Dear Mr.

Larsen,

Soul-The Tradition and the Scriptures

In the Bible, “soul” is translated from the Hebrew ne′phesh and the Greek psy·khe′. To many persons “soul” means the
immaterial or spirit part of a human being that survives the death of the physical body. Others understand it to be the
principle of life. Bible usage, however, shows the soul to be a person, or an animal, or the life that a person or an animal
enjoys. But the former views are not supported by the Bible’s usage of these terms, nor its teachings.
The authority of the Bible over tradition was highlighted by Jesus’ denunciation of the Jewish religious leader’s
placement of their developed traditions over God’s word. He said, in part: “Why is it you also overstep the commandment of
God because of your tradition? ...And so you have made the word of God invalid because of your tradition. You hypocrites,
Isaiah aptly prophesied about you, when he said, ‘This people honors me with their lips, yet their heart is far removed from
me. It is in vain that they keep worshiping me, because they teach commands of men as doctrines.’ With that he called the
crowd near and said to them: ‘Listen and get the sense of it: Not what enters into [his] mouth defiles a man; but it is what
proceeds out of [his] mouth that defiles a man.’” (Matt 15:3, 6-11) That being the case, an examination of the traditional
teaching on the soul should be measured by an examination of the Bible’s usage of the term and the teachings of the
Scriptures that shed light upon its concept, indicating its validity or fallacy. We want to be sure that we are not viewed as
‘defiled’ by promoting a teaching that is false, and thereby render invalid certain Bible teaching and in so doing dishonor
God.
First, it would be important to point out that if the argument for a non-traditional Bible teaching of the “soul” were
valid, applied logic informs us that there would be evidence for the support of the traditional teaching from another source,
would there not? Is this the case? Is there a source outside the Bible narrative that describes or teaches the concept of an
inherent, immaterial, immortal “soul”? Yes! For example, in Plato’s “Phaedo,” (Secs. 64, 105, as published in Great Books
of the Western World [1952], edited by R. M. Hutchins, Vol. 7, pp. 223, 245, 246) we do find the concept of an inherently
immaterial and immortal human “soul”, to wit:

Do we believe that there is such a thing as death? . . . Is it not the separation of soul and body? And to be
dead is the completion of this; when the soul exists in herself, and is released from the body and the body is
released from the soul, what is this but death? . . . And does the soul admit of death? No. Then the soul is
immortal? Yes.

In his book, The Religion of Babylonia and Assyria (Boston, 1898), p. 556, M. Jastrow, Jr. writes: “The problem of
immortality, we have seen, engaged the serious attention of the Babylonian theologians. . . . Neither the people nor the
leaders of religious thought ever faced the possibility of the total annihilation of what once was called into existence. Death
was a passage to another kind of life.” (Italics mine) We find that the [traditional] concept of the soul being inherently
immaterial and immortal, and which survives the “body” at death, is for all intents and purposes universal. We find the
concept in Hinduism’s teaching of reincarnation, the cycle of rebirth in Buddhism, ancestor worship in Japan’s Shinto,
immortality in Taoism, ancestor worship in Confucianism, rebirth in Jainism, and reincarnation in Sikhism. Further, we
witness the presence of the Greek developed traditional concept in Christendom, Judaism, and Islam. In making a promise of
an afterlife, virtually every religion depends on the belief that a human has a soul that is immortal and that upon death
journeys to another realm or transmigrates to another creature.

The Bible
The sacred Hebrew writings began to be written in the 16th century B.C.E. and were completed by the time Socrates
and Plato gave form to the theory of the immortality of the soul. Did these Scriptures teach the immortality of the soul?
Encyclopaedia Judaica:

Only in the post-biblical period, did a clear and firm belief in the immortality of the soul take hold . . . and
become one of the cornerstones of the Jewish and Christian faiths....The personality [the person] was
considered as a whole in the biblical period. Thus the soul was not sharply distinguished from the
body....the resurrection...is to be distinguished from the belief in . . . the immortality of the soul,...[Italics
mine]

In the Bible narrative, in four places prior to the account of human creation at Genesis 2:7, nonhuman forms of earth’s
creatures are described with the Hebrew word for “soul”.
 1:20 ...let the waters swarm forth a swarm of living souls 1
1:21 ...sea monsters and every living soul (ne′phesh ha·chai·yah′) that glides
1:24 ...let the earth put forth living souls (ne′phesh ha·chai·yah′)
1:30 ...everything creeping upon the earth in which there is life as a soul (ne′phesh chai·yah′)

We hereby observe the Hebrew expression is with reference to breathing animals, creatures, not humans. Should an
intelligent observer apply a Platonic underpinning to the reference made to animals as “souls” (ne′phesh), concluding that
animals ‘possess an inherent, immortal, immaterial “soul”’? While some Eastern religions do, it is not based upon what
Moses recorded here. A careful examination of the use of the Hebrew term for soul should reveal the meaning held by those
who wrote the Scriptures.
The footnote reference notwithstanding, it should be shown that the account of man’s creation indicates that the human
“soul” is with reference to the whole being, the living person, the life that person enjoys. Note the sequential order of God’s
creation of Adam.

2:7 ...And Jehovah God proceeded to [a] form the man out of dust from the ground and [b] to blow into his
nostrils the breath of life, and [c] the man came to be a living soul. (lene′phesh chai·yah′)

[a] The first thing God did was form from the lifeless constituents of the ground a body that was constructed to operate
on the energy produced by means of oxidation, an oxygen reduction process known as the “Kreb’s Cycle”, or the Citric Acid
Cycle. In aerobic organisms, the citric acid cycle is part of a metabolic pathway involved in the chemical conversion of
carbohydrates, fats and proteins into carbon dioxide and water to generate a form of usable energy. Adam and the other
creatures the Bible calls “souls” are aerobic organisms. They are “breathers”. In fact, Ne′phesh evidently comes from a root
meaning “breathe” and in a literal sense ne′phesh could be rendered as “a breather.” Koehler and Baumgartner’s Lexicon in
Veteris Testamenti Libros (Leiden, 1958, p. 627) defines it as: “the breathing substance, making man and animal living
beings Gn 1, 20, the soul (strictly distinct from the Greek notion of soul) the seat of which is the blood Gn 9, 4f Lv 17, 11 Dt
12, 23: (249 X) . . . soul = living being, individual, person.” [underline mine] Just as in an internal combustion engine, the
“ne′phesh” requires a 1) working construct, or apparatus, 2) fuel and accelerant (the burn) and 3) the spark. The “spark”, in
the case breathers, is Jehovah’s life force.
[b] With the constructed apparatus, fuel, and life force present, all that was need was the accelerant to get things
moving, as it were. A biker will lift himself up and force down the kick-start mechanism to get his engine started. The
energy (spark) from the battery and the fuel (food) from the tank are present to be sent to the cylinder along with the
accelerant (oxygen). Together, they keep the apparatus designed for continuous operation “operating”. If the parts of the
apparatus break, the fuel runs out, the oxygen is removed or blocked, or the spark is deprived, the engine will not operate.
Precisely the same is true with the “ne′phesh”, whether man or beast. When death occurs, the apparatus no longer operates,
breathing no longer occurs, it “goes out”, and the life force no longer supports the mechanisms that operate the apparatus, the
soul dies. Bible writers were inspired to indicate this principle when they said:

For there is an eventuality as respects the sons of mankind and an eventuality as respects the beast, and they
have the same eventuality. As the one dies, so the other dies; and they all have but one spirit, 2 so that there
is no superiority of the man over the beast, for everything is vanity. All are going to one place. They have
all come to be from the dust, and they are all returning to the dust. –Eccl 3:19, 20 [Italics mine]

If you conceal your face, they get disturbed. If you take away their spirit 3 , they expire, And back to their
dust they go. If you send forth your spirit, they are created; And you make the face of the ground new. -Ps
104:29, 30

Look! All the souls—to me they belong. As the soul of the father so likewise the soul of the son—to me
they belong. The soul that is sinning—it itself will die. 4 - Ezekiel 18:4

1 Of living souls.” Gr., ψυχω̃ν ζωσω̃ν (psy·khon′ zo·son′, pl.); Heb., ne′phesh chai·yah′, sing., referring to marine animals. In Heb. the
same expression is used with reference to man in 2:7
2 Or, “and . . . breath.” Heb., weru′ach; Gr., pneu′ma. This is not synonymous with ne′phesh (soul, life as a creature). The ru′ach supports
the ne′phesh, the creature.
3 “Their spirit (breath).” Heb., ru·cham′; Gr., pneu′ma; Lat., spi′ri·tum
4 Or, “The soul that is sinning is the one that will die.” Heb., han·ne′phesh ha·cho·te’th′ hi’ tha·muth′
 The “soul” dies! Man and beast are both kept alive with the one life force that emanates from “the source of life”,
Jehovah God 5 . (Ps 36:9) Further, the same breath of life is utilized by man and beast. Additionally, due to sin, mankind has
inherited from Adam, “the same eventuality”. Death now occurs for man as it naturally does for animals. (Ro 5:12) Had
Adam chosen to obey the charter command to leave the restricted tree untouched, and the fruit of it uneaten, he would not
have received the sanction for so doing. (Gen 2:15-17) He and his children would not have had the eventuality the writer of
Ecclesiastes truthfully bemoans. When Adam’s self-acquired sinful nature had caused the breakdown of vital organic
mechanisms, the breath of life (spirit; Heb., ru′ach; Gr., pneu′ma) could no longer sustain him. In time, 930 years later, he
died. It happened just as Jehovah had told him: “In the sweat of your face you will eat bread until you return to the ground,
for out of it you were taken. For dust you are and to dust you will return.” (Gen 3:19) We note the similarity in the
expressions used in Genesis, Psalms and Ecclesiastes (previously cited) regarding the passage to death. When animals and
men die, they go back, return, to the dust. Nothing is said to Adam, when sentenced, or to us, about a continuance of life that
follows death. But we are told thrice (so far) that we return to the dust from which we came. However, some would argue
that this is referring only to the “body” of man, the “soul” lives on! Do the Scriptures indicate a dichotomy of body and
soul? 6 (See Ps. 146:3, 4)
The “c” part of Genesis 2:7 we are examining describes to us that Adam “came to be a living soul” after being formed
and the breath of life was administered. It is of interest to us that it does not give the description that he received a “soul”,
but only that he became a soul after being formed and animated. This is a strong indication that the soul of Adam is a
physical one, made of flesh, bone and blood, and was the product of the general creative actions described. If Adam had
received a soul, an entity of immortal, immaterial status, why was the description void of its indicators? Not to indicate
otherwise (that Adam received a “soul”, or that a soul was given the body of Adam) with “he came to be a living soul”, in
effect, is a misleading statement from the God, about whom it is said “it is impossible for [Him] to lie.” However, if it is the
case that Adam’s soul was the living, breathing human body that made him what he was, we should find no scripture that
would contradict that assessment. Is this the case? Yes, it is! In fact, there are many passages that make little sense if the
human soul was thought of as immaterial and immortal. For example, below I list the occurrences of Heb. “ne′phesh” and
the Grk. “psy . che'”, their forms, for your perusal. I bow to your learning as a linguist, and am confident that what is offered
will bear up under your scrutiny insofar as the truth about soul is concerned.
The main point of the foregoing was to reply to your belief that the Bible supports the idea that the “spirits in prison”
were the presumed “souls” of people who had died in the Noachian flood waters. The inescapable conclusion is these “spirits
in prison” could not possibly be the souls of human beings. The Scriptures make clear that the soul is the human being, and
when a human being dies, it is to be said that the soul dies; the life enjoyed by the person ends. For what other purpose is a
resurrection (“standing up, raising up [in life]”) of the dead? If the soul did not die, why is it said there is need of a
resurrection from a dead state? Further, if the dead are alive, for what purpose was the ransom for which a resurrection is
only made possible? So, the “spirits in prison” were not the souls of dead humans, they were spirit beings of the spiritual
realm that had rebelled against God, becoming demons that live until now. Jesus’ presentation as a resurrected faithful
servant announced to those fallen angels that their judgment was sealed.
I will end here with what I am offering, unless otherwise required. I hope I have been clear with what I have stated; it
has been a great pleasure.

Useage of the Hebrew and the Greek Word for “Soul”

( ψυχή, psy . che', Greek; ‫ נפש‬, neph' esh, Hebrew )

Below is listed all thirty-nine books of the Hebrew Scriptures, wherein is presented a consistent rendering of the Hebrew
word neph'esh as "soul." In each case it proves understandable in the light of its context. The use of this one Hebrew word in
many different contexts helps us to ascertain the main or basic idea inherent in the word as the Bible writers used it, namely,
that (1) it is a person, an individual, or a lower animal, or, (2) it is the life that a person or animal enjoys as such. This is
absolutely different from the pagan ideas of what the ancient Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks and Romans called a "soul." By
studying over the context of the Hebrew word neph'esh in its 750 occurrences In the Hebrew Scriptures the investigator can
learn distinguishing features about the soul in its true meaning. To aid in this there have been grouped below, under various

5 “Jehovah God.” Heb., Yehwah′ ’Elo·him′. This expression, without the definite Heb. article ha before ’Elo·him′, is used 20 times in Ge 1–3.
The first occurrence of the expression Yehwah′ ha·’Elo·him′ is in 1Ch 22:1, where it is rendered “Jehovah the [true] God.”
6 To carry this reasoning to its logical conclusion, we must then accept that Eccl. 3: 19, 20 must also be referring only to the bodies of the
beasts who die the same way men die, for the writer enunciates complete equality in the life to death scenario of existence.: “there is no
superiority of the man over the beast.”
headings, the texts where the Hebrew word neph'esh occurs. This list bears a comparison with that given for the Christian
Greek Scriptures.
The animals lower than man are souls or have soul
Genesis
1:20 let the waters swarm forth a swarm of living souls
1:21 sea monsters and. every living soul that glides
1:24 let the earth put forth living souls
1:30 everything creeping upon the earth in which there is
life as a soul
2:19 the man would call it, each living soul
9:10 with every living soul that is with you
9:12 between me and you and every living soul that is
9:15 between me and you and every living soul among all
9:16 between God and every living soul among all flesh
Leviticus
11:10 every living soul that is in the waters
Soul, a living person or individual
Genesis
2:7 the man came to be a living soul
12:5 the souls whom they had acquired In Haran
14:21 give me the souls
36:6 all the souls of his house and his herd
46:15 all the souls of his sons and of his daughters
46:18 she bore these to Jacob: sixteen souls
46:22 all the souls were fourteen
46:25 all the souls were seven
46:26 all the souls, who came to Jacob
46:26 all the souls were sixty-six
46:27 born to him in Egypt were two souls
46:27 all the souls of the house of Jacob
Exodus
1:5 all the souls who issued out of Jacob's
1:5 came to be seventy souls
12:4 his house according to the number of souls
12:16 only what every soul needs to eat
16:16 according to the number of the souls that
Leviticus
2:1 in case some soul would present as an offering
4:2 in case a soul should sin
4:27 if any soul of the people of the land should sin
5:1 Now In case a soul should sin
5:2 when a soul touches some unclean thing
5:4 in case a soul should swear
5:15 in case a soul should behave unfaithfully
5:17 if a soul should sin
6:2 in case a soul should sin
11:46 every living soul that glides in the waters
11:46 every soul that swarms upon the earth
24:18 the fatal striker of the soul of a domestic animal
should make compensation for it, soul for soul
Numbers
31:28 one soul out of five hundred, of humankind and of
the herd and of the asses and of the flock
Job
41:21 its soul itself sets coals ablaze
Ezekiel
47:9 every living soul that swarms
7:18 the soul that eats some of it will answer
7:20 the soul who eats the flesh of the communion
7:21 in case a soul should touch anything unclean
7:25 the soul that eats must be cut off
7:27 any soul who eats any blood,
17:10 the soul that is eating the blood
17:12 no soul of you should eat blood
17:15 any soul that eats a dead body or something
18:29 the souls doing them must be cut off from
20:6 the soul who turns himself to the spirit mediums
20:6 I shall certainly set my face against that soul
22:6 the soul who touches any such must be unclean
22:11 in case a priest should purchase a soul
23:29 every soul that will not be afflicted
23:30 any soul that will do any sort of work
27:2 a special vow-offering of souls to Jehovah
Numbers
5:6 then that soul has become guilty
15:27 if any soul should sin by mistake
15:28 the soul who made a mistake by a sin
15:30 the soul that does something deliberately
19:18 the souls that happened to be there
19:22 the soul who touches it will be unclean
31:35 as for human souls from the women
31:35 all the souls were thirty-two thousand
31:40 the human souls were sixteen thousand
31:40 the tax on them for Jehovah was thirty-two souls
31:46 and human souls. sixteen thousand
35:30 one witness may not testify against a soul
Deuteronomy
10:22 with seventy souls your forefathers went
24:6 it is a soul that he is seizing as a pledge
24:7 kidnapping a soul of his brothers of the sons
1 Samuel
22:22 I personally have wronged every soul
2 Samuel
14:14 God does not take away a soul
2 Kings
12:4 money for the souls according to . . . the valuation
1 Chronicles
5:21 human souls a hundred thousand
Psalms
19:7 law of Jehovah is perfect, bringing back the soul
Proverbs
11:25 the generous soul will itself be made fat
11:30 he that is winning souls is wise
Life as an intelligent person or an animal
Genesis
9:4 only flesh with its soul-Its blood
9:5 your blood of your souls shall I ask back
9:5 shall I ask back the soul of man
19:17 escape for your soul
32:30 and yet my soul was delivered
35:18 her soul was going out (because she died)
Exodus
4:19 men who were hunting for your soul are dead
21:23 you must give soul for soul
21:30 give the redemption price for his soul
23:9 known the soul of the temporary resident
30:12 give a ransom for his soul to Jehovah
30:15 make atonement for your souls
30:16 make atonement for your souls
Leviticus
17:11 the soul of the flesh is in the blood
17:11 to make atonement for your souls
17:11 blood that makes atonement by the soul in it
17:14 the soul of every sort of flesh is its blood
17:14 is its blood by the soul in it
17:14 soul of every sort of flesh is its blood
26:16 making the soul pine away
Numbers
16:24 pleasant sayings are . . . sweet to the soul
19:2 that the soul should be without knowledge is not
good
19:15 a slack soul goes hungry (also 10:3)
25:25 as cold water upon a tired soul, so is
27:7 a soul that is satisfied will tread down comb honey
27:7 to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet
28:9 due to the counsel of the soul
Isaiah
5:14 she'ol [personified] has made its soul spacious
Jeremiah
43:6 every soul that Nebuzar-adan. . . had let stay
52:29 eight hundred and thirty-two souls (also 50:30)
Lamentations
3:25 the soul that keeps seeking for him
Ezekiel
27:13 For the souls of mankind . . .your articles. . . were
given
11:6 our soul is dried away
21:4 the soul of the people began tiring out
21:5 our soul has become disgusted with the
31:50 make atonement for our souls before Jehovah
35:31 take no ransom for the soul of a murderer
Deuteronomy
4:29 Inquire for him with all your heart and with all your
soul
6:5 all your soul and all your vital force
10:12 God with all your heart and all your soul
11:13 serve him with all your heart and all your soul
11:18 apply these words of mine to your heart and your
soul
12:23 the blood is the soul . . . you must not eat the soul
with the flesh
13:3 God with all your heart and all your soul
18:6 come because of any longing of his soul
19:21 soul will be for soul, eye for eye
24:15 he is lifting up his soul to his wages
26:16 with all your heart and all your soul
28:65 falling of the eyes and despair of soul
30:2 sons, with all your heart and all your soul
30:6 all your soul for the sake of your life
30:10 God with all your heart and all your soul
Joshua
9:24 we became very much afraid for our souls
22:5 him with all your heart and with all your soul
23:14 know with all your hearts and with all your souls
Judges
9:17 and went risking his soul
12:3 determined to put my soul in my own hand
18:25 men bitter of soul may assault you people
18:25 you have to forfeit your own soul
18:25 forfeit . . . the soul of your household
Ruth
4:15 he has become a restorer of your soul
1 Samuel
1:10 she was bitter of soul (also 22:2; 30:6; 2Sa 17:8; 2Ki
4:27; Job 3:20; 7:11; 10:1b; 21:25; 27:2; Pr 31:6;
Isa 38:15; Eze 27:31)
1:15 I pour out my soul before Jehovah (also Job 30:16;
Ps 42:4; 141:8; Isa 53:12; La 2:12)
19:5 he proceeded to put his soul in his palm (also 28:21:
Job 13:14; Ps 119:109)
19:11 If you are not letting your soul escape (also
2Sa 19:5; 1Ki 1:12; Ps 17:13; 89:48; 116:4; 124:7:
Jer 48:6: 51:6, 45; Eze 33:5: Am 2:14, 15)
20:1 he is seeking for my soul (also I 22:23: 23:15; 25:29;
2Sa 4:8; 16:11; 1Ki 3:11; 19:10, 14; 2Ch 1: 1:11; Ps
38:12; 40:14; 54:3; 63:9; 70:2; 86:14; Pr 29:10;
Ec 7:28; Ca 3:1, 2, 3, 4; 5:6; Jer 4:30: 11:21; 19:7,9:
21:7; 22:25; 34:20, 21; 38:16b; 44:30, 30; 46:26;
49:37)
24:11 you are lying in wait for my soul (also Ps 56:6;
59:3; 71:10; Pr 1:18; 6:26)
26:21 my soul has been precious (also 2Ki 1:13, 14)
26:24 your soul was great this day in my eyes (twice)
28:9 are you acting like a trapper against my soul
2 Samuel
1:9 my soul is yet in me
4:9 Jehovah who redeemed my soul (also 1Ki 1:29; Job
33:28; Ps 34:22; 49:8, 15; 55:18; 71:23; 72:14)
14:7 we may put him to death for the soul of his brother
18:13 dealt treacherously against his soul
23:17 at the risk of their souls (also 1Ch11:19; La 5:9)
1Kings
2:4 with all their heart and with all their soul (also 8:48;
2Kl 31; 23:3, 25; 2Ch 6:38; 15:12; 34:31)
2:23 against his own soul that Adonijah spoke
17:21 cause the soul of this child to come back (also
17:22)
19:2 if … I shall not make your soul like the soul of each
one of them
19:3 he rose up and began to go for his soul
20:39 your soul will have to take the place of his soul
(also 20:42)
2 Kings
7:7 they kept fleeing for their soul
10:24 the one's soul will go for the other's soul
1 Chronicles
28:9 serve him . . . with a delightful soul
2Chronicles
1:11 not asked . . . for the soul of those hating you
Esther
7:3 let there be given me my own soul
7:7 Haman... stood up to make request for his soul (also
8:11; 9:16)
Job
2:4 he will give In behalf of his soul
2:6 only watch out for his soul
6:11 I should keep prolonging my soul
12:10 in whose hand Is the soul of everyone alive
14:22 his own soul while within him will keep mourning
16:4 if only your souls existed in the place of my soul
19:2 how long will you men keep irritating my soul
27:8 in case God carries off his soul from him
31:39 the soul of its owners I have caused to pant
33:18 He keeps his soul back from the pit
Psalms
6:4 0 Jehovah, do rescue my soul (also 22:20; 33:19;
56:13; 86:13; 116:8; 120:2; Pr 23:14; Isa 14: 20;
47:14; Jer 20:13; Eze 3:19, 21; 14:14, 20; 33:9)
7:5 let an enemy pursue my soul (also 143:3)
17:9 the enemies against my soul
25:20 do guard my soul (also 86:2; 97:10; 121:7; Pr 22:5)
26:9 do not take away my soul (also 31:13)
31:9 my eye has become weak, my soul and my belly
35:4 who are hunting for my soul (also Eze 13:18, 20)
35:17 do bring back my soul from their ravages
72:13 the souls of the poor ones he will save
74:19 do not give to the wild beast the soul of your
turtledove
88:3 my soul has had enough of calamities
94:21 sharp attacks on the soul of the righteous
107:5 soul . . . began to faint away
143:6 my soul is like an exhausted land to you
Proverbs
1:19 it takes away the very soul of its owners
7:23 he has not known that it involves his very soul
12:10 one is caring for the soul of his . . . animal
13:3 the one guarding his mouth is keeping his soul (also
16:17; 19:16; 21:23)
13:8 the ransom for a man's soul is his riches
18:7 his lips are a snare for his soul
22:23 he will certainly rob their robbers of soul
22:25 that you may not . . . take a snare for your soul
25:13 he restores the very soul of his masters
29:24 partner with a thief is hating his own soul
Isaiah
3:18, 20 Jehovah will take away . . . the 'houses of the
soul'
10:18 he will bring to an end, even from the soul clear to
the flesh
15:4 his very soul has quivered within him
43:4 I shall give men . . . in place of your soul
53:10 if you will set his soul as a guilt offering
53:11 because of the trouble of his soul he will see
Jeremiah
2:24 a zebra . . . at the longing of her soul
17:21 watch out for your souls
The creature soul is mortal, destructible
Genesis
12:13 my soul will be certain to live due to you
17:14 that soul must be cut off from his people
19:19 exercised with me to preserve my soul alive
19:20 and my soul will live on
37:21 let us not strike his soul fatally
Exodus
12:15 that soul must be cut off from Israel.
12:19 that soul must be cut oil from the assembly
31:14 that soul must be cut off from the midst
Leviticus
7:20 that soul must be cut off from his people (also 7: 21,
27; 19:8)
22:3 that soul must be cut off from before me
23:30 I must destroy that soul from among
24:17 strike any soul of mankind fatally (See also
Leviticus 7:25; 17:10; 18:29; 20:6; 23:29, quoted
above)
Numbers
9:13 that soul must be cut off from his people
15:30 that soul must be cut off from among his people
15:31 that soul should be cut off without fail
19:13 that soul must be cut off from Israel
19:20 that soul must be cut off from the midst
23:10 let my soul die the death of the upright
31:19 everyone who has killed a soul
35:11 who fatally strikes a soul unintentionally
35:15 that fatally strikes a soul unintentionally
35:30 every fatal striker of a soul should be slain
26:19 working up a great calamity against our souls
38:2 will certainly come to have his soul (also 39:18)
38:16 who has made for us this soul
45:5 I will give you your soul as a spoil
Lamentations
2:19 on account of the soul of your children
Jonah
1:14 not perish because of the soul of this man
2:5 waters encircled me clear to the soul
2:7 when my soul fainted away within me
4:3 take away, please, my soul from me
Habakkuk
2:10 your soul is sinning
Deuteronomy
19:6 he may indeed strike his soul fatally
19:11 struck his soul fatally and he has died
22:26 indeed murders him, even a soul
27:25 a bribe to strike a soul fatally
Joshua
2:13 you must deliver our souls from death
2:14 our souls are to die instead of you people!
10:28 devoted him and every soul that was in it to
destruction
10:30 striking it and every soul that was in it (also 10:32)
10:35 devoted every soul that was in it to destruction
10:37 every soul that was in it with the edge of the sword
10:37 devoted it and every soul that was in it to
destruction
10:39 devoting every soul that was in it to destruction
11:11 striking every soul that was in it
20:3 who fatally strikes a soul unintentionally
20:9 who fatally strikes a soul unintentionally
Judges
5:18 that scorned their souls to the point of death
16:16 soul got to be impatient to the point of dying
16:30 let my soul die with the Philistines
1 Kings
19:4 ask that his soul might die (also Jon 4:8)
20:31 perhaps he will preserve your soul alive (also
20:32)
Job
7:15 my soul chooses suffocation
11:20 their hope will be an expiring of the soul
18:4 he is tearing his soul to pieces in his anger
33:22 his soul draws near to the pit (also 33:30)
36:14 their soul will die in youth itself
Psalms
7:2 that no one may tear my soul to pieces
22:29 no one will ever preserve his own soul alive
66:9 he is setting our soul in life
69:1 the waters have come clear to the soul
78:50 he did not hold back their soul from death itself
94:17 my soul would have resided in silence
106:15 to send a wasting disease into their soul
124:4 the torrent . . . would have passed over our soul
Proverbs
28:17 A man burdened with the bloodguilt for a soul
One's own self as a soul
Genesis
23:8 if your souls agree to bury my dead
27:4 that my soul may bless you before I die
27:19 that your soul may bless me
27:25 that my soul may bless you
27:31 that your soul may bless me
34:3 his soul began clinging to Dinah
34:8 his soul is attached to your daughter
42:21 we saw the distress of his soul
44:30 when that one's soul is bound up with
44:30 bound up with this one's soul
49:6 do not come, 0 my soul
Exodus
15:9 my soul will be filled with them
Leviticus
11:43 do not make your souls loathsome
11:44 you must not defile your souls
16:29 you should afflict your souls
16:31 you must afflict your souls
20:25 you must not make your souls loathsome
23:27 you must afflict your souls
23:32 you must afflict your souls
26:15 your souls will abhor my judicial decisions
26:43 their souls had abhorred my statutes
Numbers
16:38 men who sinned against their own souls
29:7 you must afflict your souls
30:2 bind a vow of abstinence upon his soul
30:4 vow that she has bound upon her soul
30:4 vow that she has bound upon her soul
Isaiah
55:3 listen, and your soul will keep alive
Jeremiah
2:34 the blood marks of the souls of the innocent
4:10 the sword has reached clear to the soul
18:20 they have excavated a pit for my soul
38:17 your soul will . . . keep living (also 38:20)
40:14 Baalis . . . sent Ishmael . . . to strike you to the soul
(also 40:15)
Ezekiel
13:19 to put to death the souls that ought not to die and in
order to preserve alive the souls
17:17 in order to cut off many souls
18:4 the soul that is sinning-it itself will die (also 18:20)
22:25 a soul they actually devour
22:27 in shedding blood; in destroying souls
33:6 a sword comes and takes away from them soul
30:5 vows that she has bound upon her soul
30:6 lips that she has bound upon her soul
30:7 vows that she has bound upon her soul
30:8 lips that she bound upon her soul
30:9 everything that she has bound upon her soul
30:10 vow upon, her soul by an oath
30:11 vow that she has bound upon her soul
30:12 an abstinence vow, of her soul
30:13 abstinence vow to afflict the soul,
Deuteronomy
4:9 take good care of your soul
4:15 you must take good care of your souls
12:15 whenever your soul craves it
12:20 your soul craves to eat meat
12:20 whenever your soul craves it
12:21 whenever your soul craves it
13:6 your companion who Is like your own soul
14:26 whatever your soul may crave
14:26 that your soul may ask of you
21:14 send her away agreeably to her own soul
23:24 enough grapes for you to satisfy your soul
Joshua
23:11 be on constant guard for your souls
Judges
5:21 you went treading down strength, 0 my soul
1 Samuel
1:26 by the life of your soul (also 17:55)
2:16 take for yourself just whatever your soul may crave
(also 2Sa 3:21; 1KI 11:37; Job 23:13)
2:33 to make your soul pine away (also Ps 84:2; 107:5;
119:81)
18:1 Jonathan's very soul became bound up with the soul
of David and Jonathan began to love
him as his own soul (also 18:3; 20:17)
20:3 as your soul is living (also 25:26; 2Sa 11:11; 14:19;
2KI 2:2, 4, 6; 4:30)
20:4 whatever your soul may say I shall do
23:20 In harmony with the desire of your soul
2 Samuel
5:8 the lame and the blind, hateful to the soul of David
2 Kings
9:15 if your soul agrees, do not let anyone go out
1 Chronicles
22:19 set . . . your soul to inquire after Jehovah
Esther
4:13 do not imagine within your own soul
9:31 just as they had imposed upon their own soul
Job
6:7 my soul has refused to touch anything
9:21 were I of integrity I would not know my soul
10:1 my soul . . . feels a loathing (also 33:20; Zec 11:8)
24:12 the soul of deadly wounded ones cries for help
30:25 my soul has grieved (also Isa 19:10)
31:30 asking for an oath-bound curse upon his soul
32:2 his anger blazed over his justifying his own soul
Psalms
3:2 many are saying of my soul
6:3 my own soul has been very much disturbed
10:3 the selfish longing of his soul (also Eze 24:25)
11:1 how dare you men say to my soul
13:2 how long shall I set resistance in my soul
23:3 my soul he refreshes (also La 1:11, 16, 19)
25:1 to you, 0 Jehovah, I raise my very soul
25:13 his own soul will lodge in goodness
31:7 you have known about the distresses of my soul
33:20 our very soul has been in expectation of Jehovah
34:2 in Jehovah my soul will make its boast
35:3 say to my soul: "I am your salvation”
35:7 without cause they have dug it for my soul
35:9 let my own soul be joyful in Jehovah
35:12 they reward me with . . . bereavement to my soul
35:13 with fasting I afflicted my soul
41:4 do heal my soul
42:1 my very soul longs for you, 0 God
42:2 my soul Indeed thirsts for God (also Ps 63:1; 143:6)
42:5 why are you in despair, 0 my soul (also 42:6; 43:5)
44:25 our soul has bowed down to the dust (also Ps 57:6;
119:25; Isa 51:23)
49:18 he kept blessing his own soul
54:4 Jehovah is among those supporting my soul
57:1 in you my soul has taken refuge
57:4 my soul is in the middle of lions
62:1 toward God is my soul keeping silent (also 62:5)
63:5 with the best part . . . my soul is satisfied (also Pr
13:25; Ec 6:2, 3, 7; Isa 58:10, 11; Jer 50:19; Eze
7:19)
63:8 my soul has closely followed you
66:16 what he has done for my soul
69:10 I proceeded to weep with the fasting of my soul
69:18 do come near to my soul, reclaim it
71:13 may those come to their end who are resisting my
soul
77:2 my soul has refused to be comforted
86:4 make the soul of your servant rejoice (twice)
88:14 why is it, 0 Jehovah, that you reject my soul
103:1 bless Jehovah, 0 my soul (also 103: 2, 22; 104:1,
35)
105:18 into irons his soul came
107:18 their soul got to detest even every sort of food
107:26 their very soul finds itself melting
109:20 those speaking evil against my soul
109:31 to save him from those judging his soul
116:7 return to your) resting place, O my soul
119:20 my soul is crushed with longing
119:28 my soul has been sleepless from grief
119:129 your reminders . . . my soul has observed (also
119:167)
119:175 May my soul keep living and praising you
120:6 for too long a time my soul has tabernacled
123:4 abundantly, our soul has had its fill (also Pr 6:30)
124:5 there would have passed over our soul the waters
130:5 0 Jehovah, my soul has hoped
130:6 my soul has waited for Jehovah
131:2 I have soothed and quieted my soul
138:3 you began to make me bold in my soul
139:14 my soul is very well aware
142:4 there is no one Inquiring for my soul
142:7 do bring my soul out of the very dungeon
143:8 to you I have lifted up my soul
143:11 may you bring forth my soul out of distress
143:12 destroy all those showing hostility to my soul
146:1 praise Jehovah, 0 my soul
Proverbs
2:10 knowledge . . . becomes pleasant to your very soul
3:22 they will prove to be life to your soul
6:32 he . . . is bringing his own soul to ruin
8:36 the one missing me is doing violence to his soul
11:17 a man . . . is dealing rewardingly with his own soul
l3:4 but his soul has nothing (twice)
l3:19 desire when realized is pleasurable to the soul
l5:32 anyone shunning discipline is rejecting his own soul
l6:26 the soul of the toiler has tolled hard for him
19:8 he that is acquiring heart is loving his own soul
20:2 anyone . . . is sinning against his own soul
21:10 the very soul of the wicked one has craved what is
bad
23:7 for as one that has calculated within his soul
24:12 he himself that is observing your soul
24:14 in the same way do know wisdom for your soul
28:25 he that is arrogant in soul stirs up contention
29:17 give much pleasure to your soul
Ecclesiastes
2:24 he should eat . . . and cause his soul to see good
4:8 causing my soul to lack in good things
The Song of Solomon
1:7 whom my soul has loved
Isaiah
3:9 woe to their soul
26:8 the desire of the soul has been (also 26:9)
29:8 he... awakes and his soul is empty; . . . his soul is
dried out (also 32:6; Ps 107:9)
38:17 you yourself have become attached to my soul
44:20 he does not deliver his soul (also Jer 20:13)
46:2 into captivity their own soul must go
49:7 Jehovah . . . has said to him that is despised in soul
55:2 let your soul find its exquisite delight in fatness
58:3 did we afflict our soul (also 58:5)
61:10 my soul will be joyful in my God
66:3 their very soul has taken a delight
Jeremiah
3:11 Unfaithful Israel has proved her own soul
4:19 sound of the trumpet is what my soul has heard
4:31 my soul is tired of the killers
6:16 walk in it, and find ease for your souls
13:17 my soul will weep because of pride
15:9 her soul has struggled for breath
Dead soul or corpse
Leviticus
19:28 cuts in your flesh for a deceased soul,
21:1 for a deceased soul no one may defile himself
21:11 he should not come to any dead soul
22:4 anyone unclean by a deceased soul
Numbers
5:2 everyone unclean by a deceased soul
6:6 he may not come toward any dead soul.
6:11 he has sinned because of the soul
God has soul
Leviticus
26:11 my soul will not abhor you
26:30 my soul will simply abhor you judges
31:12 their soul will . . . become like a . . . garden
31:14 I will saturate the soul of the priests with fatness
(also 31:25)
37:9 do not deceive your souls
44:7 why are you causing a great calamity to your souls
Lamentations
3:20 your soul will remember and bow low over me
3:24 my soul has said
3:51 my own eye has dealt severely with my soul
3:58 you have taken up . . . the contests of my soul
Ezekiel
4:14 my soul Is not a defiled one
16:5 because there was an abhorring of your soul
23:17 her soul began to turn away (also 23:22, 28)
24:21 the object of your soul's compassion
24:25 the longing of their soul
25:6 you kept rejoicing with all scorn on your part in your
soul (also 25:15; 36:5)
32:10 tremble every moment, each one for his own soul
Hosea
9:4 their bread is for their own soul
Micah
6:7 the fruitage of my belly for the sin of my soul
7:1 no early fig, that my soul would desire
7:3 speaking forth the craving of his soul
Habakkuk
2:4 look! His soul has been swelled up
Zechariah
11:8 my soul gradually became impatient with them
9:6 become unclean by a human soul
9:7 we are unclean by a human soul
9:10 happen to be unclean by a soul
19:11 anyone touching the corpse of any human soul
19:13 everyone touching a corpse, the soul of whatever
man may die
Haggai
2:13 if someone unclean by a deceased soul touches any
10:16 his soul became impatient because of the
misfortune of Israel
1 Samuel
2:35 in harmony with what Is . . . in my soul he 'will do
Psalms
11:5 anyone loving violence His soul certainly hates
24:4 who has not carried my soul to sheer worthlessness
Proverbs
6:16 Jehovah. . . seven are things detestable to his soul
Isaiah
1:14 your festal seasons my soul has hated
42:1 my chosen one, whom my soul has approved
disgusted from you
12:7 I have given the beloved one of my soul into the
palm of her enemies
14:19 has your soul abhorred even Zion
15:1 my soul would not be toward this people
32:41 I will plant them In this land . . . with all my soul
51:14 Jehovah of armies has sworn by his own soul
Lamentations
3:20 your soul will remember and bow low over me
Ezekiel
23:18 my soul began to turn away disgusted (twice)

Jeremiah Amos
5:9 should not my soul avenge itself (also 5:29; 9:9) 6:8 the Lord Jehovah has sworn by his own soul
6:8 be corrected . . . that my soul may not turn away

Disposition, desire

Psalms The Song of Solomon

27:12 do not give me over to the soul of my adversaries 6:12 my own soul had put me
(also 41:2)
35:25 0 may they not say . . . "Aha, our soul!" Isaiah
78:18 by asking for something to eat for their soul 56:11 they are even dogs strong in soulful desire
105:22 to bind his princes agreeably to his soul (also Jer 58:10 you will grant to the hungry one your own soulful
34:16) desire

Proverbs Jeremiah
19:18 to the putting of him to death do not lift up your 22:27 into the land to which they will be lifting up their
soul (also 13:2) soul (also 44:14; Ho 4:8)
23:2 you must put a knife to your throat if you are the
owner of soul[ful desire] Ezekiel
16:27 and give you to the soulful desire of the women
Ecclesiastes Habakkuk
6:9 better Is the seeing by the eyes than the walking about 2:5 he who has made his soul spacious just like She'ol
of the soul

Soul delivered from Sheol (Hades, ''hell'')

Psalms 89:48 can he provide escape for his soul from the hand of
16:10 you will not leave my soul in She'ol She'ol?
30:3 you have brought up my soul from She'ol
49:15 God himself will redeem my soul from the hand of Proverbs
She'ol 23:14 deliver his very soul from She'ol itself
86:13 you have delivered my soul out of She'ol

Useage of the Greek Word for “Soul”

( ψυχή, psy . che', Greek; ‫נפש‬, neph' esh, Hebrew )
Below is listed the consistently rendered the Greek word psy . che' (Hebrew, neph'esh) as "soul" It will be found that this
rendering makes sense in each case. This uniform rendering of psy . che' by the same English word in all cases proves very
enlightening as to how the ancients used that word, how the inspired writers understood that word and what properties they
ascribed to it. Below there is given a list of renderings of the 102 occurrences of the word psy . che' (neph'esh, soul), grouping
them under several headings to show the various ideas attached to the word. The headings correspond with those given above
for the Hebrew Scriptures.
The creature soul is mortal, destructible

Matthew Acts
2:20 who were seeking the soul of the young child 3:23 any soul that does not listen to that Prophet will be
10:28 kill the body but can not kill the soul completely destroyed
10:28 can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna
26:38 my soul is deeply grieved, even to death Romans
11:3 they are hunting for my soul
Mark
3:4 to save or to kill a soul Hebrews
14:34 my soul is deeply grieved, even to death 10:39 to destruction, but the kind that have faith to the
preserving alive of the soul
Luke
6:9 to save or to destroy a soul James
17:33 his soul safe for himself will lose it, but whoever 5:20 will save his soul from death
loses it will preserve it alive
Revelation
John 8:9 creatures that are in the sea which have souls died
12:25 he that is fond of his soul destroys it 12:11 their souls even despite the danger of death
16:3 every living soul died, yes, the things in the sea

Life as an intelligent person, whether present or future

Matthew 1:46 my soul magnifies Jehovah

6:25 Stop being anxious about your souls
6:25 does not the soul mean more than food
10:39 he that finds his soul will lose it
10:39 he that loses his soul for my sake will find it
11:29 you will find refreshment for your souls
16:25 whoever wants to save his soul will lose it
16:25 whoever loses his soul for my sake will find it
16:26 if he gains the whole world but forfeits his soul
16:26 what will a man give in exchange for his soul
20:28 to give his soul a ransom in exchange for many
22:37 love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and
with your whole soul
Mark
8:35 whoever wants to save his soul will lose it
8:35 whoever loses his soul for the sake of me and the
good news will save it
8:36 to gain the whole world and to forfeit his soul
8:37 what, really, would a man give in exchange for his
soul
10:45 to give his soul a ransom in exchange for many
12:30 love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and
with your whole soul
Luke
2:35 sword will be run through the soul of you
9:24 whoever wants to save his soul will lose it
9:24 whoever loses his soul for my sake is the one that
will save it
10:27 love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and
with your whole soul
12:19 I will say to my soul: "Soul, you have many good
things laid up …”
12:20 they are demanding your soul from you
12:22 quit being anxious about your souls
12:23 the soul Is worth more than food
14:26 his own soul, he cannot be my disciple
21:19 on your part you will acquire your souls
John
10:11 the right shepherd surrenders his soul
10:15 I surrender my soul in behalf of the sheep
10:17 I surrender my soul, in order that I may receive it
again
10:24 are you to keep our souls in suspense
12:25 he that hates his soul in this world will safeguard it
for everlasting life
12:27 now my soul is troubled
13:37 I will surrender my soul in your behalf
13:38 Will you surrender your soul in my behalf
15:13 surrender his soul in behalf of his friends
Acts
4:32 those who had believed had one heart and soul
14:2 wrongly influenced the souls of people
14:22 strengthening the souls of the disciples
15:24 with speeches trying to subvert your souls
15:26 men that have delivered up their souls
20:10 his soul is in him
20:24 I do not make my soul of any account as dear
27:10 great loss not only of the cargo and the boat but
also of our souls
27:22 not a soul of you will be lost, Romans
2:9 distress, upon the soul of every man who
16:4 who have risked their own necks for my soul
2 Corinthians
1:23 call upon God as a witness against my own soul
12:15 be completely spent for your souls
Ephesians
6:6 doing the will of God whole-souled
2:30 near to death, exposing his soul to danger
Philippians
1:27 with one soul fighting side by side *
2:30 near to death, exposing his soul to danger
Colossians
3:23 work at it whole-souled as to Jehovah
1 Thessalonians
2:8 impart to you, not only the good news of God, but
also our own souls
God has soul
Matthew
12:18 my beloved, whom my soul approved
Soul delivered from Hades (Sheol, '''hell'')
Acts
2:27 you will not forsake my soul in Hades
Soul, a living person or creature
Acts
2:41 about three thousand souls were added
2:43 fear began to fall soul
7:14 to the number of souls
27:37 we souls In the boat were about two hundred
Hebrews
6:19 this hope we have as an anchor for the soul
12:3 not get tired and give out in your souls
13:17 they are keeping watch over your souls
James
1:21 the word which is able to save your souls
1 Peter
1:9 of your faith, the salvation of your souls
1:22 you have purified your souls
2:11 carryon a conduct against the soul
2:25 the shepherd and overseer of your souls
4:19 commending their souls to a faithful Creator
2 Peter
2:8 was tormenting his righteous soul by reason of
* Note Philippians, 1:27, cited above: "in one spirit, with
one soul fighting side by side"
1 John
3:16 that one surrendered his soul for us . . . obligation to
surrender our souls for our
3 John
2 just as your soul Is prospering
Revelation
6:9 I saw underneath the altar the souls of those
18:13 coaches and slaves and human souls
18:14 the fine fruit that your soul desired
20:4 I saw the souls of those executed
Hebrews
10:38 my soul has no pleasure in him
Romans
13:1 let every soul be in subjection to the
1 Corinthians
15:45 the first man Adam became a living soul
1 Peter 2 Peter
3:20 a few people, that is, eight souls, were 2:14 they entice unsteady souls

Soul distinguished from spirit

1 Thessalonians
5:23 may the spirit and soul and body of you

Hebrews
4:12 even to the dividing of the soul and spirit

Very Truly Yours,