Word Studies¶
1. G5590: psyche -- "soul, life, breath"¶
Lexical Data¶
- Greek: ψυχή
- Transliteration: psyche
- Pronunciation: psoo-khay
- Part of Speech: feminine noun (n-f)
- BLB Count: 105 occurrences
- KJV Translation DB Count: 87
Definition (Strong's)¶
From G5594; breath, i.e. (by implication) spirit, abstractly or concretely (the animal sentient principle only; thus distinguished on the one hand from G4151 [pneuma], which is the rational and immortal soul; and on the other from G2222 [zoe], which is mere vitality, even of plants).
Translation Distribution¶
| Translation | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| soul | 32 | 36.8% |
| life | 25 | 28.7% |
| souls | 18 | 20.7% |
| lives | 4 | 4.6% |
| the soul | 1 | 1.1% |
| their minds | 1 | 1.1% |
| the heart | 1 | 1.1% |
| heartily | 1 | 1.1% |
| minds | 1 | 1.1% |
Hebrew Source¶
The primary Hebrew source word is H5315 nephesh (count: 599, PMI: 4.97, score: 31.82). Nephesh means "a breathing creature" -- properly, the living being itself. It is the same word used in Genesis 2:7: "man became a living soul [nephesh]."
Other Hebrew sources: | Hebrew | Strong's | Count | Score | Meaning | |---|---|---|---|---| | nephesh | H5315 | 599 | 31.82 | breathing creature, living being | | esar | H632 | 8 | 10.50 | a binding obligation | | lebab | H3824 | 42 | 10.18 | the heart (inner person) | | chay | H2416 | 62 | 9.48 | alive, living, life | | baqash | H1245 | 36 | 9.26 | to search out, seek | | mar | H4751 | 11 | 8.53 | bitter |
Key Verses Where G5590 = "soul"¶
Mat 10:28; 12:18; 16:26 (2x); 22:37; 26:38; Mar 8:36,37; 12:30,33; 14:34; Luk 1:46; 2:35; 10:27; 12:19,20; Act 2:27,31; 2:43; 3:23; 4:32; Rom 2:9; 13:1; 1Co 15:45; 2Co 1:23; 1Th 5:23; Heb 6:19; 10:38; 1Pe 2:11; 2Pe 2:8; Rev 16:3; 18:14
Key Verses Where G5590 = "life"¶
Mat 2:20; 6:25 (2x); 10:39 (2x); 16:25 (2x); 20:28; Mar 3:4; 8:35 (2x); 10:45; Luk 6:9; 9:24 (2x); 12:22,23; 14:26; 17:33; Act 20:10,24; 27:22; Rom 11:3; 16:4; Rev 8:9
Same-Author (Matthew) Usage Pattern¶
Matthew uses psyche approximately 16 times (counting each occurrence in multi-use verses): - Translated "life" (8x): 2:20; 6:25 (2x); 10:39 (2x); 16:25 (2x); 20:28 - Translated "soul(s)" (8x): 10:28 (2x); 11:29; 12:18; 16:26 (2x); 22:37; 26:38
Critical observation: Matthew uses psyche for "life" and "soul" in nearly equal proportion. In every "life" usage, the context is physical life that can be lost, sought, saved, or given. In 10:28, the same word is used twice -- once for what men cannot kill and once for what God can destroy. The immediate context (10:39, just 11 verses later) uses the exact same word to mean "life" in the lose/find saying. This same-author proximity is a key datum.
2. G622: apollymi -- "to destroy, to perish, to lose"¶
Lexical Data¶
- Greek: ἀπόλλυμι
- Transliteration: apollymi
- Pronunciation: ap-ol-loo-mee
- Part of Speech: verb (v)
- BLB Count: 92 occurrences
- KJV Translation DB Count: 84
Definition (Strong's)¶
From G575 (apo) and the base of G3639 (olethros); to destroy fully (reflexively, to perish, or lose).
Translation Distribution¶
| Translation | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| perish | 10 | 11.9% |
| to destroy | 7 | 8.3% |
| shall lose | 7 | 8.3% |
| destroy | 5 | 6.0% |
| should perish | 4 | 4.8% |
| lost | 4 | 4.8% |
| perished | 4 | 4.8% |
| destroyed | 4 | 4.8% |
| we perish | 3 | 3.6% |
| lose | 3 | 3.6% |
Hebrew Source¶
| Hebrew | Strong's | Count | Score | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| abad | H6 | 141 | 30.45 | to perish, to destroy, to wander away |
| shamad | H8045 | 23 | 14.39 | to destroy, to exterminate |
| abad (Aramaic) | H7 | 6 | 12.51 | to destroy, to perish |
| tiqvah | H8615 | 7 | 8.81 | hope (lit. cord) |
| shadad | H7703 | 8 | 8.58 | to be burly, to deal violently |
| karath | H3772 | 21 | 8.42 | to cut off |
Critical finding: The LXX translates H6 (abad) as G622 (apollymi) 141 times -- the dominant Hebrew-Greek word pair for destruction. The abad-apollymi lexical chain is the primary vocabulary for the fate of the wicked across both testaments. No lexicon defines apollymi as "torment."
Key Verses by Translation¶
"destroy": Mat 21:41; 27:20; Mar 9:22; 12:9; Luk 20:16 "perish": Mat 9:17; Luk 13:3,5,33; 15:17; 21:18; Rom 2:12; 1Co 8:11; 2Co 2:15; 2Th 2:10 "lost": Mat 10:6; 15:24; Luk 15:24,32
Same-Author (Matthew) Usage Pattern¶
Matthew uses apollymi approximately 18 times across 15 verses:
Destruction/killing (active, transitive): - 2:13 -- Herod seeks to "destroy" the child (physical killing) - 10:28 -- God is able to "destroy" both soul and body in gehenna - 12:14 -- Pharisees plot to "destroy" Jesus (physical killing) - 21:41 -- The lord will "destroy" those wicked men (judgment) - 22:7 -- The king "destroyed" those murderers (judgment) - 27:20 -- The crowd wants to "destroy" Jesus (physical killing)
Perishing (intransitive, middle voice): - 5:29,30 -- one member should "perish" (better than whole body in gehenna) - 8:25 -- "we perish" (physical death in storm) - 9:17 -- bottles "perish" (physical ruin) - 18:14 -- "one of these little ones should perish" - 26:52 -- "shall perish with the sword" (physical death)
Lost/ruined (participle, passive): - 10:6; 15:24 -- "lost sheep" (spiritually ruined, headed for destruction) - 18:11 -- "save that which was lost"
Lose (transitive, forfeiture): - 10:39 (2x); 16:25 (2x) -- "lose his life/psyche" - 10:42 -- "lose his reward"
Key patterns in Matthew: 1. When God or authority figures "destroy" the wicked (10:28; 21:41; 22:7), the meaning is actual destruction/death, not torment. 2. The "lost" sheep usage (10:6; 15:24; 18:11) describes those headed toward perishing whom Jesus came to save. 3. In the same chapter (10:28 and 10:39), apollymi is used for both divine destruction and the lose/find life paradox.
3. G1067: gehenna -- "Valley of Hinnom; hell"¶
Lexical Data¶
- Greek: γέεννα
- Transliteration: geenna
- Pronunciation: gheh-en-nah
- Part of Speech: feminine noun (n-f)
- BLB Count: 12 occurrences
- Etymology: From Hebrew H1516 (gay = valley) + H2011 (Hinnom = a Jebusite name)
Definition (Strong's)¶
Of Hebrew origin (H1516 and H2011); valley of (the son of) Hinnom; ge-henna (or Ge-Hinnom), a valley of Jerusalem, used (figuratively) as a name for the place (or state) of everlasting punishment.
Translation Distribution¶
| Translation | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| hell | 9 | 81.8% |
| of hell | 2 | 18.2% |
All 12 NT Occurrences¶
| Verse | KJV | Speaker | Accompanying Vocabulary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mat 5:22 | "hell fire" | Jesus | danger of judgment |
| Mat 5:29 | "hell" | Jesus | apollymi (perish), cast into |
| Mat 5:30 | "hell" | Jesus | apollymi (perish), cast into |
| Mat 10:28 | "hell" | Jesus | apollymi (destroy), soul, body |
| Mat 18:9 | "hell fire" | Jesus | cast into, enter life |
| Mat 23:15 | "hell" | Jesus | child of hell |
| Mat 23:33 | "hell" | Jesus | damnation (krisis = judgment) |
| Mar 9:43 | "hell" | Jesus | fire never quenched |
| Mar 9:45 | "hell" | Jesus | fire never quenched |
| Mar 9:47 | "hell" | Jesus | fire |
| Luk 12:5 | "hell" | Jesus | kill + cast into |
| Jas 3:6 | "hell" | James | tongue, fire |
Same-Author (Matthew) Usage Pattern¶
Matthew contains 7 of 12 total NT gehenna occurrences (58%). Key observations:
- Mat 5:22 -- gehenna paired with escalating judgment (judgment > council > hell fire)
- Mat 5:29-30 -- gehenna paired with apollymi (perish): "one member should perish... whole body cast into hell"
- Mat 10:28 -- gehenna paired with apollymi (destroy): "destroy both soul and body in hell"
- Mat 18:9 -- gehenna paired with "enter into life" contrast: life vs. hell fire
- Mat 23:15 -- gehenna used metaphorically: "child of hell" (character description)
- Mat 23:33 -- gehenna paired with krisis (judgment): "damnation of hell"
In every Matthean gehenna passage, the associated vocabulary is destruction/loss/casting/judgment, never basanizo (torment). The word basanizo does not appear in any gehenna verse in the entire NT.
4. G5399: phobeo -- "to fear, to be afraid, to revere"¶
Lexical Data¶
- Greek: φοβέω
- Transliteration: phobeo
- Pronunciation: fob-eh-o
- Part of Speech: verb (v)
- BLB Count: 93 occurrences
- KJV Translation DB Count: 102
Definition (Strong's)¶
From G5401 (phobos); to frighten, i.e. (passively) to be alarmed; by analogy, to be in awe of, i.e. revere.
Translation Distribution¶
| Translation | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Fear | 16 | 15.7% |
| afraid | 13 | 12.7% |
| they feared | 11 | 10.8% |
| fear | 9 | 8.8% |
| fearing | 6 | 5.9% |
Same-Author (Matthew) Usage Pattern¶
Matthew uses phobeo approximately 18 times:
Fear of God / reverential awe: - 10:28b -- "fear him which is able to destroy"
Fear of men / human fear: - 1:20 -- "fear not" (Joseph, angel message) - 2:22 -- "was afraid" (Joseph, Archelaus) - 10:26 -- "Fear them not" (persecution context) - 10:28a -- "fear not them which kill the body" - 10:31 -- "Fear ye not" (sparrows passage) - 14:5 -- "feared" (Herod feared multitude) - 14:27,30 -- "be not afraid" / "afraid" (Jesus on water) - 17:6,7 -- "afraid" (transfiguration) - 21:26,46 -- "fear" (leaders fear people) - 25:25 -- "afraid" (slothful servant) - 27:54 -- "feared greatly" (centurion) - 28:5,10 -- "Fear not" / "Be not afraid" (resurrection)
Key structural observation: In Matt 10:26-31, phobeo appears 4 times in 6 verses, creating a deliberate fear-contrast structure: - v.26: "Fear them NOT" (persecutors) - v.28a: "Fear NOT them which kill the body" - v.28b: "Rather FEAR him which is able to destroy" - v.31: "Fear ye NOT therefore" (you are valuable)
5. G4983: soma -- "body"¶
Lexical Data¶
- Greek: σῶμα
- Transliteration: soma
- Pronunciation: so-mah
- Part of Speech: neuter noun (n)
- BLB Count: 146 occurrences
- KJV Translation DB Count: 132
Definition (Strong's)¶
From G4982; the body (as a sound whole), used in a very wide application, literally or figuratively.
Translation Distribution¶
| Translation | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| body | 108 | 81.8% |
| bodies | 9 | 6.8% |
| the body | 6 | 4.5% |
| in body | 2 | 1.5% |
| a body | 2 | 1.5% |
Role in Matt 10:28¶
In Matthew 10:28, soma appears twice: 1. "kill the body [soma]" -- what men can do 2. "destroy both soul and body [soma] in hell" -- what God can do
The verse sets up a body-soul pair. Men can kill the body but not the soul. God can destroy both. The question is whether "destroy both soul and body" means destroy the entire person (body + life/self), or whether it implies a separable soul entity that survives bodily death.
6. G615: apokteino -- "to kill outright"¶
Lexical Data¶
- Greek: ἀποκτείνω
- Transliteration: apokteino
- Pronunciation: ap-ok-ti-no
- Part of Speech: verb (v)
- BLB Count: 75 occurrences
- KJV Translation DB Count: 67
Definition (Strong's)¶
From G575 (apo) and G2889 (kteino, to slay); to kill outright; figuratively, to destroy.
Translation Distribution¶
| Translation | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| kill | 7 | 10.4% |
| killed | 7 | 10.4% |
| be killed | 5 | 7.5% |
| to kill | 4 | 6.0% |
| slew | 4 | 6.0% |
| to death | 3 | 4.5% |
Key Verses¶
G615 = "kill": Mat 10:28; 26:4; Luk 12:4; 13:31; Act 27:42; Rev 9:5; 11:7
Role in Matt 10:28 and Luke 12:4-5¶
In Matthew 10:28, apokteino (kill) is used for what men do to the body, while apollymi (destroy) is used for what God does to soul and body. This word change is significant: men can "kill outright" (apokteino) the body, but God can "destroy fully" (apollymi) both soul and body. The different verbs suggest different scopes of action.
In Luke 12:4-5, apokteino is used in both clauses: - v.4: men "kill" (apokteino) the body - v.5: God "after he hath killed" (apokteino) has power to cast into gehenna
Luke uses apokteino for both human and divine action, while Matthew uses apokteino for human action and switches to apollymi for divine action. This switch is a key datum for understanding what Matthew means by "destroy."
Cross-Reference: Greek Parsing of Key Verses¶
Matthew 10:28 -- Greek Grammatical Analysis¶
Greek: και μη φοβεισθε απο των αποκτεννοντων το σωμα, την δε ψυχην μη δυναμενων αποκτειναι· φοβεισθε δε μαλλον τον δυναμενον και ψυχην και σωμα απολεσαι εν γεεννη.
| Word | Lemma | Strong's | Parsing |
|---|---|---|---|
| φοβεισθε | phobeo | G5399 | Present Middle/Passive Imperative 2nd Plural |
| αποκτεννοντων | apokteino | G615 | Present Active Participle Gen Pl Masc |
| σωμα | soma | G4983 | Accusative Singular Neuter |
| ψυχην | psyche | G5590 | Accusative Singular Feminine |
| δυναμενων | dynamai | G1410 | Present M/P Participle Gen Pl Masc |
| αποκτειναι | apokteino | G615 | Aorist Active Infinitive |
| φοβεισθε | phobeo | G5399 | Present Middle/Passive Imperative 2nd Plural |
| δυναμενον | dynamai | G1410 | Present M/P Participle Acc Sg Masc |
| ψυχην | psyche | G5590 | Accusative Singular Feminine |
| σωμα | soma | G4983 | Accusative Singular Neuter |
| απολεσαι | apollymi | G622 | Aorist Active Infinitive |
| γεεννη | geenna | G1067 | Dative Singular Feminine |
Key grammatical observations: 1. Both "kill" (apokteino) and "destroy" (apollymi) are aorist active infinitives -- punctiliar action, not ongoing. 2. The subject who "destroys" is described as "the one being able" (ton dynamenon) -- a present participle indicating ongoing capability. 3. "In gehenna" (en geenne) is dative of place/sphere. 4. The construction "kai psychen kai soma" (both soul and body) uses the correlative kai...kai construction, emphasizing the totality: the entire person.
Luke 12:5 -- Greek Grammatical Analysis¶
Greek: υποδειξω δε υμιν τινα φοβηθητε· φοβηθητε τον μετα το αποκτειναι εχοντα εξουσιαν εμβαλειν εις την γεενναν. ναι, λεγω υμιν, τουτον φοβηθητε.
| Word | Lemma | Strong's | Parsing |
|---|---|---|---|
| φοβηθητε | phobeo | G5399 | Aorist Passive Subjunctive 2P / Aorist Passive Imperative 2P |
| αποκτειναι | apokteino | G615 | Aorist Active Infinitive |
| εχοντα | echo | G2192 | Present Active Participle Acc Sg Masc |
| εξουσιαν | exousia | G1849 | Accusative Singular Feminine |
| εμβαλειν | emballo | G1685 | Aorist Active Infinitive |
| γεενναν | geenna | G1067 | Accusative Singular Feminine |
Key difference from Matthew: Luke uses "having authority to cast into" (echonta exousian embalein eis) rather than Matthew's "being able to destroy in" (dynamenon apolesai en). Luke describes the action as casting into gehenna after killing; Matthew describes the action as destroying in gehenna.
Matthew 10:39 -- Greek Grammatical Analysis¶
Greek: ο ευρων την ψυχην αυτου απολεσει αυτην, και ο απολεσας την ψυχην αυτου ενεκεν εμου ευρησει αυτην.
| Word | Lemma | Strong's | Parsing |
|---|---|---|---|
| ευρων | heurisko | G2147 | Aorist Active Participle Nom Sg Masc |
| ψυχην | psyche | G5590 | Accusative Singular Feminine |
| απολεσει | apollymi | G622 | Future Active Indicative 3S |
| απολεσας | apollymi | G622 | Aorist Active Participle Nom Sg Masc |
| ψυχην | psyche | G5590 | Accusative Singular Feminine |
| ευρησει | heurisko | G2147 | Future Active Indicative 3S |
Key observation: In 10:39, apollymi is used for "losing" one's life/psyche -- the same word used in 10:28 for "destroying" soul and body in gehenna. The same author uses the same word (apollymi) within 11 verses for two related but distinct actions: losing one's life for Christ (10:39) and God destroying the whole person in gehenna (10:28).
Matthew 21:41 -- Greek Grammatical Analysis¶
Greek: ... κακους κακως απολεσει αυτους...
| Word | Lemma | Strong's | Parsing |
|---|---|---|---|
| κακους | kakos | G2556 | Accusative Plural Masculine |
| κακως | kakos (adv) | G2560 | Adverb |
| απολεσει | apollymi | G622 | Future Active Indicative 3S |
Key observation: "He will miserably destroy (kakous kakos apolesei) those wicked men" -- apollymi in the future active indicative, same form as in 10:39. The lord of the vineyard "destroys" the wicked tenants. This is a judgment parable where apollymi means actual destruction/killing, not torment.
Matthew 16:25 -- Greek Grammatical Analysis¶
Greek: ος γαρ εαν θελη την ψυχην αυτου σωσαι, απολεσει αυτην· ος δ αν απολεση την ψυχην αυτου ενεκεν εμου, ευρησει αυτην.
| Word | Lemma | Strong's | Parsing |
|---|---|---|---|
| θελη | thelo | G2309 | Present Active Subjunctive 3S |
| ψυχην | psyche | G5590 | Accusative Singular Feminine |
| σωσαι | sozo | G4982 | Aorist Active Infinitive |
| απολεσει | apollymi | G622 | Future Active Indicative 3S |
| απολεση | apollymi | G622 | Aorist Active Subjunctive 3S |
| ψυχην | psyche | G5590 | Accusative Singular Feminine |
| ευρησει | heurisko | G2147 | Future Active Indicative 3S |
Same pattern as 10:39. The psyche-apollymi word pair appears in both 10:28, 10:39, and 16:25-26. In 16:25 the contrast is save (sozo) vs. lose (apollymi) one's psyche. In 16:26, the question shifts to "what shall a man give in exchange for his psyche [soul]?" -- showing the same word sliding between "life" and "soul" within consecutive verses of the same author.