualities especially individuality, or personality.

• The first occurrence denotes man when God formed him from dust and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. Gen. 2:7.

Nephesh and psuche are also translated as:

• People, person or self (not a separable part of the person) see Gen 14:21; Num 5:6; Deut 10:22; cf. Ps 3:2; Lev 11:43; 1 Ki 19:4; Is 46:2; Acts 7:14; 27:37; Rom 13:1; 1 Pe 3:20 etc.

• A personal pronoun (I, me, you,) see Gen 12:13: Lev 11:43, 44; 19:8; Jos 23:11; Ps 3:2; Jer 37:9; Mt 12:18; 2 Cor 12:15; etc.

• Life over 40 times Gen 9:4, 5; 1 Sa 19:5; Job 2:4, 5; Ps 31:13; Mt 2:20; 6:25; 16:25; etc.

• Desire, pleasure, appetite, Deut 23:24; Ps 105:22; Prov 23:2; Ec 6:7; Jer 34:16.

• The dead, dead body, corpse Num 5:2; 9:6, 9, 10; Lev 19:28.

• Emotions, mind or heart Mk 14:34; Lk 2:35; Acts 14:2; Php 1:27; Eph 6:6.

• Soul, indicating the seat of the affections Gen 34:3; Song 1:7.

Spirit

Hebrew Rûach—breath, wind, vital element, mind. Refers to the vital life principle essential to individual existence. Most frequently translated "spirit," "wind," or "breath."

Greek Pneuma (from pne)—"to blow" or "to breathe."—The divine energy or life principle that animates human beings. Translated breath, wind, spirit.

Rûach and Pneuma are also used to denote:

• Vitality, courage Jos 2:11; Jgs 15:19.

• Disposition, temper or anger and the seat of the emotions 1 Sa 1:15; Jgs 8:3; Is 54:6.

• Moral character and aspects of the personality Eze 11:19; Rom 12:11; Gal 6:1.

• Mood, attitude, or state of feeling Rom 8:15; 1 Cor 4:21; 2 Ti 1:7; l Jn 4:6.

• The Spirit of God, which is inherently eternal, in contrast to the mortal condition of man Is 63:10; 1 Cor 2:11, 14; Eph 4:30; Heb 2:4: 1 Pe 1:12; 2 Pe 1:21. God only has immortality 1 Tim 6:15, 16.



Conclusion

None of the 1600 or more Scripture texts using any form of the words for soul and spirit gives the slightest hint that man has or is an immortal soul, or that:

• the soul or spirit of man or animal survives apart from the body,

• the soul or spirit of man can depart the body to consciously exist in another realm,

• the soul or spirit of man is alive in any form between death and the resurrection, when Jesus comes. Christ specifically taught that the soul (psuche) of the wicked is destroyed along with the body in "hell" [gehenna, i.e., place of burning] (Mt 10:28).



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Created: 8/1/01 Updated: 2/4/04