Immortality of the Soul

The Witnesses conclude that there is no immortality of the soul, no consciousness after death. To find the truth we must be acquainted with the Greek and Hebrew words. The Hebrew word nephesh literally means 'a breathing' creature but is used widely. Psykhe is the Greek word denoting the breath, the breath of life, then the soul in all its meanings. The literal meaning of the Hebrew word ruach is 'wind' and by resemblance breath. Primarily the Greek word pneuma denotes the wind, but also breath and then especially the spirit which like the wind is invisible, immaterial and powerful.

The Society says that the word can mean the person or the life of the person, and take no account of the other different meanings that many Biblical Greek and Hebrew scholars are aware of. They conclude from Joshua 11:11 that the soul cannot be the part of man that survives death because it is struck by the sword. However, the word nephesh is used here as the person and so no evidence about the inward man can be gleaned. Is it possible though to use the Society's definition of soul, "a person or an animal or the life that a person or an animal enjoys" in all 754 times nephesh appears. Look at Leviticus 17:11 and 2 Samuel 11:11 as just two examples.

Genesis 2:7 - This verse does not say that man was given a soul but that he became a soul, a living person.

Ecclesiastes 12:7 - This verse does not mean that at death the spirit travels all the way to the personal presence of God; rather, any prospect for the person to live again rests with God.

Ezekiel 18:4 - The soul that sins can and will die.

Matthew 10:28 - The soul represents man's right to life, which only God can destroy. The soul is the same as the living man and so at the death of man his soul dies.

Bible Teaching

Hebrews 4:12 and 1 Thessalonians 5:23 - The Bible shows in these verses that man has three distinct parts. It is true that sometimes the words are used interchangeably and it is not always easy to put this doctrine into a nice watertight container. However, it is clear from Scripture that man has both a spirit and a soul and there is that which is eternal that goes beyond death.

Genesis 2:7 - First let us consider what the Watchtower say about this verse because it is true as far as it goes. We do not dispute that the Bible uses the word 'soul' to talk of the whole man. The point is though does it also talk about the 'soul' as a special part that was created by the breath of the eternal God breathing into Adam?

We need to understand that Adam was complete as a person but was not called a nephesh, a soul. Only when 'life' was placed in him by means of God's breath was he called a soul. That life was not nephesh but it made him a nephesh. In other words in this verse, neither 'a person' nor 'the life of a person' defines nephesh.

Ecclesiastes 12:7 - This verse is clear in that it says the spirit returns to God who made it but the body will return to dust from where it came from. A clear example of there being an eternal part to man.

Ezekiel 18:4-20 - Especially verses 21-23, 27,28,32 show that the Watchtower Society have only told half the story. Indeed it does talk about the soul that sins will die but it equally shows that if that soul shows genuine repentance it will live.

Matthew 10:28,29 - Shows that even though a person's body can be killed no man and not even Satan can destroy the soul - only God who created it could do this. There has to be part of man that survives the death of the body.

The Greek word for destroy found in Matthew 10:28 is apollumi, which is also used at Luke 15:4, 6, where the New World Translation renders it as 'lost'; and at Matthew 9:17, where it is translated as 'ruined.' However, this word can never mean annihilate. Indeed Matthew 10:28 could be read as follows:

And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to cause your body and soul to be 'lost' and 'ruined' in hell.

The parallel passage in Luke 12:4.5 adds another dimension to the matter by telling us that after someone is killed he or she can be cast into hell.

Other Verses

Acts 7:59 - Stephen asked the Lord Jesus to receive his spirit; expecting to be conscious after death.

Matthew 27:50 - At His physical death Jesus committed His spirit into the hands of His Father. [See also Luke 23:46 and John 19:30.]

Mark 8:35 - It would be nonsense if we use the Watchtower Society's definition here and say that whoever loses himself or the life within him... shall save it. The only way you can lose your life is to die and that in itself does not save you. Jesus was saying that we are to lose our soul, our immortal part, to Him.

John 10:17-18 - The Society say once Jesus laid down His soul it was gone; therefore He could not have taken it up again. Nevertheless, Jesus says He has authority over His soul before and after death.

Revelation 6:9 and 20:4 - Here even a dead person is called a soul and yet that is not possible with the Watchtower Society's definition.

3 John 2 - A distinction is made between the good health of the life and the welfare of the soul.

According to evangelical Christians the Scriptures reveal that the Watchtower's definition of soul is not God's definition. The Bible often uses it just to describe the person, but in its fuller sense, it describes that part which was formed to enable flesh and spirit to communicate. It is the deep invisible and immortal part of the man, which at death leaves the body and returns to God. It does not cease to exist because God alone has power over the destiny of the soul and He has given it immortality.

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:23.