Given what is generally preached today about Jesus's message, one would expect the Gospels to include many references to the Holy Spirit as a person of the Holy Trinity.
An analysis of all uses of the word spirit
in the Gospels shows something quite different though.
This is one of a series examining what the Gospels actually say about some specific topics:
Copyright © 2024, Ray Butterworth.
Each verse is presented here in two translations, the traditional familiar King James Version, which provides a very literal translation of the original Greek language, and the New Living Translation, which is written in modern English and stresses the presumed intended meaning of the original.
Looking at both literal translations and paraphrases can be beneficial when studying the Bible, especially when the two approaches are in agreement.
Studying the text for the purpose of determining what the original authors actually meant, is known as exegesis (critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially of scripture
).
Unfortunately, when paraphrasing the intended meaning, sometimes the translators end up including either their personal beliefs or those of their target audience.
Studying the text for the purpose of confirming what one already believes, is known as eisegesis (the interpretation of a text (as of the Bible) by reading into it one's own ideas
).
The four Gospels contain almost everything that was recorded about what Jesus taught.
Two thousand years ago, Jerusalem had Jewish religion, Greek culture, and Roman governance. Each of the four Gospels was written to present Christianity to a different audience.
The Lawor
The Book of Moses, the most sacred of Jewish scripture, his Gospel is divided into five sections. It stresses Jesus's royal ancestry and presents Jesus as the prophesied Messiah and King.
In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word rûaḥ (רוּחַ) had several meanings, depending upon context, including:
| Verse | KJV | NLT |
|---|---|---|
| Exodus 10:19 | And the LORD turned a mighty strong west wind [rûaḥ], which took away the locusts, and cast them into the Red sea; there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt. | The LORD responded by shifting the wind, and the strong west wind [rûaḥ] blew the locusts into the Red Sea. Not a single locust remained in all the land of Egypt. |
| Gen 1:2 | And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit [rûaḥ] of God moved upon the face of the waters. | The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit [rûaḥ] of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. |
| Gen 7:15 | And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath [rûaḥ] of life. | Two by two they came into the boat, representing every living thing that breathes [rûaḥ]. |
| Job 32:8 | But there is a spirit [rûaḥ] in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding. | But there is a spirit [rûaḥ] within people, the breath of the Almighty within them, that makes them intelligent. |
| Genesis 41:38 | And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit [rûaḥ] of God is? | So Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit [rûaḥ] of God?” |
In the 3rd century before Christ, 70 scholars made a Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures, known as the Septuagint.
They translated the Hebrew word rûaḥ
into the Greek word pneuma (πνεῦμα), which had the same definitions and connotations.
The New Testament authors used that same Greek word, and it too is translated into English as spirit
.
spirit
The common English meaning of the word spirit
is the seat of emotions and character
, or what drives the conscious mind
.
It can also indicate a shared attitude, as in the spirit of charity
.
The Gospels use it with these non-supernatural meanings more than a dozen times:
| Verse | KJV | NLT |
|---|---|---|
| Matthew 5:3 | Blessed are the poor in spirit: [pneuma] for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. | “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. |
| Matthew 26:41 | Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit [pneuma] indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. | Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!” |
| Mark 2:8 | And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit [pneuma] that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? | Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? |
| Mark 8:12 | And he sighed deeply in his spirit, [pneuma] and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation. | When he heard this, he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why do these people keep demanding a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, I will not give this generation any such sign.” |
| Mark 14:38 | Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit [pneuma] truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. | Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” |
| Luke 1:17 | And he shall go before him in the spirit [pneuma] and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. | He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.” |
| Luke 1:47 | And my spirit [pneuma] hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. | How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! |
| Luke 1:80 | And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, [pneuma] and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel. | John grew up and became strong in spirit. And he lived in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel. |
| Luke 2:40 | And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, [pneuma] filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him. | There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him. |
| Luke 9:55 | But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit [pneuma] ye are of. | But Jesus turned and rebuked them. |
| John 4:23 | But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit [pneuma] and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. | But the time is coming — indeed it’s here now — when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. |
| John 11:33 | When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, [pneuma] and was troubled, | When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled. |
| John 13:21 | When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, [pneuma] and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. | Now Jesus was deeply troubled, and he exclaimed, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me!” |
The word can also refer to the life force
that animates living creatures:
| Verse | KJV | NLT |
|---|---|---|
| Matthew 27:50 | Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost [pneuma]. | Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. |
| Luke 8:55 | And her spirit [pneuma] came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat. | And at that moment her life returned, and she immediately stood up! Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. |
| Luke 23:46 | And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: [pneuma] and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. | Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last. |
| John 19:30 | When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost [pneuma]. | When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and released his spirit. |
God himself, Jesus before his incarnation, the angels, and other supernatural beings lived in God's heaven before the physical universe was created.
Long before the creation of man, Satan and many of the angels rebelled against God and became known as fallen angels
or demons
or evil spirits
:
| Verse | KJV | NLT |
|---|---|---|
| Matthew 8:16 | When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits [pneuma] with his word, and healed all that were sick: | That evening many demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and he healed all the sick. |
| Matthew 10:1 | And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, [pneuma] to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. | Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness. |
| Matthew 12:43 | When the unclean spirit [pneuma] is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. | “When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. |
| Matthew 12:45 | Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits [pneuma] more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. | Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. That will be the experience of this evil generation.” |
| Mark 1:23 | And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; [pneuma] and he cried out, | Suddenly, a man in the synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit began shouting, |
| Mark 1:26 | And when the unclean spirit [pneuma] had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. | At that, the evil spirit screamed, threw the man into a convulsion, and then came out of him. |
| Mark 1:27 | And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, [pneuma] and they do obey him. | Amazement gripped the audience, and they began to discuss what had happened. “What sort of new teaching is this?” they asked excitedly. “It has such authority! Even evil spirits obey his orders!” |
| Mark 3:11 | And unclean spirits, [pneuma] when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. | And whenever those possessed by evil spirits caught sight of him, the spirits would throw them to the ground in front of him shrieking, “You are the Son of God!” |
| Mark 3:30 | Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit. [pneuma] | He told them this because they were saying, “He’s possessed by an evil spirit.” |
| Mark 5:2 | And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, [pneuma] | When Jesus climbed out of the boat, a man possessed by an evil spirit came out from a cemetery to meet him. |
| Mark 5:8 | For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. [pneuma] | For Jesus had already said to the spirit, “Come out of the man, you evil spirit.” |
| Mark 5:13 | And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits [pneuma] went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea. | So Jesus gave them permission. The evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd of about 2,000 pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water. |
| Mark 6:7 | And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits; [pneuma] | And he called his twelve disciples together and began sending them out two by two, giving them authority to cast out evil spirits. |
| Mark 7:25 | For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, [pneuma] heard of him, and came and fell at his feet: | Right away a woman who had heard about him came and fell at his feet. Her little girl was possessed by an evil spirit, |
| Mark 9:17 | And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; [pneuma] | One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, “Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. |
| Mark 9:20 | And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit [pneuma] tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. | So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth. |
| Mark 9:25 | When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, [pneuma] saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, [pneuma] I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. | When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the evil spirit. “Listen, you spirit that makes this boy unable to hear and speak,” he said. “I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!” |
| Luke 4:33 | And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit [pneuma] of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, | Once when he was in the synagogue, a man possessed by a demon — an evil spirit — began shouting at Jesus, |
| Luke 4:36 | And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, [pneuma] and they come out. | Amazed, the people exclaimed, “What authority and power this man’s words possess! Even evil spirits obey him, and they flee at his command!” |
| Luke 6:18 | And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: [pneuma] and they were healed. | They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those troubled by evil spirits were healed. |
| Luke 7:21 | And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; [pneuma] and unto many that were blind he gave sight. | At that very time, Jesus cured many people of their diseases, illnesses, and evil spirits, and he restored sight to many who were blind. |
| Luke 8:2 | And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits [pneuma] and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, | along with some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons; |
| Luke 8:29 | (For he had commanded the unclean spirit [pneuma] to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.) | For Jesus had already commanded the evil spirit to come out of him. This spirit had often taken control of the man. Even when he was placed under guard and put in chains and shackles, he simply broke them and rushed out into the wilderness, completely under the demon’s power. |
| Luke 9:39 | And, lo, a spirit [pneuma] taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him that he foameth again, and bruising him hardly departeth from him. | An evil spirit keeps seizing him, making him scream. It throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It batters him and hardly ever leaves him alone. |
| Luke 9:42 | And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, [pneuma] and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father. | As the boy came forward, the demon knocked him to the ground and threw him into a violent convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil spirit and healed the boy. Then he gave him back to his father. |
| Luke 10:20 | Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits [pneuma] are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. | But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.” |
| Luke 11:24 | When the unclean spirit [pneuma] is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. | “When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, searching for rest. But when it finds none, it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ |
| Luke 11:26 | Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits [pneuma] more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. | Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before.” |
| Luke 13:11 | And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit [pneuma] of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. | he saw a woman who had been crippled by an evil spirit. She had been bent double for eighteen years and was unable to stand up straight. |
| Luke 24:37 | But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. [pneuma] | But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost! |
| Luke 24:39 | Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit [pneuma] hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. | Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.” |
Just as the human Jesus was resurrected as an immortal spirit being, it is the hope of Christians to be resurrected or transformed into similar spirit beings. Jesus described what happens after a saved person is resurrected, not as a mortal physical being but as an immortal spirit being.
The apostle Paul confirms that this born again
conversion from mortal flesh to immortal spirit occurs at the last trumpet
, when Christ returns to rule the Kingdom of God here on Earth during the Millennium.
| Verse | KJV | NLT |
|---|---|---|
| John 3:6–8 | That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit [pneuma] is spirit [pneuma]. | Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. |
| Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. | So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ | |
| The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit [pneuma]. | The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” | |
| 1Corinthians 15:50,52–53 | Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. | What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever. |
| In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. | It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. | |
| For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. | For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. |
Notice that the NLT translators significantly changed the meaning in John 3:8, thereby not contradicting those people that believe that one can be reborn
while still a physical being.
Many English translations sometimes capitalize the word Spirit
when it refers to God's spirit.
That this personification can make it seem like God's spirit is a separate being is likely a result of the translators' bias from personally believing in the Trinity Doctrine.
The First Council of Nicaea, in 325, equated the Father and Son, but ignored the Spirit as part of the godhead. The Trinity Doctrine itself wasn't formalized until the First Council of Constantinople, in 381, 350 years after the Crucifixion.
With respect to the Bible text, there is no reason to think that the Gospel authors were aware of this belief; the word could, and perhaps should, be translated without capitalization:
| Verse | KJV | NLT |
|---|---|---|
| Matthew 3:16 | And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit [pneuma] of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: | After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. |
| Matthew 4:1 | Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit [pneuma] into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. | Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. |
| Matthew 10:20 | For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit [pneuma] of your Father which speaketh in you. | For it is not you who will be speaking — it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. |
| Matthew 12:18 | Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit [pneuma] upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. | “Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen. He is my Beloved, who pleases me. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. |
| Matthew 12:28 | But if I cast out devils by the Spirit [pneuma] of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. | But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. |
| Matthew 22:43 | He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit [pneuma] call him Lord, saying, | Jesus responded, “Then why does David, speaking under the inspiration of the Spirit, call the Messiah ‘my Lord’? For David said, |
| Mark 1:10 | And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit [pneuma] like a dove descending upon him: | As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove. |
| Mark 1:12 | And immediately the Spirit [pneuma] driveth him into the wilderness. | The Spirit then compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness, |
| Luke 2:27 | And he came by the Spirit [pneuma] into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, | That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, |
| Luke 4:14 | And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit [pneuma] into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. | Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. Reports about him spread quickly through the whole region. |
| Luke 4:18 | The Spirit [pneuma] of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, | “The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, |
| Luke 10:21 | In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, [pneuma] and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. | At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way. |
| John 1:32 | And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit [pneuma] descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. | Then John testified, “I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him. |
| John 3:5 | Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, [pneuma] he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. | Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. |
| John 3:6 | That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit [pneuma] is spirit. [pneuma] | Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. |
| John 3:8 | The wind [pneuma] bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. [pneuma] | The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” |
| John 3:34 | For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit [pneuma] by measure unto him. | For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit. |
| John 4:24 | God is a Spirit: [pneuma] and they that worship him must worship him in spirit [pneuma] and in truth. | For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” |
| John 6:63 | It is the spirit [pneuma] that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, [pneuma] and they are life. | The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. |
The personification problem becomes even more obvious when the word is preceded by holy
.
By capitalizing both words, the translators make it seem very much that this refers not to a spiritual substance, but is the proper name of an individual conscious being.
Again, there is no biblical justification for this.
Without pre-existing knowledge of the Trinity Doctrine, the original Greek text would naturally be translated with the words uncapitalized, with God's holy spirit
simply referring to the medium through which God communicates with humans.
One should also know that the Greek word for the
would normally be omitted when translating the holy spirit
.
(Similarly, in Greek one often says the Jesus
and the Peter
.)
In fact, in many cases the original Greek doesn't even use the word the
before holy spirit
.
For instance, Matthew 1:18's was found with child of the Holy Ghost
is translated from seven Greek words corresponding to
was-found in belly have from spirit holy
.
The expression the Holy Spirit
or the Holy Ghost
should more naturally be rendered as simply holy spirit
, a supernatural substance, not a conscious being.
It becomes very apparent that eisegesis (reading beliefs into the text) rather than exegesis (reading truth from the text) is involved when one compares the original Greek wording with what is commonly translated as the Holy Ghost
or the Holy Spirit
.
| Verse | KJV | NLT | Literal Greek |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew 1:18 | Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost [pneuma]. | This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. | … from spirit holy |
| Matthew 1:20 | But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost [pneuma]. | As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. | … for in her conceived of spirit is holy |
| Matthew 3:11 | I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost [pneuma], and with fire: | “I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am — so much greater that I'm not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. | … with spirit holy and fire |
| Matthew 12:31 | Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost [pneuma] shall not be forgiven unto men. | “So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven — except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven. | … but [against] the spirit blasphemy not shall be forgiven unto men |
| Matthew 12:32 | And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost [pneuma], it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. | Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come. | … speaks against the spirit the holy not shall be forgiven … |
| Matthew 28:19 | Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost [pneuma]: | Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. | … and of the holy spirit |
| Mark 1:8 | I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost [pneuma]. | I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!” | … with spirit holy |
| Mark 3:29 | But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost [pneuma] hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation: | but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. This is a sin with eternal consequences.” | … against the spirit the holy … |
| Mark 12:36 | For David himself said by the Holy Ghost [pneuma], The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. | For David himself, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said, ‘The LORD said to my Lord, Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.’ | … by the spirit the holy … |
| Mark 13:11 | But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost [pneuma]. | But when you are arrested and stand trial, don’t worry in advance about what to say. Just say what God tells you at that time, for it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit. | … but the spirit the holy |
| Luke 1:15 | For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost [pneuma], even from his mother's womb. | for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. | … and [with] spirit [with] holy shall be filled … |
| Luke 1:35 | And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost [pneuma] shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. | The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. | … spirit holy shall come … |
| Luke 1:41 | And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost [pneuma]: | At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. | … was filled [with] spirit holy the Elisabeth |
| Luke 1:67 | And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost [pneuma], and prophesied, saying, | Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy: | … was filled [with] spirit holy … |
| Luke 2:25 | And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost [pneuma] was upon him. | At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him | … and spirit holy was in him |
| Luke 2:26 | And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost [pneuma], that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. | and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. | … by the spirit the holy … |
| Luke 3:16 | John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost [pneuma] and with fire: | John answered their questions by saying, “I baptize you with water; but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am — so much greater that I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. | … baptize with spirit holy and fire |
| Luke 3:22 | And the Holy Ghost [pneuma] descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased. | and the Holy Spirit, in bodily form, descended on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.” | And descended the spirit the holy … |
| Luke 4:1 | And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost [pneuma] returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit [pneuma] into the wilderness, | Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, | Jesus then of spirit holy full returned … |
| Luke 11:13 | If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit [pneuma] to them that ask him | So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.” | … shall give spirit holy to them … |
| Luke 12:10 | And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost [pneuma] it shall not be forgiven. | Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. | … but against the holy spirit … |
| Luke 12:12 | For the Holy Ghost [pneuma] shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say. | for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said.” | the for holy spirit shall teach … |
| John 1:33 | And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit [pneuma] descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost [pneuma]. | I didn’t know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ | … thou shalt see the spirit descending |
| John 7:39 | (But this spake he of the Spirit [pneuma], which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost [pneuma] was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) | (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.) | … spake he of the spirit … for was spirit holy because that Jesus not yet was glorified.) |
| John 20:22 | And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost [pneuma]: | Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. | … take holy spirit |
Like modern French and Spanish, biblical Greek assigns gender to nouns.
For instance, when translating French pronouns referring to the names of the countries La France
and Le Canada
, one would normally use the English word it
rather than literally translating the French pronouns elle
and il
as she
or he
.
This is known as exegesis (interpreting a text by determining what the original authors reasonably meant
).
Unfortunately, many translations of the Greek scriptures, rather than translating the original pronoun as it
, translate it as he
when the pronoun refers to God's spirit.
Even capitalized names such as Comforter
and Advocate
are introduced.
This is an extreme example of eisegesis (the interpretation of a text (as of the Bible) by reading into it one's own ideas
).
| Verse | KJV | NLT |
|---|---|---|
| John 14:16 | And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he [it] may abide with you for ever; | And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who [which] will never leave you. |
| John 14:17 | Even the Spirit [pneuma] of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him [it] not, neither knoweth him [it]: but ye know him [it]; for he [it] dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. | He [It] is the Holy Spirit, who [which] leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him [it], because it isn’t looking for him [it] and doesn’t recognize him [it]. But you know him [it], because he [it] lives with you now and later will be in you. |
| John 14:26 | But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost [pneuma], whom [that] the Father will send in my name, he [it] shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. | But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative — that is, the Holy Spirit — he [it] will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. |
| John 15:26 | But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit [pneuma] of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he [it] shall testify of me: | “But I will send you the Advocate — the Spirit of truth. He [It] will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me. |
| John 16:7 | Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him [it] unto you. | But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him [it] to you. |
| John 16:13 | Howbeit when he [it], the Spirit [pneuma] of truth, is come, he [it] will guide you into all truth: for he [it] shall not speak of himself[itself] ; but whatsoever he[it] shall hear, that shall he [it] speak: and he[it] will shew you things to come. | When the Spirit of truth comes, he [it] will guide you into all truth. He [It] will not speak on his [its] own but will tell you what he [it] has heard. He [It] will tell you about the future. |
Compare for instance the difference in meaning of John 14:26 between the KJV translation and the literal Greek:
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, … .
But the comforter, which is holy spirit that the Father will send in my name, it shall teach you all things, … .