The Difference Between psychē and nephesh
Both psychē (Greek: ψυχή, G5590) and nephesh (Hebrew: נֶפֶשׁ, H5315) address overlapping biblical themes — psychē carrying the sense of "heart" and nephesh conveying "any". Each word is shaped by its own covenant and cultural context, yet together they illuminate how the Old and New Testaments speak with one voice on this theme.
Change Words
ψυχή vs נֶפֶשׁ
psychē and nephesh
ψυχή
breath, i.e. (by implication) spirit, abstractly or concretely (the animal sentient principle only; thus distinguished on the one hand from G4151 (πνεῦμα), which is the rational and immortal soul; and on the other from G2222 (ζωή), which is mere vita
G5590
Exegetical Meaning
breath, i.e. (by implication) spirit, abstractly or concretely (the animal sentient principle only; thus distinguished on the one hand from G4151 (πνεῦμα), which is the rational and immortal soul; and on the other from G2222 (ζωή), which is mere vitality, even of plants: these terms thus exactly correspond respectively to the Hebrew H05315, H07307 and H02416) | Etymology: from G5594 (ψύχω); | KJV: heart (+ -ily), life, mind, soul, + us, + you
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נֶפֶשׁ
properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)
H5315
Exegetical Meaning
properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental) | Etymology: from H5314 (נָפַשׁ); | KJV: any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, [idiom] dead(-ly), desire, [idiom] (dis-) contented, [idiom] fish, ghost, [phrase] greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, [idiom] jeopardy of) life ([idiom] in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, [phrase] slay, soul, [phrase] tablet, they, thing, ([idiom] she) will, [idiom] would have it.
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