The Use of Psuche in The New Testament.

THE USE OF PSUCHE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. Appendix 110 To The Companion Bible.
*psuche* is the only word translated "soul" in the New Testament. It occurs 105 times, and is rendered "soul" 58 times, "life" 40 times, "mind" 3 times, and "heart", "heartily", "us", and "you" once each. To ascertain its meaning, it is useless to go to heathen authors. The Greek philosophers were at variance among themselves. ARNOBIUS, a Christian writer of the latter part of the third century, in his work Adversus Gentes, speaking of the speculations of the heathen of his day, says: "In exactly the same way (as the creation and the gods) is the condition of souls discussed. For this one thinks they are both immortal, and survive the end of our earthly life; that one believes that they do not survive, but perish with the bodies themselves; the opinion of another, however, is that they suffer nothing immediately, but that, after the [form of] man has been laid aside, they are allowed to live a little longer, and then come under the power of death." ¹ We must, therefore, let Scripture be its own interpreter. Psuche exactly corresponds to the Hebrew Nephesh (Appendix 13), as will be seen from the following passages: Mark 12:29, 30, compared with Deuteronomy 6:4, 5; Acts 2:27 with Psalm 16:10; Romans 11:3 with 1Kings 19:10; 1Corinthians 15:45 with Genesis 2:7. In all these places, psuche in the New Testament represents nephesh in the Old.				III. psuche, used of the life of man, which can be lost, destroyed, saved, laid down, etc., occurs 58 times, and is rendered 1. "life": Matthew 2:20; 6:25, 25; 10:39, 39; 16:25, 25; 20:28. Mark 3:4; 8:35, 35; 10:45. Luke 6:9; 9:24, 24, 56; 12:22, 23; 14:26; 17:33.² John 10:11, 15, 17; 12:25, 25; 13:37, 38; 15:13. Acts 15:26; 20:10, 24; 27:10, 22. Romans 11:3; 16:4. Philippians 2:30. 1John 3:16, 16. Revelation 12:11. 2. "soul": Matthew 10:28, 28; 16:26, 26. Mark 8:36, 37. Luke 12:20; 21:19. 1Thessalonians 2:8; 5:23. Hebrews 4:12; 6:19; 10:39; 13:17. James 1:21. 1Peter 1:9; 2:11, 25; 4:19.	39 19 58 ==
IV. psuche, used to emphasize the pronoun, as we use "self" (for example, "my soul" = "myself"), occurs 21 times, and is rendered 1. "soul": Matthew 11:29; 12:18; 26:38. Mark 14:34. Luke 1:46; 12:19, 19. John 12:27. Acts 2:27, 31; 14:22; 15:24. 2Corinthians 1:23. Hebrews 10:38. 1Peter 1:22. 2Peter 2:8. Revelation 18:14. 2. "mind": Acts 14:2. Hebrews 12:3. 3. "us": John 10:24. 4. "you": 2Corinthians 12:15 (see margin).	17 2 1 1 21 ==
The following are the occurrences of the word:— I. psuche, used of the lower animals twice, is rendered 1. "life": Revelation 8:9. 2. "soul": Revelation 16:3.	1 1 2 ==	V. psuche, used with intensive force, to express all the powers of one's being, occurs 10 times, and is rendered 1. "soul": Matthew 22:37. Mark 12:30, 33. Luke 2:35; 10:27. Acts 4:32. 3John 2. 2. "heart": Ephesians 6:6. 3. "mind": Philippians 1:27. 4. "heartily": Colossians 3:23.	7 1 1 1 10 == Total 105 ===
II. psuche, used of man as an individual (just as we speak of a ship going down with every soul on board, or of so many lives being lost in a railway accident), occurs 14 times, and is rendered "soul": Acts 2:41, 43; 3:23; 7:14; 27:37. Romans 2:9; 13:1. 1Corinthians 15:45. James 5:20. 1Peter 3:20. 2Peter 2:14. Revelation 6:9; 18:13; 20:4.	14 ==
________________________ ¹ Clark's Ante-Nicene Christian Library, volume xix, page 125.	________________________ ² In this verse "life" occurs twice in the English, but psuche only once in the Greek.

THE USE OF PSUCHE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.

Appendix 110 To The Companion Bible.

psuche is the only word translated "soul" in the New Testament. It occurs 105 times, and is rendered "soul" 58 times, "life" 40 times, "mind" 3 times, and "heart", "heartily", "us", and "you" once each.

To ascertain its meaning, it is useless to go to heathen authors. The Greek philosophers were at variance among themselves. ARNOBIUS, a Christian writer of the latter part of the third century, in his work Adversus Gentes, speaking of the speculations of the heathen of his day, says: "In exactly the same way (as the creation and the gods) is the condition of souls discussed. For this one thinks they are both immortal, and survive the end of our earthly life; that one believes that they do not survive, but perish with the bodies themselves; the opinion of another, however, is that they suffer nothing immediately, but that, after the [form of] man has been laid aside, they are allowed to live a little longer, and then come under the power of death." ¹

We must, therefore, let Scripture be its own interpreter. Psuche exactly corresponds to the Hebrew Nephesh (Appendix 13), as will be seen from the following passages: Mark 12:29, 30, compared with Deuteronomy 6:4, 5; Acts 2:27 with Psalm 16:10; Romans 11:3 with 1Kings 19:10; 1Corinthians 15:45 with Genesis 2:7. In all these places, psuche in the New Testament represents nephesh in the Old.

III. psuche, used of the life of man, which can be lost, destroyed, saved, laid down, etc., occurs 58 times, and is rendered
1. "life": Matthew 2:20; 6:25, 25; 10:39, 39; 16:25, 25; 20:28. Mark 3:4; 8:35, 35; 10:45. Luke 6:9; 9:24, 24, 56; 12:22, 23; 14:26; 17:33.² John 10:11, 15, 17; 12:25, 25; 13:37, 38; 15:13. Acts 15:26; 20:10, 24; 27:10, 22. Romans 11:3; 16:4. Philippians 2:30. 1John 3:16, 16. Revelation 12:11.
2. "soul": Matthew 10:28, 28; 16:26, 26. Mark 8:36, 37. Luke 12:20; 21:19. 1Thessalonians 2:8; 5:23. Hebrews 4:12; 6:19; 10:39; 13:17. James 1:21. 1Peter 1:9; 2:11, 25; 4:19.

39

19
58
==

IV. psuche, used to emphasize the pronoun, as we use "self" (for example, "my soul" = "myself"), occurs 21 times, and is rendered
  1. "soul": Matthew 11:29; 12:18; 26:38. Mark 14:34. Luke 1:46; 12:19, 19. John 12:27. Acts 2:27, 31; 14:22; 15:24. 2Corinthians 1:23. Hebrews 10:38. 1Peter 1:22. 2Peter 2:8. Revelation 18:14.
  2. "mind": Acts 14:2. Hebrews 12:3.
  3. "us": John 10:24.
  4. "you": 2Corinthians 12:15 (see margin).

17
2
1
1
21
==

  The following are the occurrences of the word:—
I. psuche, used of the lower animals twice, is rendered
   1. "life": Revelation 8:9.
   2. "soul": Revelation 16:3.

1
1
2
==

V. psuche, used with intensive force, to express all the powers of one's being, occurs 10 times, and is rendered
  1. "soul": Matthew 22:37. Mark 12:30, 33. Luke 2:35; 10:27. Acts 4:32. 3John 2.
  2. "heart": Ephesians 6:6.
  3. "mind": Philippians 1:27.
  4. "heartily": Colossians 3:23.

7
1
1
1
10
==
Total
105
===

II. psuche, used of man as an individual (just as we speak of a ship going down with every soul on board, or of so many lives being lost in a railway accident), occurs 14 times, and is rendered
"soul": Acts 2:41, 43; 3:23; 7:14; 27:37. Romans 2:9; 13:1. 1Corinthians 15:45. James 5:20. 1Peter 3:20. 2Peter 2:14. Revelation 6:9; 18:13; 20:4.

14
==

________________________
¹ Clark's Ante-Nicene Christian Library, volume xix, page 125.

________________________
² In this verse "life" occurs twice in the English, but psuche only once in the Greek.