Spirit

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The word "spirit" has a broad range of meanings.

[INCOMPLETE]

See also Holy Spirit.

These passages from the Bible illustrate the many different ways that "spirit" is used.

Old Testament

God's work in nature

• In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Genesis 1:1-2 (AV)
• By his spirit [God] hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent. Job 26:13 (AV)
• Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth. Psalm 104:30 (AV)
• As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. Ecclesiastes 11:5 (AV)
• Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. Ecclesiastes 12:7 (AV)
• Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. ... Isaiah 31:3 (AV)
• Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest. Isaiah 32:15 (AV)
• The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. Isaiah 40:7 (AV)
• Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him? Isaiah 40:13 (AV)

God sustaining life in people

• And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man ... Genesis 6:3 (AV)
• Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst. Nehemiah 9:20 (AV)
• Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit. Job 10:12 (AV)
• All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils ... Job 27:3 (AV)
• The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. Job 33:4 (AV)
• If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath; All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust. Job 34:14-15 (AV)
• He shall cut off the spirit of princes: he is terrible to the kings of the earth. Psalm 76:12 (AV)
• Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? Psalm 139:7 (AV)
• There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it. Ecclesiastes 8:8 (AV)
• Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: Isaiah 42:5 (AV)
• For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: Isaiah 44:3 (AV)

A person's attitudes, mindset or mental abilities

• And it came to pass in the morning that [Pharaoh's]spirit was troubled ... And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? Genesis 41:8, 38 (AV)
• ... they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage. Exodus 6:9 (AV)
• And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship ... Exodus 31:3 (AV)
• And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD's offering to the work ... Exodus 35:21 (AV)

... if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife ... Numbers 5:14 (AV)

• But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land ... Numbers 14:24 (AV)
• And the LORD said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him; And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight. Numbers 27:18-19 (AV) Compare And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses. Deuteronomy 34:9 (AV)
• ... when [Samson] had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived ... Judges 15:19 (AV)
• And Hannah ... said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit ... 1 Samuel 1:15 (AV)
• And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him. 1 Samuel 16:23 (AV)
• But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread? 1 Kings 21:5 (AV)
• And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee. 1 Kings 22:21-23 (AV)
• And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. 2 Kings 2:15 (AV)
• Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy God helpeth thee. 1 Chronicles 12:18 (AV)
• Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. Job 7:11 (AV)
• That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth? Job 15:13 (AV)
• I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer. Job 20:3 (AV)
• As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled? Job 21:4 (AV)
• To whom hast thou uttered words? and whose spirit came from thee? Job 26:4 (AV)
• For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me. Job 32:18 (AV)
• Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth. Psalm 31:5 (AV)
• Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. Psalm 32:2 (AV)
• The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Psalm 34:18 (AV)
• Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. ... The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Psalm 51:10-12,17 (AV)
• I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Psalm 77:3 (AV)
• I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search. Psalm 77:6 (AV)
• And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God. Psalm 78:8 (AV)
• Because they provoked [Moses'] spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips. Psalm 106:33 (AV)
• Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate. Psalm 143:4 (AV)
• Turn you at my reproof: behold, I [wisdom] will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. Proverbs 1:23 (AV)
• A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter. Proverbs 11:13 (AV)
• He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly. Proverbs 14:29 (AV)
• A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit. Proverbs 15:4 (AV)
• Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18 (AV)
• Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. Proverbs 16:19 (AV)
• He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. Proverbs 16:32 (AV)
• He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit. Proverbs 17:27 (AV)
• The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly. Proverbs 20:27 (AV)
• He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls. Proverbs 25:28 (AV)
• A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit. Proverbs 29:23 (AV)
• I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. Ecclesiastes 1:14 (AV)
• And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. Ecclesiastes 1:17 (AV)
• Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun. Ecclesiastes 2:11 (AV)
• Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? Ecclesiastes 3:21 (AV)
• Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit. Ecclesiastes 4:6 (AV)
• Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Ecclesiastes 7:8 (AV)
• Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. Ecclesiastes 7:9 (AV)
• If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences. Ecclesiastes 10:4 (AV
• When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning. Isaiah 4:4 (AV)
• And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; Isaiah 11:2 (AV)
• With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. Isaiah 26:9 (AV)
• And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate. Isaiah 28:6 (AV)
• They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine. Isaiah 29:24 (AV)
• For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. Isaiah 57:15 (AV)
• To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. Isaiah 61:3 (AV)

God influencing a person's mind or actions

• And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto [Moses], and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease. Numbers 11:17, 25 (AV)
• ... there remained two of the men in the camp, ... and the spirit rested upon them ... and they prophesied ... And Moses said ... would God that all the LORD's people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them! Numbers 11:26, 29 (AV)
• And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him. Numbers 24:2 (AV)
• But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him: for the LORD thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate ... Deuteronomy 2:30 (AV)
• And the Spirit of the LORD came upon [Othniel], and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim. Judges 3:10 (AV)
• Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech: Judges 9:23 (AV)
• And the Spirit of the LORD began to move [Samson] at times in the camp ... Judges 13:25 (AV)
• And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon [Samson] ... Judges 14:6 (AV)
• But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him. And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee. Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well. 1 Samuel 16:14-16 (AV)
• The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. 2 Samuel 23:2 (AV)
• ... the Spirit of the LORD shall carry thee whither I know not ... 1 Kings 18:12 (AV)
• And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria ... 1 Chronicles 5:26 (AV)
• Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians: 2 Chronicles 21:16 (AV)
• Now ..., that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying ... 2 Chronicles 36:22 (AV)
• Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem. Ezra 1:5 (AV)
• Yet many years didst thou forbear them, and testifiedst against them by thy spirit in thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands. Nehemiah 9:30 (AV)
• For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me. Job 6:4 (AV)
• But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding. Job 32:8 (AV)
• Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. Psalm 143:10 (AV)
• The LORD hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit. Isaiah 19:14 (AV)
• For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. Isaiah 29:10 (AV)
• Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. Isaiah 42:1 (AV)
• Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me. Isaiah 48:16 (AV)
• ... When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. Isaiah 59:19 (AV)
• As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever. Isaiah 59:21 (AV)
• The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings ... Isaiah 61:1 (AV)

A person's will to live, or life force

• ... when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived ... Genesis 45:27 (AV)
• ... their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more ... Joshua 5:1 (AV)
• Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. Psalm 143:7 (AV)
• A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. Proverbs 15:13 (AV)
• A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. Proverbs 17:22 (AV)
• The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear? Proverbs 18:14 (AV)
• O LORD, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit: so wilt thou recover me, and make me to live. Isaiah 38:16 (AV)

A disembodied spirit, believed in by witches etc

• A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death ... Leviticus 20:27 (AV)
• Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up: Job 4:15 (AV)