Understanding the meaning of the word soul in the Bible begins with one of Scripture’s most foundational passages: Genesis 2:7. This verse provides the Bible’s own definition of what a human soul is—long before later philosophical ideas reshaped the concept. By returning to the original Hebrew text, we discover a simple, consistent, and deeply biblical explanation of human nature.
Genesis 2:7 — The Bible’s Definition of a Soul
Genesis 2:7 (ASV):
“And Jehovah God
formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils
the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”
This verse describes two components involved in the creation of the first human:
A body formed from the dust of the ground
The breath of life (Hebrew: neshâmâh) given by God
When these two elements were united, man became a living soul. The text does not say that God placed a soul inside Adam. Instead, Adam became a soul—a living, sentient being.
Biblical conclusion:
A soul is not a
separate, immortal entity. A soul is a living person whose body is
animated by the breath of life.
How Greek Philosophy Complicated the Biblical View
The simplicity of Genesis 2:7 was later overshadowed by Hellenistic dualism, a worldview that sharply divided the human person into:
A temporary, material body
An immortal, spiritual soul
Plato’s Influence
Plato taught that:
The body is corruptible and inferior
The soul is spiritual, immortal, and cannot die
At death, the soul continues living consciously
These ideas were absorbed into Jewish and Christian thought over time, even though they do not originate in Scripture. As a result, many began reading Genesis 2:7 through a philosophical lens rather than a biblical one.
Misconceptions About Adam’s Nature and “Two Deaths”
Some theologians argue that Adam possessed two “natures”—a mortal human nature and an immortal spiritual nature. From this assumption, they conclude:
Adam was destined to die physically even without sin
The penalty for sin was “spiritual death,” not literal death
Others propose that Adam incurred two condemnations:
Physical death
Spiritual death (often defined as eternal separation from God)
However, this reasoning becomes inconsistent when applied to the atoning sacrifice of Christ. If the wages of sin include eternal spiritual death, then Jesus—who paid the wages of sin—would have needed to remain eternally dead and eternally separated from God. No dualist accepts such a conclusion.
The Bible consistently defines the wages of sin as death—the cessation of life—not eternal conscious suffering or eternal separation.
A Closer Look at the Hebrew Words: Neshâmâh and Nephesh
Genesis 2:7 uses two key Hebrew terms:
Neshâmâh — “breath,” “vital breath,” or “life force”
Nephesh — “soul,” “living being,” or “sentient creature”
Adam did not receive a soul; he became a soul when the breath of life animated his body.
What Is a “Living Soul”?
A living soul is:
A body made from the dust
Animated by the breath of life
Capable of sentience—seeing, hearing, thinking, responding
When the breath of life departs, the soul becomes a dead soul—a person who no longer has sentience. The Hebrew Scriptures explicitly speak of “dead souls,” though many translations obscure this due to dualistic assumptions (see Leviticus 21:11; Numbers 5:6; Haggai 2:13).
Do Animals Have Souls? The Bible Says Yes
Some argue that animals do not “have souls,” but the Hebrew text says otherwise. The phrase nephesh hhayyah (“living soul” or “living creature”) is applied to animals in Genesis 1:
Genesis 1:21 — “every living creature”
Genesis 1:24 — “living creature”
Genesis 1:30 — “wherein there is life”
In each case, the Hebrew phrase is the same one used for humans in Genesis 2:7. The difference in English translations reflects theological bias, not the original text.
Biblical conclusion:
Animals are also
“living souls”—living beings with breath and sentience.
Conclusion: Returning to the Biblical Meaning of the Soul
Genesis 2:7 offers a clear, consistent definition of the soul:
A soul is a living being
A soul exists when the body and the breath of life are united
Souls can die, as Scripture repeatedly states
The idea of an immortal, immaterial soul comes from Greek philosophy, not the Bible
By returning to the Hebrew Scriptures, we recover a simple and
coherent understanding of human nature—one rooted in God’s Word
rather than in later philosophical traditions.
Is the Soul Immortal? A Biblical Examination
The question of whether the soul is immortal is one of the most important theological issues in Scripture. The answer shapes how we understand salvation, judgment, and the character of God. If the soul cannot die, then those who reject God must spend eternity somewhere—either in eternal bliss or eternal suffering. But if God can destroy the soul, then He is not bound to either universal salvation or eternal torment. Instead, He remains free to honor human choice without condemning the wicked to endless misery.
To discover the truth, we must set aside tradition and examine what the Bible actually says.
Does the Bible Teach That the Soul Is Immortal?
Many Christians are surprised when they search the Scriptures for a verse stating that the soul cannot die. Even more surprising is the number of passages that speak of the soul as dying, being destroyed, or being cut off. Yet from Genesis to Revelation, there is not a single verse that declares the soul to be inherently immortal.
How to Verify This Yourself
Anyone can confirm this by using standard study tools:
Look up the word “soul” and its Hebrew and Greek equivalents in Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance.
Then look up the word “immortal” and every related term.
You will find:
No verse stating that the soul is immortal
Many verses stating that the soul can die, be slain, be destroyed, or be cut off
For example:
The soul can die — Numbers 6:6; 9:13; Mark 14:34
The soul can be cut off — Exodus 31:14; Leviticus 7:21; 19:8; 22:3; Acts 3:23
The soul can be destroyed — Leviticus 23:30; Matthew 10:28
The biblical evidence is overwhelming: the soul is not inherently immortal.
Understanding Nephesh and Psuchee: What the Words Actually Mean
Some teachers attempt to defend the doctrine of an immortal soul by redefining biblical terms. They argue:
Neshamah (Hebrew: “breath”) corresponds to pneuma (“spirit”) in the New Testament and represents an immortal soul unique to humans.
Nephesh (Hebrew: “soul”) corresponds to psuchee (“soul”) in the New Testament and applies to both humans and animals.
Therefore, they claim, neshamah is immortal while nephesh is not.
But what do the Scriptures themselves say?
What Neshamah Means in the Bible
The first occurrence of neshamah is in Genesis 2:7:
“Jehovah God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath (neshamah) of life; and man became a living soul (nephesh).”
This verse shows:
Neshamah is not the soul
Neshamah is the breath or life‑force that animates the body
When the body + breath combine, the result is a living soul
God did not place an immortal entity into Adam. He supplied the life‑force that made Adam a sentient being.
Is Neshamah Only for Humans?
No. Genesis 7:21–22 applies neshamah to animals:
“Everything which had in its nostrils the breath (neshamah) of life… died.”
If neshamah were an immortal, conscious entity, then animals would also possess immortal souls—which few theologians would accept.
How the Bible Uses Neshamah
Scripture uses neshamah to describe:
The life‑force from God
The power that sustains living beings
Something that can cease when a creature dies
Examples include:
2 Samuel 22:14–16; Job 4:9; 37:10;
Isaiah 30:33
Neshamah is also used interchangeably with ruach (“spirit,” Strong’s #7307), another word referring to the life‑force that animates both humans and animals.
What Happens to the Life‑Force at Death?
The Bible teaches that the life‑force (neshamah / ruach) returns to God when a creature dies:
Job 34:14–15
Psalm 104:29
Ecclesiastes 12:7
This “returning” does not mean the life‑force is a conscious entity. If it were alive before entering the body, we would have to conclude it was a living being prior to human existence—something the Bible never teaches.
Instead, the life‑force returns to God in the sense that He reclaims the power of life, and the soul—the living being—ceases to exist.
Conclusion: The Bible Does Not Teach an Immortal Soul
When we let Scripture speak for itself, the conclusion is clear:
The soul (nephesh / psuchee) is a living being, not an immortal entity
Souls can die, be destroyed, or be cut off
The life‑force (neshamah / ruach) is not conscious and is not a separate person
No verse teaches that the soul is inherently immortal
The doctrine of the immortal soul does not come from the Bible. It comes from later philosophical traditions, especially Greek dualism. The Scriptures consistently teach that life is a gift from God, and immortality is granted only through Christ.
For a complete listing of how these words are used in the Bible and how they are translated in the KJV, see Englishman’s Hebrew/Greek Concordances.
or see online:
Neshamah
http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/kjv/neshamah.html
Ruwach/Ruach
http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/kjv/ruwach-2.html
Nephesh
http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/kjv/nephesh.html
Pneuma
http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/kjv/pneuma.html
Psuché
https://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/kjv/psuche.html
See also:
The Occurrences of Neshamah (Breath)
(Appendix 16 from The Companion Bible)
https://www.posterite-d-abraham.org/BULLINGER/append16.html
The Use of Nephesh in the Old Testament
(Appendix 13 from The Companion Bible)
https://www.posterite-d-abraham.org/BULLINGER/append13.html
