by Dave Root, VividChristianity.com, last modified on 07/16/2024.

As you read this section, keep in mind that the New Testament is not merely a history book, it's meant to change us to become more and more like Jesus. When we read any passages in the New Testament, our goal should be to discern what God wants us to believe and do so that we can be obedient to Him.


"Metonymically meaning flesh as used for the body, the corpus, the material nature as distinguished from the spiritual and intangible (pneuma [G4151], the spirit)...implying sinfulness, proneness to sin, the carnal nature, the seat of carnal appetites and desires, of sinful passions and affections whether physical or moral" (The Complete Word Study Dictionary of the Old and New Testaments, Dr. Spiros Zodhiates, sarx)

"The spirit is that part that can live independently of the body...Soul and spirit are very closely related because they are both immaterial and they both contrast with body (soma [G4983]) and flesh (sarx [G4561]). Scripture, however, introduces a distinction between the two immaterial aspects of man's soul and spirit. That they cannot mean the same thing is evident from their mention together in 1Th 5:23, spirit, soul, body. The same distinction is brought out in Heb 4:12. The spirit is man's immaterial nature which enables him to communicate with God, who is also spirit. 1Co 2:14 states that "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God . . . because they are spiritually discerned." What is translated "natural man" in Gr. is psuchikos (G5591), psychic or soulish meaning the soul of man. The soul is the aspect of his immaterial nature that makes him aware of his body and his natural, physical environment. The difference between soul and spirit is not one of substance but of operation. Man's immaterial aspect is represented in Scripture by the single terms pneuma, spirit, or psuche, soul, or both of them together" (The Complete Word Study Dictionary of the Old and New Testaments, Dr. Spiros Zodhiates, pneuma)

"The seat and center of human life. In the NT, used only figuratively. (I) As the seat of the desires, feelings, affections, passions, impulses, i.e., the heart or mind." (The Complete Word Study Dictionary of the Old and New Testaments, Dr. Spiros Zodhiates, kardia)

"the organ of mental perception and apprehension, of conscious life, of the consciousness preceding actions or recognizing and judging them, intelligent understanding. (I) As the seat of emotions and affections, mode of thinking and feeling, disposition, moral inclination, equivalent to the heart...While, in the OT, the heart (kardia [G2588]) is used to represent man's whole mental and moral activity (Gen 6:5), the word "mind [nous]" in the NT is used to denote the faculty of thinking, especially the organ of moral consciousness." (The Complete Word Study Dictionary of the Old and New Testaments, Dr. Spiros Zodhiates, nous)

"that faculty of the soul which distinguishes between right and wrong and prompts one to choose the former and avoid the latter" (The Complete Word Study Dictionary of the Old and New Testaments, Dr. Spiros Zodhiates, suneidesis)


In 1 Thessalonians 5:23 (below), the apostle Paul referred to us as having a spirit, soul, and body. Your spirit is constantly in contact with God, your body is constantly in contact with the world, and everything else (your mind, will, emotions, personality, etc.) is your soul, your human nature:

"The "spirit" is the part of us that enables us to communicate with God. The "soul" makes us conscious of ourselves. The "body" is the physical part that expresses the inner person." (Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary: 1 Thessalonians 5:23 - see Dr. Constable's Expository Notes)

"The spirit, which is the ruling faculty in man and through which he holds communication with the unseen world--the soul, which is the seat of all his impulses and affections, the center of his personality--the body, which links him to the material world and is the instrument of all his outward deeds" (Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary: 1 Thessalonians 5:23 - see Contending for the Faith)

[The soul is] "the natural life of the body...the immaterial, invisible part of man...the seat of personality...the seat of the sentient element in man, that by which he perceives, reflects, feels, desires...the seat of will and purpose...the seat of appetite" (Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, "Soul")

"2. The word soul also refers to the inner life of a person, the seat of emotions, and the center of human personality...The soul is described as the seat of many emotions and desires: the desire for food (Deu 12:20-21), love (Son 1:7), longing for God (Psa 63:1), rejoicing (Psa 86:4), knowing (Psa 139:14), and memory (Lam 3:20)." (Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary, "Soul")

When the New Testament uses the word "flesh," it's not necessarily referring to our physical bodies. Frequently, it's referring to our human nature that is focused on issues of the earthly realm, such as cares, worries, fears, pride, anger, goals, or pleasures rather than focusing on the spiritual realm. We can choose which realm to set our minds on, as this Greek dictionary entry for nous ("mind") points out:

"The mind, as man's highest natural faculty, thus stands between the flesh, being the lower, sinful principle of his nature, and the spirit which is the distinctive principle of the divinely given Christian life. Just as the mind may be dragged down by the flesh until it becomes a "mind of the flesh" (a.t.), so it may also be raised up and reformed by the Spirit until it becomes a "mind of the Spirit."" (The Complete Word Study Dictionary of the Old and New Testaments, Dr. Spiros Zodhiates, nous, emphasis added)

Relevant passages:

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28)

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. (Romans 8:5-9)

Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God. (1 Corinthians 4:5)

Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God's grace. (2 Corinthians 1:12)

Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. (2 Corinthians 4:2)

Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. (2 Corinthians 7:1)

Thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you. (2 Corinthians 8:16)

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. (James 2:26)

As the above passages show, we are described as having a body, flesh, soul, spirit, heart, mind, conscience (and possibly other parts).