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2 min readFeb 28, 2025

Strong's Lexicon has the synonyms from "psuché: Soul, life, self, inner being."

What I like about Strong's is that it goes further into a word's 'Usage: used to denote the immaterial and eternal aspect of a person." In addition, it adds how the ancients understood the word: "Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Greek thought, the concept of the soul (psuché) was significant in understanding human nature. Philosophers like Plato and Aristotle discussed the soul as the essence of a person..."

HELPS Word Studies has this to say. "soul (psyche); a person's distinct identity."

My perspective, then, on the soul is that the soul is the person inside, the internal you and the internal me while enclosed in our physical bodies.

(https://biblehub.com/greek/5590.htm)

For "spirit" Strong's defines the Greek word this way: "pneuma: Spirit, wind, breath." Then it continues by talking aaboutt its usage: "In a theological context, "pneuma" often signifies the immaterial, life-giving force or presence of God. It is a key term in discussions of spiritual life, regeneration, and divine inspiration." In the Cultural and Historical Background section, Strong's goes on to say. "The New Testament writers, influenced by both Jewish and Hellenistic thought, used "pneuma" to articulate the presence and work of God in the life of believers and the church."

(https://biblehub.com/greek/4151.htm)

The Biblical example I would use is Genesis 2:7, NIV: "Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being."

My perspective on the word "spirit" is .when capitalized, the Holy Spirit, and when not capitalized means the air we breathe into our lungs giving us the power of life.

When a person becomes "born again." it also is the life force that sustains our soul that inner me and that inner you.

I don't know where this fits int your essay, but no matter, I'll leave you with these two songs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG7i2SDe-kE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsypFJ5mNw0

D L Henderson
D L Henderson

Written by D L Henderson

Born 1950; HS 1968; Born again 1972; Cornell ILR; Steward, Local President/Business Agent; Husband, father, grandfather; winner/loser/everything in between

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