Section 1

 The serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die...” Genesis 3:4 (ESV) 

This is the first lie that came into the world after creation. The serpent contradicted God’s command that Adam and Eve would die if they disobeyed. 

What if the lie has continued? What if there is a strong inclination in man to live forever but it is out of his reach without God?

The Bible teaches that the resurrection is the only way that a human being can live again after death. Jesus told the Sadducees (unbelievers who did not believe in the resurrection): 

• “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? Mark 12:24 (ESV)

The apostle Paul, standing before unbelievers stated basically the same thing: 

• Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead? Acts 26:8 (ESV)

Due to the majority of people’s lack of faith, many don’t believe that God can raise the dead and give them immortality. Hence, human nature has ingrained a desire in all of us to live forever. So, the contrivance that there is an essence of immortality in each person that continues to live after death continues the lie told in the garden. 

Basic question: If a human being dies, is there a spark/soul that continues to live outside the human body? 

  The majority of religions today believe that there is an immortal soul in each person. However, the Bible does not teach this. In fact, it teaches the opposite- that human beings are mortal and each one will die eternally unless God interrupts the process and resurrects the body of those He wishes to save. 

First thing is to look at the original words that have been translated “soul” to begin to get and understanding of what concept this word gives us. 

There are two original words. One is the Hebrew word (Old Testament) and one is a Greek word (New Testament).

• The Hebrew word is “nephesh” Looking in Strong’s Concordance, we get this: 5315 [nephesh /neh·fesh/] 753 occurrences; KJV translates as “soul” 475 times, “life” 117 times, “person” 29 times, “mind” 15 times, “heart” 15 times, “creature” nine times, 1a the inner being of man. 1b living being. 1c person or individual. 1d seat of the appetites. 1f seat of emotions and passions. 

As we can see, the translations are diverse but there is nothing that denotes immortality. On the contrary, as the Bible will show, the soul/person/life is mortal. 

A few examples to prove the point:

• And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Genesis 2:7 (KJV) (Most other translations translate “living soul” in this verse as “living being.”)
• In Genesis 1:24, it states this: And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature (nephesh) after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. 

“Nephesh” is used for both animals and persons so that animals also have “souls.” So, either both man and animals have immortal souls or neither do. If the latter, the Bible is consistent, since a soul is a living body, human or animal. Again, there is nothing in the Bible that denotes a “soul” as existing outside the body or having immortality.

A few more verses from the Old Testament to continue the point that “nephesh” translated “soul/life/body can be destroyed: 

• Ezekiel 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. (KJV)
• Isaiah 53:12 And he (Jesus) shall divide the spoil with the strong; Because he (Jesus) has poured out his soul unto death: And he was numbered with the transgressors; And he bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors. 
• Ezekiel 22:27 Her (Jerusalem) princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain. 
• Jonah 4:3 Therefore now, O Lord, take…my life (soul-nephesh) from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. 
• Joshua 10:28, 35 And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof he utterly destroyed, them, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain: 35 And they took it on that day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein he utterly destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish.

When the Old Testament was translated into Greek, the Greek word that was chosen to translate “nephesh” was “psuche/psyche” and it basically means the same. Again, there is no connotation of immortality in psuche. Here is Strong’s Concordance:

• 5590 [psuche /psoo·khay/] From 5594 (to breath); 105 occurrences; KJV translates as “soul” 58 times, “life” 40 times, “mind” three times, “heart” once. 1a the breath of life; the vital force which animates the body and shows itself in breathing. 1a of animals or men. 1c1 a living being 2a the seat of the feelings, desires, affections, aversions (our heart, soul etc.)

Here are just some verses where “soul (psuche) appears in the KJV: Please notice how “life” can be inserted for “soul” in most of the 58 times it is translated soul in the New Testament, and there are actually 40 times in the NT that it is so translated.

• Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul (life): but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul (life) and body in hell. 
• Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul (life)? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 
• Mark 12:33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul (life), and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. 
• Luke 2:35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul (life) also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. 
• Mark 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul (life), and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 
• Luke 9:56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives (psuche), but to save them. 
• Luke 12:22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life (psuche), what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. 
• Acts 2:27,31 Because thou wilt not leave my soul (life) in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption…He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. 
• Acts 3:23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul (psuche), which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. 
• Acts 4:32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul (life): neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. 
• 1 Corinthians 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul (being); the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 
• 1 Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul (life) and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
• 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 (life) and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 
• James 5:20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul (life) from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. 
• Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives (psuche) unto the death. 
• Revelation 16:3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul (being) died in the sea. 

Webster’s dictionary defines death as: the total and permanent cessation of all the vital functions of an organism.

Peter, preaching the gospel, told his hearers in Acts chapter 2: 

• v. 25 For David speaks concerning (Jesus), I foresaw the Lord always before my face…
• v. 27Because thou (God) wilt not leave my (Jesus') soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption…
• v. 29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulcher is with us unto this day...
• 31 He (David) seeing this before spoke of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
• v. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens 

In another section of this website, we learn that “hell” is an Old English word that literally means “something covered/hidden, or the grave. 

(The Greek word is “hades” and also means “the place of the dead.” However, in mythology it came to be the location of departed spirits.)

Returning to Peter’s quotation of Psalm 16 from the Old Testament, he is simply saying that Jesus’ body was not left to decay in the grave- hence promoting the resurrection of the firstborn from the dead- Jesus of Nazareth, the Lord and Savior of those who will be resurrected at his second coming. 

Consider this: If you remove the concept of the immortality of the soul from the Bible, how many myths would be eliminated? 

The lie that the serpent told would be exposed because it would be clear that anyone that does not obey God would be in danger of literal death. 

Jesus said “the truth shall set you free” and Paul made the point that hope that is not real is no hope at all. 

Each person’s salvation is in their own hands. No one should rely on anyone- priest, minister, preacher, etc. for the truth of what the Bible teaches.

 Jesus said, “You search the scriptures, because in them you think you have eternal life”(John 5:39 ESV). 

Consider what has been said above and put the resurrection from the dead (which is a vital concept of Bible teaching) against the immortality of the soul (which is nowhere mentioned in the Bible at all but crept in from mythology).

Our human nature does not want to accept the fact that without God, human beings will literally die and not return to life again). We urge you to consider wisely.