Reference: Soul
American
The ancients supposed the soul, or rather the animating principle of life, to reside in the breath, that it departed from the body with the breath. Hence the Hebrew and Greek words which, when they refer to man, in our Bibles are translated "soul," are usually rendered "life" or breath" when they refer to animals, Ge 2:7; 7:15; Nu 16:22; Job 12:10; 34:14-15; Ps 104:29; Ec 12:7; Ac 17:25.
But together with this principle of life, which is common to men and brutes, and which in brutes perishes with the body, there is in man a spiritual, reasonable, and immortal soul, the seat of our thoughts, affections, and reasonings, which distinguishes us from the brute creation, and in which chiefly consists our resemblance to God, Ge 1:26. This must be spiritual, because it thinks; it must be immortal, because it is spiritual. Scripture ascribes to man alone understanding, conscience, the knowledge of God, wisdom, immortality, and the hope of future everlasting happiness. It threatens men only with punishment in another life, and with the pains of hell. In some places the Bible seems to distinguish soul from spirit, 1Th 5:23; Heb 4:12: the organ of our sensations, appetites, and passions, allied to the body, form the nobler portion of our nature which most allies man to God. Yet we are to conceive of them as one indivisible and spiritual being, called also the mind and the heart, spoken of variously as living, feeling, understanding, reasoning, willing, etc. Its usual designation is the soul.
The immortality of the soul is a fundamental doctrine of revealed religion. The ancient patriarchs lived and died persuaded of this truth; and it was in the hope of another life that they received the promises. Compare Ge 50:22; Nu 23:10; 1Sa 28:13-15; 2Sa 12:23; Job 19:25-26; Ec 12:7; Heb 11:13-16. In the gospel "life and immortality," and the worth of immortal souls, are fully brought to light, Mt 16:26; 1Co 15:45-57; 2Ti 1:10. To save the souls of men, Christ freely devoted himself to death; and how does it become us to labor and toil and strive, in our respective spheres, to promote the great work for which He bled and died!
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And God said, "Let us make man in our similitude and after our likeness: that he may have rule over the fish of the sea, and over the fowls of the air, and over cattle, and over all the earth, and over all worms that creep on the earth."
Then the LORD God shope man, even of the mold of the earth, and breathed into his face the breath of life. So man was made a living soul.
And they came unto Noah into the ark by couples, of all flesh that had breath of life in it.
Joseph dwelt in Egypt and his father's house also, and lived a hundred and ten years.
And they fell upon their faces, and said, "O most mighty God of the spirits of all flesh; one man hath sinned, and wilt thou be wroth with all the multitude?"
Who can tell the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? I pray God that my soul may die the death of the righteous, and that my last end may be like his!"
In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all men.
"For I am sure that my redeemer liveth, and that I shall rise out of the earth in the latter day: that I shall be clothed again with this skin, and see God in my flesh.
To whom hath he given his heart, for to draw his spirit and breath unto him? All flesh shall come together unto naught, and all men shall turn again unto earth.
But when thou hidest thy face, they are troubled; when thou takest away their breath, they die, and are turned again to their dust.
Or dust be turned again unto earth from whence it came, and or the spirit return unto God, which gave it.
Or dust be turned again unto earth from whence it came, and or the spirit return unto God, which gave it.
What shall it profit a man, though he should win all the whole world, if he lose his own soul? Or else, what shall a man give to redeem his soul again withal?
neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed of any thing. Seeing he himself giveth life and breath to all men everywhere,
The very God of peace sanctify you throughout. And I pray God that your whole spirit, soul, and body, be kept faultless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For there are many disobedient and talkers of vanity, and deceivers of minds, namely they of the circumcision,
And they all died in faith, and received not the promises: but saw them afar off, and believed them, and saluted them: and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. They that say such things, declare that they seek a country. read more. Also, if they had been mindful of that country, from whence they came out, they had leisure to have returned again. But now they desire a better, that is to say a heavenly. Wherefore God is not ashamed of them, even to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Hastings
The use of the term in the OT (Heb. nephesh) for any animated being, whether human or animal (Ge 1:20 'life,' Ge 2:7), must be distinguished from the Greek philosophical use for the immaterial substance which gives life to the body, and from the use in the NT (Gr. psyche) where more stress is laid on individuality (Mt 16:26 Revised Version margin). As the Bible does not contain a scientific psychology, it is vain to dispute whether it teaches that man's nature is bipartite (body and soul or spirit) or tripartite (body and soul and spirit): yet a contrast between soul and spirit (Heb. r
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And God said, "Let the water bring forth creatures that move and have life, and fowls for to fly over the earth under the firmament of heaven."
Then the LORD God shope man, even of the mold of the earth, and breathed into his face the breath of life. So man was made a living soul.
Then the LORD God shope man, even of the mold of the earth, and breathed into his face the breath of life. So man was made a living soul.
My soul lusteth after thee all the night long, and my mind hasteth freely to thee. For as soon as thy judgment is known to the world, then the inhabiters of the earth learn righteousness.
What shall it profit a man, though he should win all the whole world, if he lose his own soul? Or else, what shall a man give to redeem his soul again withal?
And Mary said, "My soul magnifieth the Lord. And my spirit rejoiceth in God my saviour:
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
As soon as Jesus had received of the vinegar, he said, "It is finished," and bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
For the natural man perceiveth not the things of the spirit of God, for they are but foolishness unto him: Neither can he perceive them, because he is spiritually examined.
It is sown a natural body, and riseth a spiritual body. There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body. As it is written, "The first man Adam was made a living soul," and the last Adam was made a quickening spirit: read more. Howbeit, that is not first which is spiritual: but that which is natural, and then that which is spiritual.
Only let your conversation be, as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may yet hear of you, that ye continue in one spirit, and in one soul laboring as we do to maintain the faith of the gospel,
for the word of God is quick, and mighty in operation, and sharper than any two edged sword: and entereth through, even unto the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit and of the joints, and the marrow: and judgeth the thoughts and the intents of the heart.
This wisdom descendeth not from above: but is earthy, and natural, and devilish.
These are makers of sects, fleshly, having no spirit.
Watsons
SOUL, that immortal, immaterial, active substance or principle in man, whereby he perceives, remembers, reasons, and wills. See MATERIALISM.