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Bible Lexicons

Old & New Testament Greek Lexical DictionaryGreek Lexicon

Strong's #5590 - ψυχή

Transliteration
psychḗ
Phonetics
psoo-khay'
Origin
from (G5594)
Parts of Speech
Noun Feminine
TDNT
9:608,1342
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ψιχίον
 
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ψυχικός
Definition   
Thayer's
  1. breath
    1. the breath of life
      1. the vital force which animates the body and shows itself in breathing 1a
    2. of animals 1a
  2. of men
    1. life
    2. that in which there is life
      1. a living being, a living soul
  3. the soul
    1. the seat of the feelings, desires, affections, aversions (our heart, soul etc.)
    2. the (human) soul in so far as it is constituted that by the right use of the aids offered it by God it can attain its highest end and secure eternal blessedness, the soul regarded as a moral being designed for everlasting life
    3. the soul as an essence which differs from the body and is not dissolved by death (distinguished from other parts of the body)
Hebrew Equivalent Words:
Strong #: 376 ‑ אִישׁ (eesh);  2416 ‑ חַי (khah'ee);  3820 ‑ לֵב (labe);  3824 ‑ לֵבָב (lay‑bawb');  5315 ‑ נֶפֶשׁ (neh'‑fesh);  7307 ‑ רוּחַ (roo'‑akh);  
Frequency Lists
Verse Results
KJV (104)
Matthew 16
Mark 9
Luke 14
John 10
Acts 16
Romans 4
1 Corinthians 1
2 Corinthians 2
Ephesians 1
Philippians 2
Colossians 1
1 Thessalonians 2
Hebrews 6
James 2
1 Peter 6
2 Peter 2
1 John 2
3 John 1
Revelation 7
NAS (100)
Matthew 16
Mark 8
Luke 15
John 9
Acts 14
Romans 4
1 Corinthians 1
2 Corinthians 2
Ephesians 1
Philippians 2
Colossians 1
1 Thessalonians 2
Hebrews 6
James 2
1 Peter 6
2 Peter 2
1 John 2
3 John 1
Revelation 6
HCS (89)
Matthew 16
Mark 8
Luke 13
John 9
Acts 12
Romans 4
1 Corinthians 1
2 Corinthians 1
Ephesians 1
Philippians 2
1 Thessalonians 2
Hebrews 4
James 1
1 Peter 5
2 Peter 1
1 John 2
3 John 1
Revelation 6
BSB (102)
Matthew 16
Mark 8
Luke 14
John 10
Acts 15
Romans 4
1 Corinthians 1
2 Corinthians 2
Ephesians 1
Philippians 2
Colossians 1
1 Thessalonians 2
Hebrews 6
James 2
1 Peter 6
2 Peter 2
1 John 2
3 John 1
Revelation 7
ESV (90)
Matthew 15
Mark 7
Luke 14
John 7
Acts 15
Romans 3
1 Corinthians 1
2 Corinthians 1
Ephesians 1
Philippians 2
1 Thessalonians 2
Hebrews 5
James 2
1 Peter 5
2 Peter 2
1 John 2
Revelation 6
WEB (112)
Matthew 19
Mark 9
Luke 17
John 10
Acts 18
Romans 4
1 Corinthians 1
2 Corinthians 2
Ephesians 1
Philippians 2
Colossians 1
1 Thessalonians 2
Hebrews 7
James 2
1 Peter 7
2 Peter 1
1 John 2
3 John 1
Revelation 6
Liddell-Scott-Jones Definitions

ψῡχ-ή, ἡ, life, λύθη ψ. τε μένος τε Il. 5.296, etc.; ψ. τεκαὶ αἰών 16.453, cf. Od. 9.523; θυμοῦ καὶ ψ. Il. 11.334, Od. 21.154; λαυκανίην, ἵνα τε ψυχῆς ὤκιστος ὄλεθρος Il. 22.325; ψυχὰς παρθέμενοι at hazard of their lives, Od. 3.74, 9.255; αἰεὶ ἐμὴν ψ. παραβαλλόμενος Il. 9.322; λίσσου' ὑπὲρ ψ. καὶ γούνων by your life, 22.338; so ἀντὶ ψ. S. OC 1326: but περὶ ψ. to save their life, Od. 9.423; περί τε ψυχέων ἐμάχοντο 22.245; περὶ ψ. θέον Ἕκτορος Il. 22.161; τρέχων περὶ τῆς ψ. Hdt. 9.37; τῆς ἐμῆς περὶ ψ. A. Eu. 115, cf. E. Hel. 946, Heracl. 984; περὶ ψ. κινδυνεύων Antipho 2.1.4, cf. Th. 8.50; ἁγὼν.. σῆς ψ. πέρι S. El. 1492, cf. E. Ph. 1330, Or. 847, X. Cyr. 3.3.44; τὸν περὶ ψ. δρόμον δραμεῖν Ar. V. 375 (lyr.); ἀγωνίζεσθαι περὶ τῆς ψ. X. Eq.Mag. 1.19; ὃ ἂν θέλῃ, ψυχῆς ὠνεῖται [θυμός ] in exchange for life, Heraclit. 85; τῆς ψ. πρίασθαί τι X. Cyr. 3.1.36; τί γὰρ δοῖ ἄνθρωπος ἀντάλλαγμα τῆς ψ. αὐτοῦ; Mark 8:37. In early poets: ψυχὰν ἀποπνεῖν Simon. 52; ψυχὰς ἔχοντες κυμάτων ἐν ἀγκάλαις Archil. 23; ψυχέων φειδόμενοι Tyrt. 10.14; θειδωλὴν ψ. θέμενος Sol. 13.46; ψυχῆς εἵνεκα καὶ βιότου Thgn. 730; ψυχὰν Ἀΐδᾳ τελέων Pi. I. 1.68; ψυχὰς βαλον Id. O. 8.39; χαλκῷ ἀπὸ ψυχὴν ἀρύσας Emp. 138; τοὐμὸν ἐκπίνουσ' ἀεὶ ψυχῆς ἄκρατον αἷμα S. El. 786; τῆς ἐμῆς ψ. γεγώς ib. 775; τὴν ψ. ἐκπίνουσιν Ar. Nu. 712 (anap.); ψ. ἀφήσω E. Or. 1171; ψ. σέθεν ἔκτεινε Id. Tr. 1214; ψ. παραιτέεσθαι Hdt. 1.24; ποινὴν τῆς Αἰσώπου ψ. satisfaction for the life of A., Id. 2.134; ψυχῆς ἀποστερῆσαί τινα Antipho 4.1.6, cf. Th. 1.136, etc.; τὴν ψ. ἢ τὴν οὐσίαν ἢ τὴν ἐπιτιμίαν τινὸς ἀφελόμενος Aeschin. 2.88; τὸ τῆς ψ. ἀπαιτηθεὶς χρέος LXX Wi. 15. 8, cf. Luke 12:20; ζητοῦσι τὴν ψ. μου LXX 3 Ki. 19.10, cf. Matthew 2:20; τὴν ψ. αὐτοῦ τίθησιν ὑπὲρ τῶν προβάτων John 10:11, etc.; δεῖρον ἄχρις ἡ ψ... ἐπὶ χειλέων λειφθῇ within an inch of his life, Herod. 3.3: the phrase ἐν τῇ χειρὶ τὴν ψ. ἔχοντα taking his life in his hands, is prob. f.l. in Xenarch. 4.20; ἡ ψ. μου ἐν ταῖς χερσί [σου] διὰ πάντος LXX Psalms 119:109(118).109, cf. 1 Samuel 19:5; 1 Samuel 28:21, al.; of life in animals, Od. 14.426, Hes. Sc. 173, Pi. N. 1.47, etc.; τὰ ἄλλα ζῷα, ὅσα ψ. ἔχει Anaxag. 4, cf. 12; πάντων τῶν ζῴων ἡ ψ. τὸ αὐτό, ἀήρ Diog. Apoll.5 (cf. infr. IV. 1); ἡ φύσις τοιαύτη πάντων ὅσσα ψ. ἔχει Democrit.278; ἐπῴζει καὶ ποιεῖ ψ. ἔχειν (of incubation) Epich. 172; [ ἑρπετὸν] ὃ ἔχει ἐν ἑαυτῷ ψ. ζωῆς LXX Genesis 1:30; ἡ ψ. πάσης σαρκὸς αἷμα αὐτοῦ ἐστιν ib. Leviticus 17:11, cf. De. 12.23.

2. metaph. of things dear as life, χρήματα γὰρ ψ... βροτοῖσι Hes. Op. 686; πᾶσι δ' ἀνθρώποις ἄρ' ἦν ψ. τέκν' E. Andr. 419; τἀργύριόν ἐστιν αἷμα καὶ ψ. βροτοῖς Timocl. 35; so as an endearing name, Hld. 1.8, al.; ζωὴ καὶ ψ. Juv. 6.195; ψ. μου Mart. 10.68.

II in Hom., departed spirit, ghost (ὑποτίθεται [Ὅμηρος] τὰς ψ. τοῖς εἰδώλοις τοῖς ἐν τοῖς κατόπτροις φαινομένοις ὁμοίας.. ἃ καθάπαξ ἡμῖν ἐξείκασται καὶ τὰς κινήσεις μιμεῖται, στερεμνιώδη δὲ ὑπόστασιν οὐδεμίαν ἔχει εἰς ἀντίληψιν καὶ ἁφήν Apollod. Hist. Fr. 102(a) J.); ψ. Πατροκλῆος.. πάντ' αὐτῷ.. ἐϊκυῖα Il. 23.65: freq. in Od. 11, ψ. Ἀγαμέμνονος, Ἀχιλῆος, etc., 387, 467, al.; ψ. καὶ εἴδωλον Il. 23.104, cf. 72, Od. 24.14; ψ. κατὰ χθονὸς ᾤχετο τετριγυῖα Il. 23.100; ψυχὰς ἡρώων, opp. αὐτούς, 1.3, cf. Hes. Sc. 151; ψυχαὶ δ' Ἄϊδόσδε κατῆλθον Il. 7.330; ψ. δὲ κατ' οὐταμένην ὠτειλὴν ἔσσυτ' ἐπειγομένη 14.518; sts. hardly dist. from signf. 1, ἅμα ψ. τε καὶ ἔγχεος ἐξέρυσ' αἰχμήν 16.505; in swoons it leaves the body, τὸν δὲ λίπε ψ. 5.696; so in later writers (seldom in Trag.), σὺν Ἀγαμεμνονίᾳ ψυχᾷ Pi. P. 11.21; ἑὰν ψυχὰν κομίξαι ib. 4.159, cf. N. 8.44; αἱ ψ. ὀσμῶνται καθ' Ἅιδην Heraclit. 98; πέμψατ' ἔνερθεν ψυχὴν ἐς φῶς A. Pers. 630 (anap.); ποτωμένην ψ. ὑπὲρ σοῦ E. Or. 676, cf. Fr. 912.9 (anap.); τὰς τῶν κεκμηκότων ψ., αἷς ἐστιν ἐν τῇ φύσει τῶν αὑτῶν ἐκγόνων κήδεσθαι Pl. Lg. 927b; ψ. σοφαί, perh. 'wise ghosts', Ar. Nu. 94; δὶς ἀποθανουμένη ψ. Anon. ap. Plu. 2.236d.

III the immaterial and immortal soul, first in Pindar, ἐς τὸν ὕπερθεν ἅλιον κείνων.. ἀνδιδοῖ [Φερσεφόνα] ψυχὰς πάλιν Fr. 133, cf. Pl. Men. 81b; εἰπόντες ὡς ἀνθρώπου ψ. ἀθάνατός ἐστι Hdt. 2.123; ἀγένητόν τε καὶ ἀθάνατον ψ. Pl. Phdr. 246a, cf. Phd. 70c, al.; ἀθάνατος ἡμῶν ἡ ψ. καὶ οὐδέποτε ἀπόλλυται Id. R. 608d; ἁψ. τῷ σώματι συνέζευκται καὶ καθάπερ ἐν σάματι τέθαπται Philol. 14, cf. Pl. Cra. 400c: hence freq. opp. σῶμα, ψ. καὶ σῶμα X. Mem. 1.3.5, cf. An. 3.2.20; ψ. ἢ σῶμα ἢ συναμφότερον, τὸ ὅλον τοῦτο Pl. Alc. 1.130a; εἰς θηρίου βίον ἀνθρωπίνη ψ. ἀφικνεῖται καὶ ἐκ θηρίου.. πάλιν εἰς ἄνθρωπον Id. Phdr. 249b; κατὰ τοὺς Πυθαγορικοὺς μύθους τὴν τυχοῦσαν ψ. εἰς τὸ τυχὸν ἐνδύεσθαι σῶμα Arist. de An. 407b22; οὐδὲ τοῦτο ἐπείσθην, ὡς ἡ ψ., ἕως μὲν ἂν ἐν θνητῷ σώματι ᾖ, ζῇ, ὅταν δὲ τούτου ἀπαλλαγῇ, τέθνηκεν X. Cyr. 8.7.19; ἀνθρώπου γε ψ., ἣ τοῦ θείου μετέχει,.. ὁρᾶται δ' οὐδ' αὐτή Id. Mem. 4.3.14, cf. Cyr. 8.7.17; αἰθὴρ μὲμ ψυχὰς ὑπεδέξατο, σώ[ματα δὲ χθών ] IG 12.945 (v B. C.); ὁπόταμ ψ. προλίπῃ φάος ἀελίοιο Orph. Fr. 32 f. 1; ἡμεῖς ἐσμεν ψ., ζῷον ἀθάνατον ἐν θνητῷ καθειργμένον φρουρίῳ Pl. Ax. 365e. the conscious self or personality as centre of emotions, desires, and affections, χερσὶ καὶ ψυχᾷ δυνατοί Pi. N. 9.39; μορφὰν βραχύς, ψυχὰν δ' ἄκαμπτος Id. I. 4(3).53(71); ἐνίους τῶν καλῶν τὰς μορφὰς μοχθηροὺς ὄντας τὰς ψ. X. Oec. 6.16; θνητοῦ σώματος ἔτυχες, πειρῶ τῆς ψ. ἀθάνατον μνήμην καταλιπεῖν Isoc. 2.37; opp. material blessings, κτεάνων ψ. ἔχοντες κρέσσονας Pi. N. 9.32; μήτε σωμάτων ἐπιμελεῖσθαι μήτε χρημάτων.. οὕτω σφόδρα ὡς τῆς ψ. ὅπως ὡς ἀρίστη ἔσται Pl. Ap. 30b, cf. 29e: hence regarded in abstraction, τὸ παρεχόμενον ἡμῶν ἕκαστον τοῦτ' εἶναι μηδὲν ἀλλ' ἢ τὴν ψ., τὸ δὲ σῶμα ἰνδαλλόμενον ἡμῶν ἑκάστοις ἕπεσθαι Pl. Lg. 959a; ἡ ψ. ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος Id. Alc. 1.130c; οὐδὲ νῦν τήν γ ἐμὴν ψ. ἑωρᾶτε X. Cyr. 8.7.17, cf. supr. 111: sts., therefore, distd. from oneself, ψ. γὰρ ηὔδα πολλά μοι μυθουμένη S. Ant. 227; ἡ ψ. μου πεπότηται Ar. Nu. 319 (anap.); τί ποτ' ἔστι μαθεῖν ἔραται ψ. E. Hipp. 173 (anap.); ἄλλο τι βουλομένη ἑκατέρου ἡ ψ. δήλη ἐστίν Pl. Smp. 192c; οἴμοι ψυχή woe is me! LXX Mi. 7.1; καὶ ἐρῶ τῇ ψ. μου, ""yuxh/, e)/xeis pollaa)gaqa/ "" Luke 12:19; in periphrases, ψ. Ὀρέστου, = Ὀρέστης, S. El. 1127, al.: but τὴν Φιλοκτήτου ψ. ἐκκλέψεις his wits, Id. Ph. 55; ἡ δ' ἐμὴ ψ. τέθνηκεν Id. Ant. 559, cf. OC 999; so ψυχαί abs., = ἄνθρωποι, ψ. ὀλέσασα A. Ag. 1457 (lyr.); ψ. πολλαὶ ἔθανον many souls perished, Ar. Th. 864; πᾶσαι αἱ ψ., υἱοὶ καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες λ γ LXX Genesis 46:15, cf. Exodus 12:4, al.; [ κιβωτὸς] εἰς ἣν ὀλίγοι, τοῦτ' ἔστιν ὀκτὼ ψ., διεσώθησαν 1 Peter 3:20. In apostrophe, μή, φίλα ψ. Pi. P. 3.61; ὦ μελέα ψ. S. Ph. 712 (lyr.); ὦ ἀγαθὴ καὶ πιστὴ ψ. X. Cyr. 7.3.8; in referring to persons, ὅταν μεγάλη ψ. φυῇ Pl. R. 496b (cf. μεγαλόψυχος) ; καλεῖται γοῦν ἡ ψ. Κρινοκοράκα the creature, Thphr. Char. 28.2; πάσῃ ψ. τετελευτηκυίᾳ LXX Numbers 6:6; Numbers 6:11; πᾶσα ψ. ὑποτασσέσθω Romans 13:1, etc.: generally, being, ψυχὴ ζῶσα living creature, LXX Genesis 1:24; Genesis 20:1-18 (pl.).

2. of various aspects of the self, ἐν πολέμοιο μάχαις τλάμονι ψ. παρέμειν) enduring heart, Pi. P. 1.48; διεπειρᾶτο αὐτοῦ τῆς ψ. Hdt. 3.14, ἦν ηὰρ.. ψυχὴν οὐκ ἄκρος poor- spirited, Id. 5.124; ψυχὴν ἄριστε πάντων Ar. Eq. 457; καρτερὰν ψ. λαβεῖν Id. Ach. 393; κράτιστοι ἂν τὴν ψ. κριθεῖεν Th. 2.40; τοῖς σώμασι δύνανται τὰς δὲ ψ. οὐκ ἔχουσιν Lys. 10.29; ὁ γὰρ' λόγχην ἀκονῶν καὶ τὴν ψ. τι παρακονᾷ X. Cyr. 6.2.33, cf. Oec. 21.3.

3. of the emotional self, ὑπείργασμαι μὲν εὖ ψυχὴν ἔρωτι E. Hipp. 505, cf. 527 (lyr.); πάνυ μου ἡ ψ. ἐπεθύμει X. Oec. 6.14; τίνα ποτὲ ψ. ἔχων; Lys. 32.12; τίν' οἴεσθ' αὐτὴν ψ. ἕξειν, ὅταν ἐμὲ ῒδῃ; how will she feel? D. 28.21; μία ψ., prov. of friends, Arist. EN 1168b7; ψ. μία ἤστην prob. in Phryn. PS p.128B.; of appetite, ψυχῇ διδόντες ἡδονήν A. Pers. 841 (s. v.l.), cf. Epich. 297, Theocr. 16.24; λίχνῳ δὲ ὄντι τὴν ψ. Pl. R. 579b; τῷ δὲ ἡ ψ. σῖτον μὲν οὐ προσίετο, διψῆν δ' ἐδόκει X. Cyr. 8.7.4.

4. of the moral and intellectual self, ἀπὸ πάμπαν ἀδίκων ἔχειν ψ. Pi. O. 2.70; ψ. τε καὶ φρόνημα καὶ γνώμην S. Ant. 176; ἀρκεῖν.. κἀντὶ μυρίων μίαν ψ. τάδ' ἐκτίνουσαν, ἢν εὔνους παρῇ Id. OC 499; ψ. γὰρ εὔνους καὶ φρονοῦσα τοὔνδικον Id. Fr. 101; ἡ κακὴ σὴ ψ. Id. Ph. 1014; ψυχῆς κατήγορος κακῆς X. Oec. 20.15, cf. Pl. R. 353e; ἡ βουλεύσασα ψ. Antipho 4.1.7, cf. Pl. Lg. 873a; τὸ σῶμα ἀπειρηκὸς ἡ ψ. συνεξέσωσεν.. διὰ τὸ μὴ ξυνειδέναι ἑαυτῇ the mind conscious of innocence, Antipho 5.93; τὸ ἐπιμελεῖσθαι καὶ ἄρχειν καὶ βουλεύεσθαι.. ἐσθ' ὅτῳ ἄλλῳ ἢ ψυχῇ δικαίως ἂν ἀποδοῖμεν; Pl. R. 353d; τὴν τῆς ψ. ἐπιμέλειαν X. Mem. 1.2.4, Isoc. 15.304; τὰ ἐν τῇ ψ. διὰ τὴν παιδείαν ἐγγιγνόμενα ib.290; τῆς ψ. ἐξελθούσης, ἐν ᾗ μόνῃ γίγνεται φρόνησις X. Mem. 1.2.53; νοῦς τε καὶ ψ. Pl. Cra. 400a, cf. Phdr. 247c, al.; ἐμπαίει τί μοι ψυχῇ σύνηθες ὄμμα S. El. 903; ἰδὼν μὲν γνούς τε σῇ ψ., τέκνον E. Tr. 1171. Phrases: — ἐκ τῆς ψ. φίλος X. An. 7.7.43; ἀπὸ τῆς ψ. φιλεῖν with all the heart, Thphr. Char. 17.3; βόσκοιτ' ἐκ ψυχᾶς τὰς ἀμνάδας Theoc. 8.35; ὅλῃ τῇ ψ. κεχαρίσθαι τινί X. Mem. 3.11.10; οὐκ ἐᾷ ἡμᾶς οὐδὲ ψυχῆς λαχεῖν he won't let us call our soul our own, Phryn. PS p.128B.

5. of animals, ψ. μεγαλόφρων, of a horse, X. Eq. 11.1; θηρίων ψ. ἡμεροῦμεν Isoc. 2.12; ψ. χηνός, ὀρτυγίου, Eub. 101, Antiph. 5.

6. of inanimate things, πᾶσα πολιτεία ψ. πόλεώς ἐστιν Isoc. 12.138, cf. 7.14; ἡ τῶνδε τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἀρετὴ τῆς Ἑλλάδος ἦν ψ. D. 60.23; οἷον ψ. ὁ μῦθος τῆς τραγῳδίας Arist. Po. 1450a38; also of the spirit of an author, D.H. Lys. 11.

Philosophical uses:

1 In the early physicists, of the primary substance, the source of life and consciousness, ὁρίζονται πάντες (sc. οἱ πρότεροι) τὴν ψ. τρισίν, κινήσει, αἰσθήσει, τῷ ἀσωμάτῳ Arist. de An. 405b11; τὸν λίθον ἔφη [Θαλῆς] ψ. ἔχειν ὅτι τὸν σίδηρον κινεῖ, of the magnet, ib. 405a20; ψυχῇσιν θάνατος ὕδωρ γενέσθαι, ὕδατι δὲ θάνατος γῆν γενέσθαι, ἐκ γῆς δὲ ὕδωρ γίνεται, ἐξ ὕδατος δὲ ψ. (sc. πῦρ) Heraclit. 36; ἡ ψ. πνεῦμα Xenoph. ap. D.L. 9.19; καρδία ψυχῆς καὶ αἰσθήσιος [ἀρχά ] Philol. 13; τοῦτο [ἀὴρ] αὐτοῖς καὶ ψ. ἐστι καὶ νόησις Diog. Apoll.4; τὴν τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων φύσιν οὐ πιστεύεις Ἀναξαγόρᾳ νοῦν καὶ ψ. εἶναι τὴν διακοσμοῦσαν; Pl. Cra. 400a, cf. Arist. de An. 404a25; Δημόκριτος πῦρ τι καὶ θερμόν θησιν αὐτὴν (sc. ψυχὴν) εἶναι ib. 404a1, cf. Resp. 472a4.

2. the spirit of the universe, ψ. εἰς τὸ μέσον [τοῦ κόσμου] θείς Pl. Ti. 34b, cf. 30b; τὴν τοῦ παντὸς δῆλον ὅτι τοιαύτην εἶναι βούλεται [ὁ Τίμαιος] οἷόν ποτ' ἐστὶν ὁ καλούμενος νοῦς Arist. de An. 407a3; ἐν τῷ ὅλῳ τινὲς [τὴν ψ.] μεμεῖχθαί φασιν, ὅθεν ἴσως καὶ Θαλῆς ᾠήθη πάντα πλήρη θεῶν εἶναι ib. 411a8; ὁ κόσμος ψ. ἐστὶν ἑαυτοῦ καὶ ἡγεμονικόν Chrysipp.Stoic. 2.186; ψ. [κόσμου ] Plu. 2.1013e, cf. M.Ant. 4.40; ψ. ἐλθοῦσα εἰς σῶμα οὐρανοῦ Plot. 5.1.2; τόδε τὸ πᾶν ψ. μίαν ἔχον εἰς πάντα αὐτοῦ μέρη Id. 4.4.32; περὶ ψυχᾶς κόσμου καὶ φύσιος, title of work by Ti.Locr.

3. In Pl. the immaterial principle of movement and life, ὅταν παρῇ [ψυχὴ] τῷ σώματι, αἴτιόν ἐστι τοῦ ζῆν αὐτῷ Pl. Cra. 399d, cf. Def. 411c; [ ψυχῆς λόγον ἔχομεν] τὴν δυναμένην αὐτὴν αὑτὴν κινεῖν κίνησιν Id. Lg. 896a; μεταβολῆς τε καὶ κινήσεως ἁπάσης αἰτία [ἡ ψ.] ἅπασιν ib. b, cf. 892c; its presence is requisite for thought, σοφία καὶ νοῦς ἄνευ ψ. οὐκ ἂν γενοίσθην Id. Phlb. 30c, cf. Ti. 30b, Sph. 249a; defined by Arist. as οὐσία ὡς εἶδος σώματος φυσικοῦ δυνάμει ζωὴν ἔχοντος de An. 412a20; ἐντελέχεια ἡ πρώτη σώματος φυσικοῦ ὀργανικοῦ ib. 412b5; the tripartite division of ψ., οἱ δὲ περὶ Πλάτωνα καὶ Ἀρχύτας καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ Πυθαγόρειοι τὴν ψ. τριμερῆ ἀποφαίνονται, διαιροῦντες εἰς λογισμὸν καὶ θυμὸν καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν Iamb. ap. Stob. 1.49.34, cf. Pl. R. 439e sqq.; in Arist. ἡ ψ. τούτοις ὥρισται, θρεπτικῷ, αἰσθητικῷ, διανοητικῷ, κινήσει· πότερον δὲ τοὔτων ἕκαστόν ἐστι ψ. ἢ ψυχῆς μόριον; de An. 413b11, cf. PA 641b4; ἡ θρεπτικὴ ψ. Id. de An. 434a22, al.; in the Stoics and Epicureans, σῶμα ἡ ψ. Zeno and Chrysipp.Stoic. 1.38; of the scala naturae, τὰ μὲν ἕξει διοικεῖται, τὰ δὲ φύσει, τὰ δ' ἀλόγῳ ψ., τὰ δὲ καὶ λόγον ἐχούσῃ καὶ διάνοιαν Stoic. 2.150, cf. M.Ant. 6.14; ἡ ψ. σῶμά ἐστι λεπτομερές.. προσεμφερέστατον πνεύματι θερμοῦ τινα κρᾶσιν ἔχοντι Epicur Ephesians 1 p.19U.; τέλος.. τὸ μήτε ἀλγεῖν κατὰ σῶμα μήτε ταράττεσθαι κατὰ ψ. Id. Ephesians 1:1-23 p.64U.; in the Neo-Platonists characterized by discursive thinking, τοὺς λογισμοὺς ψυχῆς εἶναι ἐνεργήματα Plot. 1.1.7; related to νοῦς as image to archetype, εἰκών τίς ἐστι νοῦ [ψ. ] Id. 5.1.3; present in entirety in every part, πάρεστι πᾶσα πανταχοῦ ψ.

Thayer's Expanded Definition

ψυχή, ψυχῆς, (ψύχω, to breathe, blow), from Homer down, the Sept. times too many to count for נֶפֶשׁ, occasionally also for לֵב and לֵבָב;

1. breath (Latinanima), i. e.

a. the breath of life; the vital force which animates the body and shows itself in breathing: Acts 20:10; of animals, Revelation 8:9 (Genesis 9:4; Genesis 35:18; ἐπιστραφήτω ψυχή τοῦ παιδαρίου, 1 Kings 17:21); so also in those passages where, in accordance with the trichotomy or threefold division of human nature by the Greeks, ψυχή; is distinguished from τό πνεῦμα (see πνευαμ, 2, p. 520a (and references under the word πνεῦμα 5)), 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 4:12.

b. life: μέριμναν τῇ ψυχή, Matthew 6:25; Luke 12:22; τήν ψυχήν ἀγαπᾶν, Revelation 12:11; (μισεῖν, Luke 14:26); τιθέναι, John 10:11, 15, 17; John 13:37; John 15:13; 1 John 3:16; παραδιδόναι, Acts 15:26; διδόναι (λύτρον, which see), Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45; ζητεῖν τήν ψυχήν τίνος (see ζητέω, 1 a.), Matthew 2:20; Romans 11:3; add, Matthew 6:25; Mark 3:4; Luke 6:9; Luke 12:20, 23; Acts 20:24; Acts 27:10, 22; Romans 16:4; 2 Corinthians 1:23; Philippians 2:30; 1 Thessalonians 2:8; in the pointed aphorisms of Christ, intended to fix themselves in the minds of his hearers, the phrases εὑρίσκειν, σῴζειν, ἀπολλύναι τήν ψυχήν αὐτοῦ, etc., designate as ψυχή in one of the antithetic members the life which is lived on earth, in the other, the (blessed) life in the eternal kingdom of God: Matthew 10:39; Matthew 16:25; Mark 8:35-37; Luke 9:24, 56 Rec.; ; John 12:25; the life destined to enjoy the Messianic salvation is meant also in the following phrases ((where R. V. soul)): περιποίησις ψυχῆς, Hebrews 10:39; κτᾶσθαι τάς ψυχάς, Luke 21:19; ὑπέρ τῶν ψυχῶν (here A. V. (not R. V.) for you; cf.

c. below), 2 Corinthians 12:15.

c. that in which there is life; a living being: ψυχή ζῶσα, a living soul, 1 Corinthians 15:45; (Revelation 16:3 R Tr marginal reading) (Genesis 2:7; plural ); πᾶσα ψυχή ζωῆς, Revelation 16:3 (G L T Tr text WH) (Leviticus 11:10); πᾶσα ψυχή, every soul, i. e. everyone, Acts 2:43; Acts 3:23; Romans 13:1 (so כָּל־נֶפֶשׁ, Leviticus 7:17 (27); ); with ἀνθρώπου added, every soul of man (אָדָם נֶפֶשׁ, Numbers 31:40, 46 (cf. 1 Macc. 2:38)), Romans 2:9. ψυχαί, souls (like the Latincapita) i. e. persons (in enumerations; cf. German Seelenzahl): Acts 2:41; Acts 7:14; Acts 27:37; 1 Peter 3:20 (Genesis 46:15, 18, 22, 26, 27; Exodus 1:5; Exodus 12:4; Leviticus 2:1; Numbers 19:11, 13, 18; (Deuteronomy 10:22); the examples from Greek authors (cf. Passow, under the word, 2, vol. ii, p. 2590b) are of a different sort (yet cf. Liddell and Scott, under the word, II. 2)); ψυχαί ἀνθρώπων of slaves (A. V. souls of men (R. V. with marginal reading 'Or lives')), Revelation 18:13 (so (Numbers 31:35); Ezekiel 27:13; see σῶμα, 1 c. (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 22, 7 N. 3)).

2. the soul (Latinanimus), a. the seat of the feelings, desires, affections, aversions (our soul, heart, etc. (R. V. almost uniformly soul); for examples from Greek writings see Passow, under the word, 2, vol. ii., p. 2589b; (Liddell and Scott, under the word, II. 3); Hebrew נֶפֶשׁ, cf. Gesenius, Thesaurus ii, p. 901 in 3): Luke 1:46; Luke 2:35; John 10:24 (cf. αἴρω, 1 b.); Acts 14:2, 22; Acts 15:24; Hebrews 6:19; 2 Peter 2:8, 14; ἐπιθυμία τῆς ψυχῆς, Revelation 18:14; ἀνάπαυσιν ταῖς ψυχαῖς εὑρίσκειν, Matthew 11:29; ψυχή, ... ἀναπαύου, φάγε, πίε (WH brackets these three imperatives), εὐφραίνου (personification and direct address), Luke 12:19, cf. Luke 12:18 ( ψυχή ἀναπαύσεται, Xenophon, Cyril 6, 2, 28; ἐυφραίνειν τήν ψυχήν, Aelian v. h. 1, 32); εὐδοκεῖ ψυχή μου (anthropopathically, of God), Matthew 12:18; Hebrews 10:38; περίλυπος ἐστιν ψυχή μου, Matthew 26:38; Mark 14:34; ψυχή μου τετάρακται, John 12:27; ταῖς ψυχαῖς ὑμῶν ἀκλυόμενοι (fainting in your souls (cf. ἐκλύω, 2 b.)), Hebrews 12:3; ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ψυχή σου, with all thy soul, Matthew 22:37; (Luke 10:27 L text T Tr WH); ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς σου (Latinex toto animo), with (literally, from (cf. ἐκ, II. 12 b.)) all thy soul, Mark 12:30, 33 (here T WH omit; L Tr marginal reading brackets the phrase); Luke 10:27 (R G) (Deuteronomy 6:5; (Epictetus diss. 3, 22, 18 (cf. Xenophon, anab. 7, 7, 43)); Antoninus 3, 4; (especially 4, 31; 12, 29); ὅλῃ τῇ ψυχή φροντίζειν τίνος (rather, with κεχαρισθαι), Xenophon, mem. 3, 11, 10); μία ψυχή, with one soul (cf. πνεῦμα, 2, p. 520a bottom), Philippians 1:27; τοῦ πλήθους ... ἦν καρδία καί ψυχή μία, Acts 4:32 (ἐρωτηθεις τί ἐστι φίλος, ἔφη. μία ψυχή δύο σώμασιν ἐνοικουσα, (Diogenes Laërtius 5, 20 (cf. Aristotle, eth. Nic. 9, 8, 2, p. 1168b, 7; on the elliptical ἀπό μιᾶς (namely, ψυχῆς?), see ἀπό, III.)); ἐκ ψυχῆς, from the heart, heartily (Ephesians 6:6 (Tr WH with Ephesians 6:7)); Colossians 3:23 (ἐκ τῆς ψυχῆς often in Xenophon; τό ἐκ ψυχῆς πένθος, Josephus, Antiquities 17, 6, 5).

b. "the (human) soul in so far as it is so constituted that by the right use of the aids offered it by God it can attain its highest end and secure eternal blessedness, the soul regarded as a moral being designed for everlasting life": 3 John 1:2; ἀγρύπνειν ὑπέρ τῶν ψυχῶν, Hebrews 13:17; ἐπιθυμίαι, αἵτινες στρατεύονται κατά τῆς ψυχῆς, 1 Peter 2:11; ἐπίσκοπος τῶν ψυχῶν, 1 Peter 2:25; σῴζειν τάς ψυχάς, James 1:21; ψυχήν ἐκ θανάτου, from eternal death, James 5:20; σωτηρία ψυχῶν, 1 Peter 1:9; ἁγνίζειν τάς ψυχάς ἑαυτῶν, 1 Peter 1:22; (τάς ψυχάς πιστῷ κτίστῃ παρατίθεσθαι, 1 Peter 4:19).

c. the soul as an essence which differs from the body and is not dissolved by death (distinguished from τό σῶμα, as the other part of human nature (so in Greek writings from Isocrates and Xenophon down; cf. examples in Passow, under the word, p. 2589{a} bottom; Liddell and Scott, under the word, II. 2)): Matthew 10:28, cf. 4 Macc. 13:14 (it is called ἀθάνατος, Herodotus 2, 123; Plato Phaedr., p. 245 c., 246 a., others; ἄφθαρτος, Josephus, b. j. 2, 8, 14; διαλυθῆναι τήν ψυχήν ἀπό τοῦ σώματος, Epictetus diss. 3, 10, 14); the soul freed from the body, a disembodied soul, Acts 2:27, 31 Rec.; Revelation 6:9; Revelation 20:4 (Wis. 3:1; (on the Homeric use of the word, see Ebeling, Lex. Homer, under the word, 3, and references at the end, also Proudfit in Bib. Sacr. for 1858, pp. 753-805)).


Thayer's Expanded Greek Definition, Electronic Database.
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Abbott-Smith Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament

ψυχή , -ῆς , ,

[in LXX very freq. for H5315 sometimes for H3820, H3824, etc.;]

1. breath (Lt. anima), breath of life, life (Hom., al.; in Arist., of the vital principle): Matthew 6:25, Mark 3:4; Mark 10:45, Luke 12:22, John 10:11, Acts 20:10; Acts 20:24, 2 Corinthians 1:23, Philippians 2:30, 1 Thessalonians 2:8, al.

2. the soul,

(a) as the seat of the will, desires and affections: Matthew 26:38, Mark 12:30 (LXX) Mark 14:34, Luke 1:46, John 10:24, Acts 14:2, Philippians 1:27, al.; ἐκ ψυχῆς , from the heart, heartily: Ephesians 6:6, Colossians 3:23;

(b) as a periphrasis for person or self (freq. in translation from Semitic originals, v. M, Pr., 87; Robinson, Gospels, 113 ff.; but also freq. in cl., v. LS, s.v. II, 2; Edwards, Lex., App. A.) Matthew 11:29, Mark 8:36, Acts 2:41, Romans 2:9, 1 Peter 3:20, al.; πᾶσα ψ ., Acts 2:43; Acts 3:23 (LXX), Romans 13:1; ψ . ζῶσα (ζωῆς ), 1 Corinthians 15:45, Revelation 16:3;

(c) as the object of divine grace and eternal salvation: Hebrews 13:17, James 1:21; James 5:20, 1 Peter 1:9; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 Peter 2:11; 1 Peter 4:19, 3 John 1:2.

SYN.: see νοῦς G3563, πνεῦμα G4151, ψυχικός G5591, and cf. ICC on 1 Thessalonians 5:23, Lft., Notes, 88 f.


Abbott-Smith Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament.
Copyright © 1922 by G. Abbott-Smith, D.D., D.C.L.. T & T Clarke, London.
List of Word Forms
ψηχή ψυήν ψυχαι ψυχαί ψυχαὶ ψυχάι ψυχαις ψυχαίς ψυχαῖς ψυχας ψυχάς ψυχὰς ψυχη ψυχή ψυχὴ ψυχῇ ψυχηήν ψυχην ψυχήν ψυχὴν ψυχης ψυχής ψυχῆς ψυχων ψυχών ψυχῶν psuchai psuchais psuchas psuche psuchē psuchen psuchēn psuches psuchēs psuchon psuchōn psychai psychaí psychaì psychais psychaîs psychas psychás psychàs psyche psychē psychḗ psychḕ psychêi psychē̂i psychen psychēn psychḗn psychḕn psyches psychês psychēs psychē̂s psychon psychôn psychōn psychō̂n
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