The Resurrection and Immortality by William West - HTML preview

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(33) Proverbs 27:7 “The full soul (nehpheshs-mortal being) loathes an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul (nehpheshs-mortal being)" ever bitter thing is sweet.” How could the translators think an immaterial something could be full or could be hungry for honey?

·         “A sated man (nehphesh) loathes honey, but to a famished man (nehphesh) any bitter thing is sweet” New American Standard Bible.

·         He (nehphesh) who is full loathes honey, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet” New International Version. “Nehphesh” is in the Hebrew two times, but one of the two it was left out in the New International Version.

(34) Numbers 31:28 "And levy a tribute unto the Lord of the men of war which went out to battle: one soul (nehpheshs-mortal beings–used referring to man and animals) of five hundred, both of the persons, and of the beeves, and of the asses and of the sheep." Of about 870 times “nephesh” is in the Old Testament this and Job 12:10 are the only passages where the King James translators translated “nephesh” as “soul” when it has reference to animals, and is maybe that the only reason they did this time is that it has equal reference to people as it does to animals and they had no choice.

"So carefully has the translation of nehphesh been guarded in relation to animals as 'souls,' that we can't help but wonder if it were not done intentionally to conceal the fact that animals are souls as well as men." David J. Heinizman, "Man Became A Living Soul."

(35 to 870) It would be to long to quote all the 870 times the Hebrew word nehphesh is in the Old Testament with just over one-half being translated "soul," about 473 times in King James Version. Not once do any of them imply anything about life beyond the grave or about the soul being immortal. Nehphesh in the New International Version Old Testament is translated soul only 72 times out of the 870 times it is used, according to the this translation, 798 times nehphesh was not a “soul.”

A nehphesh could be:

·         Saved (Genesis 19:19; 1 Samuel 19:11; 2 Samuel 19:5)

·         Killed (Numbers 35:11; 35:15; 35:30)

·         Ransomed (Exodus 21:30)

·         Destroyed (Leviticus 23:30; Joshua 11:11)

·         Delivered (Joshua 2:13)

·         Sought to be killed (Judges 18:25)

·         Taken (Deuteronomy 19:21)

·         Forfeited (Joshua 2:14)

·         Risked (Judges 12:3; 1 Samuel 28:21)

·         Lost (Judges 1:25)

·         Jeopardized (Judges 5:18; 1 Samuel 19:50

     All 870 times have one thing in common, they are all associated with the activity of a living being including dying, and nehphesh never implies anything about life after the death of the living being, all the 870 are all speaking of living beings that will die, not of an immortal deathless something that is in a living being that is not deathless. None of the 870 times are an immortal inter part of a person; they are a mortal living being that can die, be killed, or be dead, (whether the living being is a person, animal or fish). Nehphesh is always associated with the activity of earthly breathing beings, both of person(s) and animal(s). It never implies anything about life beyond the grave. IT IS NEVER TRANSLATED "SPIRIT"

Although nehphesh—Strong’s Hebrew word #5315—“a breathing creature” is translated into about thirty-five words, thirty-four all have reference to a mortal being, animal, or person that is not deathless, none to an “immaterial invisible part of a person” that is deathless.

1.       How could nehphesh be a mortal breathing creature that will die in thirty-four of the words into which it is translated?

2.       And it is an immortal something that does not breath and that will not die in only one of the thirty-five words. Is it because this is the only word that they could use to put the Pagan immortal soul into the Bible, but were not able to translate it into an immortal invisible deathless something most of the times it was used?

     Can one word be rightly translated this way? How could the translators know when to translate this word as a mortal being that will die, and when the same word was to be changed to an immortal being that cannot die? No one reading some of the English translations of the Bible would have any way of knowing that all these words are translations (or mistranslations) of only one word. Did the translators do so because they wanted to make a person be an "immortal being," and more than a "living creatures?" In almost one half of the times nehphesh is used in the Old Testament, even the King James translators could not translate it "soul." When the all-knowing God used just one word, why did the translators use many words and change it as they wished to from a noun to pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, etc.? Did they think that for all the years from Adam unto Christ? God people could understand the one word God used, but now about forty words are needed to translate that one word? If one word were all that was needed from Adam unto the translation of the King James Version, why would God's one word not be enough today? Do the translators think they have improved the Hebrew Old Testament by changing the one word that God used into about thirty-five words, and changing this noun into about all parts of speech? The use of many words came when the Catholic Church brought in unconditional immortality, and they had to get it into the Bible. The Hebrew manuscripts still have just one word–nehphesh, which was the one word God inspired. Were the translators inspired to change it to many words? And changed from one part of speech into many parts of speech?

     Nehphesh is translated soul far fewer times in the New American Standard Version, and in most other translations, including the New King James Version, than it is in the King James Version. Were they going as far as they dared to in correcting the King James Version?

     The way soul is understood and used today in English (an inter undying part of a person) makes putting the word soul in a translation for the English people today be a false and deliberately misleading translation, for it makes it where today's English reader cannot know what God said, and will understand only what the prejudiced outlook the translators wanted their readers to understand when they know that most that read it would understand the word soul only as it is used today. Without much study of Bible words, which most Bible reader will never do, they cannot know what God said to them when they read the word soul, and they will think that the somewhat prejudice outlook of the translator is the word of God. God's word has been deliberately replaced with the teaching of man (Matthew 15:9) in a way that will have more influence on our conception of what our nature is and the nature of all living beings than any other question.

THE “SOUL” AND “EATING OF BLOOD”

    Is the immortal "soul" (nehphesh) in the blood? Is a part of a person that many say it lives after the death of the body in the blood of both men and animals? (Leviticus 17:10-15) In only six verses nehphesh is used ten times but the translators concealed this from their reads by translating nehphesh as both life and soul, always life the four times it was speaking of animals, and soul the six times it was speaking of a person; does this not show their reluctance to let us see what God said to us?

The same word (nehphesh) is translated soul six times and life four times in the King James Version in Leviticus 17:10-15.

·         Used referring to animals four times—nehphesh translated (1) life,  (2) life, (3) life, (4) life.

·         Used referring to man six times—nehphesh translated (1) soul, (2) soul, (3) soul, (4) soul, (5) soul, (6) soul.

Leviticus 17:10-15 in New Revised Standard Version

·         Used referring to animals four times—nehphesh translated (1) life,  (2) life, (3) life, (4) life.

·         Used referring to man six times—nehphesh translated (1) person, (2) person, (3) lives, (4) life, (5) person, (6) persons.

Leviticus 17:10-15 in New International Version

·         Used referring to animals four times—nehphesh translated (1) life,  (2) life, (3) life, (4) life.

·         Used referring to man six times—nehphesh translated (1) person, (2) person, (3) lives, (4) person, (5) life, (6) anyone.

     Leviticus 17:10-15 King James Version, "I will even set my face against that SOUL (person–nehphesh, used referring to man) that eats blood, and will cut him off from among his people. For the LIFE (soul–nehphesh, used referring to animals) of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your SOULS: (nehphesh, used referring to man) for it is the blood that makes an atonement for the SOUL (nehphesh, used referring to man). Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, no SOUL (nehphesh, used referring to man) of you shall eat blood...For it is the LIFE (soul–nehphesh, used referring to animals) of all flesh; the blood of it is for the LIFE (soul–nehphesh, used referring to animals) thereof; therefore I said unto the children of Israel, no SOUL (nehphesh, used referring to man) shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the LIFE (soul-nehphesh, used referring to animals) of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eats it shall be cut off. And every SOUL (nehphesh, used referring to man) that eats that which died of itself...he shall wash his clothes, and bath himself in water" In this passage, the King James Version translated the same word "soul" all six times when it used referring to man, and "life" all four times when it used referring to animals. Can anyone not see how the translators picked when they wanted "nehphesh" to be "soul," and when they wanted "nehphesh" to be "life"? They could not let an immortal soul be in the blood, nor could they let animals have an immortal soul. Their theology said a man had to have a soul, but an animal could not, and they were not willing that their reader see that the word "nehphesh" is used referring to both, and that both do not have a soul but are a soul.

The vanishing use of soul in Leviticus 17:10-15.

  • In the King James Version nehphesh is translated "soul" six of the ten times it is used.
  • The New King James Version used "soul" only two of the ten times.
  • "Soul" is not used in the New Revised Standard Version, New International Version, The New American Bible, and others.

     Leviticus 17:10-15 New Revised Standard Version, "If anyone of the house of Israel or of the aliens who reside among them eats any blood, I will set my face against that PERSON (nehphesh) who eats blood, and will cut that PERSON (nehphesh) off from the people. For the LIFE (nehphesh) of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you for making atonement for your LIVES (nehphesh) on the altar, for, as LIFE, (nehphesh) it is the blood that makes atonement. Therefore I have said to the people of Israel: No PERSON (nehphesh) among you shall eat blood...For the LIFE (nehphesh) of every creature-its blood is its LIFE; (nehphesh) therefore I have said to the people of Israel: You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the LIFE (nehphesh) of every creature is its blood; whoever eats it shall be cut off. All PERSONS, (nehphesh) citizens or aliens, who eat what dies of itself...shall wash their clothes, and bathe themselves in water"

     Leviticus 17:10-15 New International Version, "Any Israelite or any alien living among them who eats any blood-I will set my face against that PERSON (nehphesh) who eats blood and will cut HIM (nehphesh) off from his people. For the LIFE (nehphesh) of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for YOURSELVES (nehphesh) on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonements for one's LIFE (nehphesh). Therefore I say to the Israelites, 'None of YOU (nehphesh) may eat blood, nor may an alien living among you eat blood'...because the LIFE (nehphesh) of every creature is its blood. That is why I have said to the Israelites, You must not eat the blood of any creature, because the LIFE (nehphesh) of every creature is its blood; anyone who eats it must be cut off. ANYONE (nehphesh), whether native-born or alien, who eats anything found dead or torn by wild animals must wash his clothes and bathe with water'."

·         "No soul (nehphesh) shall eat blood" Leviticus 17:12. No person–an immortal soul eating blood?

  • "The life (soulnehphesh) of all flesh is the blood" Leviticus 17:11. They would not translate it to say, “The soul of all flesh is the blood.”
  • "No dead body (soulnehphesh)" A dead immortal soul? The same word that is translated soul and life is translated dead body (Numbers 6:6, also Numbers 5:2; 6:11; 9:6; 9:10). These passages would make no sense if nehphesh were a no substance immortal something in a person that cannot be dead. It would also make animals have the same no substance immortal deathless something in them. It is life that is in the blood, not an immortal, immaterial, invisible soul in the blood as the word "soul" is used today.

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THE DYING USE OF "SOUL"

     IN THE OLD TESTAMENT: In translations that were made by those who believe a person has an immortal soul, why is the use of the word "soul" becoming used less? Nehphesh is used in the Old Testament 870 times.

TRANSLATED SOUL ONLY

  • 473 times out of 870 times – King James Version in 1611.
  • 289 times out of 870 times– New King James Version in 1982. Soul is used 184 times less in the Old Testament than it is in the King James Version.
  • 118 times out of 870 times – Amplified Bible in 1954.
  • 142 times out of 870 times – The Message in 1993.
  • 254 times out of 870 times – New American Standard Bible in 1960.
  • 115 times out of 870 times – New International Version in 1973.
  • 136 times out of 870 times – New International Version in 1984 update.
  • 95 times out of 870 times – New International Version in 2010 update.
  • 96 times out of 870 times – New International Reader's Version in 1996.
  • 73 times out of 870 times – Today's New International Version in 2001.
  • 44 times out of 870 times – New Living Translation in 1996.
  • 48 times out of 870 times – Holman Christian Standard Bible in 1999.
  • 26 times out of 870 times – Contemporary English Version in 1995.
  • 0 times out of 878 times – Common English Bible in 2011.
    • Most of the times that nehphesh was not translated "soul" it was translated "life," "person," "heart," or the noun was changed to a pronoun (he, him, she, her, etc.) that is related to a person, and has no reference to an immortal part of a person.

IN THE NEW TESTAMENT: The Greek work translated soul (psukee) is used 106 times.

TRANSLATED SOUL ONLY

  • 55 times out of 106 times in the King James Version in 1611.
  • 27 times out of 106 times in the New King James Version in 1982. Soul is used 28 times less in the New King James Version than it is in the King James Version.
  • 39 times out of 106 times – Amplified Bible in 1954.
  • 43 times out of 106 times – New American Standard Bible in 1960.
  • 23 times out of 106 times – New International Version in 1984 and 2010 update.
  • 23 times out of 106 times – Today's New International Version in 2001.
  • 29 times out of 106 times – New Living Translation in 1996.
  • 20 times out of 106 times – New International Reader's Version in 1996.
  • 23 times out of 106 times – Holman Christian Standard Bible in 1999.
  • 22 times out of 106 times – Contemporary English Version in 1995.
  • 7 times out of 106 times – Common English Bible in 2011.
  • 0 times out of 106 times – Christian Bible in 1991.

   IN BOTH THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT: The Hebrew word translated soul (nehphesh) is used over 870 times in the Old Treatment, and the Greek word translated soul (psukee) is used 106 times, both together about 976 times.

TRANSLATED SOUL ONLY

  • 530 times out of 976 times – King James Version in 1611.
  • 341 times out of 976 times–New King James Version in 1982. Soul is used 189 times less in the New King James Version than it is in the King James Version.
  • 200 times out of 976 times– Amplified Bible in 1954.
  • 301 times out of 976 times – New American Standard Bible in 1960.
  • 140 times out of 976 times – New International Version in 1973.
  • 136 times out of 976 times – New International Version in 1984 update.
  • 95 times out of 976 times – New International Version in 2010 update.
  • 96 times out of 976 times – Today's New International Version in 2001.
  • 39 times out of 976 times – New International reader's Version in 1996.
  • 177 times out of 976 times – The Message in 1993.
  • 73 times out of 976 times – New Living Translation in 1996.
  • 58 times out of 976 times – Holman Christian Standard Bible in 1999.
  • 58 times out of 976 times – Contemporary English Version in 1995.
  • 7 times out of 976 times – Common English Bible in 2011.

     Most, if not all these translators believe in an immortal soul, but have been reducing the times these words are translated "soul" and replacing it with "life," "person," "heart," or changed it to pronouns that are related to a pers