From the standpoint of the Bible, what is the difference between the “soul” and “spirit”?
Answer Concerning your question on the Soul versus the Spirit, let me first say it is a good one! There are some who don’t believe there is a difference. This is due to the fact that the Old Testament Hebrew word for soul is nephesh which means literally “life”. It is also used for animals (Gen 1:20-24) and man as a whole person (Joshua 2:13, Exodus 21:23). The Hebrew texts denotes the spirit as “ruach” and refers to it as only the immaterial part of man (Num 16:22). The greek of the New Testament makes things a little more clear. We know there is a difference between the soul (psyche) and the spirit (pneuma) by looking at Hebrews 4:12- “For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit…” . The spirit is always referred to as the immaterial part of man. Man is not a spirit, he has a spirit. I believe the soul (psyche) is just what the greek word implies… the makeup of man. You are different f
