VIII. Man As A Soul

A. What Is A Soul?

1. What Can Be Learned, In The Bible, About The Word Soul?

Genesis 2:

    7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Ecclesiastes 12:

    7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

Isaiah 57:

    16 For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.

1 Corinthians 15:

    45 And so it is written. The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

NOTE:

    Notice, the Bible says, man became, or was made, a living soul. The Bible does not say, God placed a soul into man.

Genesis 1:

    20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.

    30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

NOTE:

    In the margin of the Bible, notice that the Hebrew meaning of the word interpreted “life” is “a living soul.” Any creature on the earth that walks, runs, hops, flies, crawls, slithers; another words anything that is alive, is a “soul.”

Genesis 1:

    21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

    24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.

NOTE:

    According to the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance Of The Bible, the Hebrew word translated “living creature” in the two verses above is the same as translated “living soul” in Genesis 2:7 for man, and “soul” for animals in Numbers 31:28. (word #5315)

Genesis 7:

    21 And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man:

    22 All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died.

    23 And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.

NOTE:

    According to my Bible’s marginal notes the Hebrew meaning for “the breath of life” (see Genesis 7:22) is “the breath of the spirit of life.”

Numbers 31:

    28 And levy a tribute unto the Lord of the men of war which went out to battle: one soul of five hundred, both of the persons, and of the beeves, and of the asses, and of the sheep:

Revelation 16:

    3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.

NOTE:

    The Bible is very clear, in the two texts above, that both man, animals, and the fish in the sea are souls.

    From the Bible text above we can see that a good definition of the word “soul” would be: “A living organism.”

James 5: KJV

    20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

James 5: NIV

    20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

NOTE:

    Notice the two comparisons above. The King James Version of the Bible says “soul,” but the New International Version of the Bible says “him.”

Job.27: KJV

    8 For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?

Job 27: NIV

    8 For what hope has the godless when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?

NOTE:

    Notice the two comparisons above. The King James Version of the Bible says “soul,” but the New International Version of the Bible says “life.”

Exodus 1:

    5 And all the souls (“descendants” in the NIV) that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already.

Genesis 12:

    5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brothers son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls (“people” in the NIV) that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.

Numbers 9:

    13 But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same soul (“person” in the NIV) shall be cut off from among his people: because he brought not the offering of the Lord in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin.

Proverbs 25:

    25 As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.

NOTE:

    It is obvious by the texts above, that the word soul is used to refer to a person or people in general.

2. What Can Be Learned, From A Word Study, About The Word Soul?

a. How Many Times Are The Words “Soul” and “Spirit” Used In The Bible?

The words “Soul” and “Spirit” are used 883 times in the Bible.

The Old Testament word “ruach” for spirit and the New Testament word “pneuma” predominantly mean breath or wind.

b. What Is “Soul” Translated From In The Old Testament?

(1) “Soul” is interpreted from the Hebrew word “nedibah” 1 time in:

Job 30:

    15 Terrors are turned upon me: they pursue my soul as the wind: and my welfare passeth away as a cloud.

(2) “Soul” is interpreted from the Hebrew word “neshamah” 1 time in:

Isaiah 57:

    16 For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.

(3) “Soul” is interpreted from the Hebrew word “nephesh” 428 times.

Other translations of the Hebrew word “nephesh.”

“nephesh” is translated as “life” 118 times.

“nephesh” is translated as “person” 29 times.

“nephesh” is translated as “mind” 15 times.

“nephesh” is translated as “heart” 15 times.

c. What Is “Soul” Translated From In The New Testament?

“Soul” is interpreted from the Greek word “psuche” 58 times.

Another translations of the Greek word “psuche.” “Psuche” is translated as “life” 40 times.

d. What Are The Three Biblical Meanings Of The Word “Soul?”

(1) The word “soul” means a “person” as in:

Exodus 16:

    16 This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents.

NOTE:

    The margin of my Bible says, “Hebrew souls.”

(2) The word “soul” means, “mind” and “affections” as in:

Psalms 103:

    1 BLESS the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

Psalms 139:

    14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

(3) The word “soul” means “life” as in:

Matthew 16:

    25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

    26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

e. What Is The Soul Capable Of Doing?

(1) The Soul Directs Man’s Actions. (agency of obedience)

Psalms 119:

    167 My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly.

Compare with:

Romans 7:

    5 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

(2) The Soul Takes Counsel.

Psalms 13:

    2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

(3) The Soul Refuses Things.

Job 6:

    7 The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat.

(4) The Soul Can Be Grieved.

Job 30:

    25 Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul grieved for the poor?

(5) The Soul Feels Bitterness Of Sorrow.

Mark 14:

    33 And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;

    34 And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.

(6) The Soul Is Satisfied With Good Things.

Psalms 63:

    5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:

B. Can A Soul Die?

Ezekiel 18:

    4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

    20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

NOTE:

    According to the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance Of The Bible, the Hebrew word translated “soul” in the two verses above, is the same as translated “living soul” when God created Man. (see Genesis 2:7) (word #5315)

James 5:

    20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

NOTE:

    If a soul couldn’t die then there would be no need to “save a soul from death.”

Psalms 22:

    29 All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.

Psalms 49:

    15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.

Job 7:

    15 So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.

NOTE:

    The body (dead soul) + breath (breath of life) = A living soul.

    The words soul and spirit occur in the Bible approximately 900 times, and never once is the term “immortal” connected with either of them. The inspired writers of the Bible had at least 900 opportunities to inform us that the soul is immortal, but never did so. Surely this is a significant fact that must not be overlooked.

    The fact that man is mortal is affirmed throughout the Bible.

    The word “immortality” is used only five times and never coupled with the words “soul” or “spirit.”

    On the contrary, we have found that the Bible teaches clearly: first, that God alone possesses immortality (1 Timothy 6:13-16); second, that man should be seekers for it (Romans 2:5-7); third, that immortality can be found in the gospel (2 Timothy 1:10); and forth, that if man secures immortality, it will not then be conferred upon him until “the last trump,” or at the time of the resurrection. (1 Corinthians 15:51-54)

C. Where Is The Soul At Death?

1 Thessalonians 4:

    16 “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:”

Psalms 49:

    15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.

NOTE:

    It is when the Lord descends from heaven that the souls are redeemed from their graves.

Genesis 2:

    7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Ecclesiastes 12:

    7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

NOTE:

    At death, the “breath of life” returns to God, the body becomes a dead soul and waits in the grave. (see Genesis 2:7 and Ecclesiastes 12:7) When Christ comes back, He returns His “breath of life,” and man becomes a living soul again. (see 1 Thessalonians 4:16)

Job 33:

    18 He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

    22 Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers.

    28 He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.

    30 To bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living.

Acts 2: KJV

    31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

Acts 2: NIV

    31 Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay.

NOTE:

    Notice the two comparisons above. The King James Version of the Bible says “hell,” but the New International Version of the Bible says “grave.” Christ’s soul was not left in the grave because he was resurrected on the third day.

Psalms 30:

    3 O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

Psalms 89:

    48 What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.

Isaiah 38:

    17 Behold, for peace I had great bitterness; but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.

Job 3: NIV

    16 Or why was I not hidden in the ground like a stillborn child, like an infant who never saw the light of day?

    17 There the wicked cease from turmoil, and there the weary are at rest.

NOTE:

    Notice the Bible says “the wicked cease from turmoil.” If they were in a burning Hell they would certainly be in turmoil, right? Ceasing from turmoil agrees with resting in the ground or grave. (see section V. C. on page 37)

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