Bible-defined Spirit
(Spirit, Words, & Mind)
Spirit is Life
Genesis 7:22 All on the dry land, in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, died. (speaking of the flood of Noah's time)
Genesis 25:8,17 Abraham gave up his spirit, and died at a good old age, an old man, and full of years, and was gathered to his people. ... 17 These are the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred thirty-seven years. He gave up his spirit and died, and was gathered to his people.
Psalm 146:4 His spirit departs, and he returns to the earth. In that very day, his thoughts perish.
Matthew 27:50 Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit.
Luke 8:55 Her spirit returned, and she rose up immediately. He commanded that something be given to her to eat.
Luke 23:46 Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” Having said this, he breathed his last.
John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Acts 7:59 They stoned Stephen as he called out, saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”
Being without spirit is to be without life - dead, because, it is the spirit that gives life.
Romans 8:2,11 For the law of the Spirit of life in Messiah Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death. ... 11 But if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised up Messiah Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his{Jesus' Father} Spirit who dwells in you.
- John 6:63 It is the spirit who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and are life.
- His Father raised Jesus from death according to several verses.
God's Spirit is Powerful and Creative
Genesis 1:2 ... God’s Spirit{the words of God} was hovering over the surface of the waters. 3 God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light... 6 God said, “Let there be an expanse in the middle of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” ... 9 God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together to one place, and let the dry land appear;” and it was so... 11 God said, “Let the earth yield grass, herbs yielding seeds, and fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind, with their seeds in it, on the earth;” and it was so... 14 God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to divide the day from the night... 20 God said, “Let the waters abound with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the sky.” 24 God said, “Let the earth produce living creatures after their kind, livestock, creeping things, and animals of the earth after their kind;” and it was so... 26 God said, “Let’s make man in our image, after our likeness
Zechariah 4:6 Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, “This is Jehovah’s word to Zerubbabel, saying, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says Jehovah of Hosts.
Ephesians 3:16 that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that you may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person,
God's Spirit can be Given to Humans
Numbers 11:29 Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all Jehovah’s people were prophets, that Jehovah would put his Spirit on them!”
Isaiah 42:1 “Behold, my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights: I have put my Spirit on him. He will bring justice to the nations.
Isaiah 44:3 For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and streams on the dry ground. I will pour my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your offspring;
Isaiah 48:16 “Come near to me and hear this: “From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time that it happened, I was there.” Now the Lord Jehovah has sent me with his Spirit.
Ezekiel 36:27 I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes. You will keep my ordinances and do them.
Ezekiel 37:14 I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live. Then I will place you in your own land; and you will know that I, Jehovah, have spoken it and performed it,” says Jehovah.’ ”
Ezekiel 39:29 I won’t hide my face from them any more, for I have poured out my Spirit on the house of Israel,’ says the Lord Jehovah.”
Joel 2:28-29 “It will happen afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions. 29 And also on the servants and on the handmaids in those days, I will pour out my Spirit. (Quoted also in Acts 2:17-18)
Matthew 12:18 “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit on him. He will proclaim justice to the nations.
Romans 8:11 ... he who raised up Messiah Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his{Jesus' Father, Jehovah} Spirit who dwells in you.
1 John 4:13 By this we know that we remain in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.
Relationship Between Spirit and Words
2 Samuel 23:2 "The Spirit of Jehovah spoke by me. His word was on my tongue.
- God can speak through us!
Job 26:4 To whom have you uttered words? Whose spirit came forth from you?
Proverbs 1:23 Turn at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you.
- God equates His "spirit" with His "words".
Isaiah 59:21 “As for me, this is my covenant with them,” says Jehovah. “My Spirit who is on you, and my words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart out of your mouth, nor out of the mouth of your offspring, nor out of the mouth of your offspring’s offspring,” says Jehovah, “from now on and forever.”
John 3:34 For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for God gives the Spirit without measure.
John 6:63 It is the spirit who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and are {eternal - vs54&68} life.
Zechariah 7:12 Yes, they made their hearts as hard as flint, lest they might hear the law and the words which Jehovah of Hosts had sent by his Spirit by the former prophets. Therefore great wrath came from Jehovah of Hosts.
Acts 4:31 When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were gathered together. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
What is God's Spirit?
As we saw in the previous section, God and Jesus both equated their words with their Spirit. And where do their words come from? The words come from the mind of Father Jehovah, and given without measure to His Son( John 3:34 ). Jesus reinforces this principle in =>
John 12:49-50 I{Jesus} don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. 50 And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say.”
From this, we can deduce that Jesus had the mind of the Father. Maybe that's why Paul said, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:"(Philippians 2:5)
Relationship Between Words and Mind
Acts 17:11 Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.
Revelation 17:17 For God has put in their hearts to do what he has in mind, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God should be accomplished.
Relationship Between Mind and Spirit
Genesis 41:8 In the morning, his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all of Egypt’s magicians and wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them to Pharaoh.
- Pharaoh's mind was troubled. Moses seems to have equated "spirit" with "mind".
Exodus 35:21 They came, everyone whose heart stirred him up, and everyone whom his spirit{mind} made willing, and brought Jehovah’s offering for the work of the Tent of Meeting, and for all of its service, and for the holy garments.
Deuteronomy 2:30 But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him, for Jehovah your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into your hand, as it is today.
- "heart" is often equated with "mind".
Job 7:11 “Therefore I will not keep silent. I will speak in the anguish of my spirit{mind}. I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
Psalm 31:5 Into your hand I commend my spirit{mind}. You redeem me, Jehovah, God of truth.
Psalm 77:3,6 I remember God, and I groan. I complain, and my spirit{mind} is overwhelmed. ... 6 I remember my song in the night. I consider in my own heart; my spirit{mind} diligently inquires:
Psalm 142:3 When my spirit{mind} was overwhelmed within me, you knew my route. On the path in which I walk, they have hidden a snare for me.
Psalm 143:4,7 Therefore my spirit{mind} is overwhelmed within me. My heart within me is desolate. ... 7 Hurry to answer me, Jehovah. My spirit{mind} fails. Don’t hide your face from me, so that I don’t become like those who go down into the pit.
Proverbs 16:32 One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty; one who rules his spirit{mind}, than he who takes a city.
Isaiah 26:9 With my soul I have desired you in the night. Yes, with my spirit{mind} within me I will seek you{Jehovah} earnestly; for when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.
- Notice that "soul" and "spirit" are equated and referring to the mind.
Daniel 2:1,3 In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams; and his spirit{mind} was troubled, and his sleep went from him. ... 3 The king said to them, “I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit{mind} is troubled to know the dream.”
Daniel 7:15 “As for me, Daniel, my spirit{mind} was grieved within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.
Mark 2:8 Immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit{mind} that they so reasoned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you reason these things in your hearts?
Mark 8:12 He sighed deeply in his spirit{mind} and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Most certainly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.”
Luke 1:47 My spirit{mind} has rejoiced in God my Savior,
Acts 17:16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit{mind} was provoked within him as he saw the city full of idols.
Romans 1:9 For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit{mind} in the Good News of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you always in my prayers,
Romans 8:6 For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace;
2 Corinthians 7:13 Therefore we have been comforted. In our comfort we rejoiced the more exceedingly for the joy of Titus, because his spirit{mind} has been refreshed by you all.
Ephesians 4:21-24 if indeed you heard him and were taught in {Messiah}, even as truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put away, as concerning your former way of life, the old man that grows corrupt after the lusts of deceit, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new man, who in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.
2 Thessalonians 2:2 not to be quickly shaken in your mind, nor yet be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by letter as from us, saying that the day of Christ had come.
Words to Live By
1 Peter 4:11 If anyone speaks, let it be as it were the very words of God. If anyone serves, let it be as of the strength which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus the Messiah, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Desiring to live by every word that comes from the mouth of Jehovah ( Deut8:3; Matt4:4 )
-Sid Nash: 10/16/2025. Latest version: https://sidnash.org/docs/SpiritDefined.html