Reference: Flesh
American
The substance of which the bodies of men and animals are composed. In the Bible, besides the ordinary sense, Job 33:25, it denotes mankind as a race, Ge 6:12; Ps 145:21; Isa 40:5-6; and all living creatures on the earth, Ge 6:17,19. It is often used in opposition to "spirit," as we use body and soul, Job 14:22; and sometimes means the body as animated and sensitive, Mt 26:41, and the seat of bodily appetites, Pr 5:11; 2Co 7:1. In the New Testament, "flesh" is very often used to designate the bodily appetites, propensities, and passions, which draw men away from yielding themselves to the Lord and to the things of the Spirit. The flesh, or carnal principle, is opposed to the spirit, or spiritual principle, Ro 8; Ga 5:17.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth.
And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, in which is the spirit of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.
And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female.
But while his flesh is upon him, he shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.
his flesh shall become more tender than a child's; and he shall return to the days of his youth.
Tau My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD, and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.
and thou mourn at the last when thy flesh and thy body are consumed
And the glory of the LORD shall be manifested, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken it. The voice that said, Cry. And I said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the mercy thereof is as the open flower of the field:
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Easton
in the Old Testament denotes (1) a particular part of the body of man and animals (Ge 2:21; 41:2; Ps 102:5, marg.); (2) the whole body (Ps 16:9); (3) all living things having flesh, and particularly humanity as a whole (Ge 6:12-13); (4) mutability and weakness (2Ch 32:8; comp. Isa 31:3; Ps 78:39). As suggesting the idea of softness it is used in the expression "heart of flesh" (Eze 11:19). The expression "my flesh and bone" (Jg 9:2; Isa 58:7) denotes relationship.
In the New Testament, besides these it is also used to denote the sinful element of human nature as opposed to the "Spirit" (Ro 6:19; Mt 16:17). Being "in the flesh" means being unrenewed (Ro 7:5; 8:8-9), and to live "according to the flesh" is to live and act sinfully (Ro 8:4-5,7,12).
This word also denotes the human nature of Christ (Joh 1:14, "The Word was made flesh." Comp. also 1Ti 3:16; Ro 1:3).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept; and he took one of his sides and closed up the flesh in its place;
And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
And, behold, there came up out of the river seven beautiful cows and very fat, and they fed in a meadow.
Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, What would seem better unto you, that seventy persons reign over you, all the sons of Jerubbaal; or that one reign over you? Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.
With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles. And the people were upheld by the words of Hezekiah, king of Judah.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices: my flesh also shall rest secure.
For he remembered that they were but flesh: a wind that passes away and does not come again.
By reason of the voice of my groaning, my bones cleave to my skin.
Now the Egyptian is a man, and not God, and his horses flesh, and not spirit, so that as the LORD shall stretch out his hand, both he that helps shall fall, and he that is helped shall fall down, and they shall all fail together.
Is it not to share thy bread with the hungry and that thou bring the poor that are cast out into thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou not hide thyself from thy brother?
And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and will give them a heart of flesh:
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon son of Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in the heavens.
And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.
of his Son (who was born unto him of the seed of David according to the flesh,
I speak a human thing because of the weakness of our flesh: that as ye presented your members to serve uncleanness and iniquity unto iniquity, likewise now present your members to serve righteousness unto holiness.
For while we were in the flesh, the affections of the sins which were by the law worked in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For those that are according to the flesh know the things that are of the flesh; but those that are according to the Spirit, the things that are of the Spirit.
because the prudence of the flesh is enmity against God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, neither indeed can it. So then, those that are carnal cannot please God. read more. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, because the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, that person is not of him.
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Fausets
In an ethical sense opposed to "the spirit." Ge 6:3, "for that lie also (even the race of godly Seth) (is become) flesh (carnal)." When the salt of the church has lost its savor, the whole mass is corrupt and ripe for judgment. 1Co 1:26, "wise after the flesh," i.e. with wisdom acquired by mere human study without the Spirit. Contrast Mt 16:17; 26:41. Not the body, which is not in itself sinful; it was through thinking it so that Gnostic ascetics mortified it by austerities, while all the while their seeming neglecting of the body was pampering "the flesh" (Col 2:21-23). "The flesh" is the natural man, including the unrenewed will and mind, moving in the world of self and sense only.
Self imposed ordinances gratify the flesh (i.e. self) while seemingly mortifying it. "Trouble in the flesh" is in their outward state, namely, through the present distress (1Co 7:28). So Joh 6:63, "it is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing; the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and are life." Not the outward flesh, but the word of Christ, is what gives life. So Peter understood Christ, as his reply shows: "Thou hast the words of eternal life." "To know Christ after the flesh" (2Co 5:16) means to know Him in His mere outward worldly relations, with a view to "glorying" in them (Joh 8:15; Php 3:3-10); as Judaizing Christians prided themselves on the fleshly advantage of belonging to Israel, the nation of Christ, or on having seen Him in the flesh, as a ground of superiority over others (2Co 11:18; 10:7).
Contrasted with knowing Him spiritually as new creatures (2Co 5:12,15,17). Outward rebellions toward Him profit nothing (Lu 8:19-21; Joh 16:7,22; Mt 7:22-23). All outward distinctions are lost sight of in experiment, ally knowing Him in His new resurrection life (2000'>Ga 2:6,20; 3:28; Ro 6:9-11; 1Co 15:45; 1Pe 3:18; 4:1-2); disproving both Mariolatry and transubstantiation. In Ro 4:1, "what hath Abraham found, as pertaining to the flesh?" i.e. as respects carnal ordinances (circumcision). "All flesh," i.e. all men (Lu 3:2; Joh 17:2).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for certainly he is flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon son of Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in the heavens.
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came upon John the son of Zachariah in the wilderness.
Then his mother and his brethren came to him and could not get to him for the crowd. And it was told him by certain who said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand outside, desiring to see thee. read more. And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are those who hear the word of God and do it.
The Spirit is he that gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken unto you, they are Spirit and they are life.
Ye judge after the flesh, but I judge no one.
Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
And ye now therefore have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and no one shall take your joy from you.
as thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, has found?
knowing that the Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more; death has no more dominion over him. For he that is dead died unto sin once, and he that lives, lives unto God. read more. Likewise also reckon yourselves to be truly dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.
For look upon your vocation, brothers, that ye are not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble,
But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have affliction in the flesh, but I forbear you.
For we do not commend ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf that ye may have something to answer those who glory in appearance, and not in heart.
And that he died for all that those who live should not live from now on unto themselves, but unto him who died and rose again for them. Therefore from now on we know no one according to the flesh: and even if we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him no longer. read more. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are made new.
Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If anyone trusts to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that as he is Christ's, even so we are Christ's.
Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.
But of these who seemed to be of repute, (whatever they were, it makes no matter to me: God does not accept the appearance of men), for those who seemed to be of repute in conference added nothing to me;
I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Here there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
For we are the circumcision, who serve God in spirit and glory in Christ Jesus, having no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have reason to confide in the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: read more. Circumcised the eighth day, of the lineage of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, a persecutor of the congregation ; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But those things which were gain to me, I counted loss for Christ. And doubtless I even count all things as loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ and be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death,
touch not; taste not; handle not? Which all perish with the using, because they are the commandments and doctrines of men, read more. which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will worship and humility and neglecting of the body, but they have absolutely no value against the appetites of the flesh.
Hastings
This word is used in Scripture to express: (1) the substance of the animal body, whether of man or of beast (Ge 41:2). (2) The whole human body (Ex 4:7). (3) Relationship by birth or marriage (Ge 2:24; 37:27; Ne 5:5), for which also the further phrase 'flesh and bones' is found (Ge 2:23; 2Sa 19:12)
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And the man said, This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh.
And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl and of beasts and of animals and of every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth and every man;
Come and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.
And, behold, there came up out of the river seven beautiful cows and very fat, and they fed in a meadow.
And he said, Put thy hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh.
Yet now, given that the flesh of our brethren is as our flesh and their sons as our sons, behold, we subject our sons and our daughters to slavery, and there are some of our daughters in bondage already; neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.
and afterward from this, my stricken skin and from my own flesh, I must see God:
all flesh would perish together, and man would turn again unto dust.
O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee; my soul thirsts for thee; my flesh longs for thee in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water;
My flesh and my heart fail; the strength of my heart is that God is my portion for ever.
My soul longs, and even faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh sing to the living God.
Now the Egyptian is a man, and not God, and his horses flesh, and not spirit, so that as the LORD shall stretch out his hand, both he that helps shall fall, and he that is helped shall fall down, and they shall all fail together.
The voice that said, Cry. And I said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the mercy thereof is as the open flower of the field: The grass withers, the flower fades because the spirit of the LORD blows upon it; surely the people is grass. read more. The grass withers, the open flower fades; but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
And it shall come to pass after this that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
who are not born of blood, nor of the will of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.
of his Son (who was born unto him of the seed of David according to the flesh,
of his Son (who was born unto him of the seed of David according to the flesh, who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of sanctification, by the resurrection from the dead), of Jesus, the Christ, our Lord.
For we now know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold unto subjection by sin.
The grace of God, by Jesus, the Christ, our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
For that which was impossible to the law, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
it is sown a natural body, it shall be raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a life-giving Spirit. read more. Howbeit the spiritual is not first, but the natural; and afterward, that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord of heaven. As is the earthy, such are those also that are earthy; and as is the heavenly, such also are those that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Now this I say, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither does corruption inherit incorruption.
Now this I say, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither does corruption inherit incorruption.
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature the children of wrath, even as all the others.
Let no one govern you according to their own will under pretext of humility and religion of angels, intruding into those things which they have not seen, vainly puffed up by their fleshly mind,
If ye then are risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where the Christ sits at the right hand of God.
And the very God of peace sanctify you completely, that your spirit, soul, and body be preserved whole without reprehension for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the empire of death, that is, the devil,
Morish
????. This term is used in various senses in scripture. The principal are
1. The estate of man: "all flesh shall see the salvation of God," Lu 3:6; "the Word became flesh." Joh 1:14.
2. The material part of man and of animals: "all flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts." 1Co 15:39.
3. The same kindred: "thou art my bone and my flesh," Ge 29:14; "he is our brother, and our flesh." Ge 37:27.
4. Union: "they shall be one flesh," Ge 2:24; Eph 5:29-31.
5. Man's nature, but corrupted by sin: "that which is born of the flesh is flesh," Joh 3:6; "sinful flesh," Ro 8:3.
6. The state which characterises man before knowing deliverance: Rom. 7, Ro 8:8-9.
7. Though no longer the state of the Christian, yet the flesh is in him, and is antagonistic to the Spirit, "the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye should not do the things that ye would." Ga 5:17. Thus the Spirit resists in the Christian the accomplishment of the lusts of the flesh.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh.
And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.
Come and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.
and all flesh shall see the saving health of God.
And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
For that which was impossible to the law, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh
So then, those that are carnal cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, because the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, that person is not of him.
All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it even as the Lord with his congregation : For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. read more. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall be joined unto his wife, and they shall be two in one flesh.
Smith
Flesh.
[FLOOD]
See Flood
Watsons
FLESH, a term of very ambiguous import in the Scriptures. An eminent critic has enumerated no less than six different meanings which it bears in the sacred writings, and for which, he affirms, there will not be found a single authority in any profane writer:
1. It sometimes denotes the whole body considered as animated, as in Mt 26:41, "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."
2. It sometimes means a human being, as in Lu 3:6, "All flesh shall see the salvation of God."
3. Sometimes a person's kindred collectively considered, as in Ro 11:14, "If by any means I may provoke them which are my flesh."
4. Sometimes any thing of an external or ceremonial nature, as opposed to that which is internal and moral, as in Ga 3:3, "Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect in the flesh?"
5. The sensitive part of our nature, or that which is the seat of appetite, as in 2Co 7:1, "Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit;" where there can be no doubt that the pollutions of the flesh must be those of the appetites, being opposed to the pollutions of the spirit, or those of the passions. 6. It is employed to denote any principle of vice and moral pravity of whatever kind. Thus among the works of the flesh, Ga 5:19-21, are numbered not only adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, drunkenness, and revellings, which all relate to criminal indulgence of appetite, but idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, and murders, which are manifestly vices of a different kind, and partake more of the diabolical nature than of the beastly.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
and all flesh shall see the saving health of God.
if in any manner I may provoke my nation to jealousy and cause some of them to be saved.
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Are ye so foolish? having begun by the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, read more. envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; which I denounce, as I have also told you in time past that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.