The word "soul" is often removed in modern Bible translations. For example Judges 10:16:

And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. -- Judges 10:16 (KJV)

vs

So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD, and He became impatient over the misery of Israel. -- Judges 10:16 (ESV)

The reason for this is the ambiguity regarding the Hebrew word for "soul" according to Strong's Concordance:

nephesh : a soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion Original Word : נֶפֶשׁ Part of Speech : Noun Feminine Transliteration : nephesh Phonetic Spelling : (neh'-fesh) Definition : a soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

The Hebrew letters נֶפֶשׁ that is translated to "soul" means:

• seed / life / son
• speak / word / open / scatter
• consume / press / eat

The Hebrew letters נְשָׁמָה that is translated to "spirit" means:

• seed / life / son
• consume / press / eat
• water / mighty
• breath / window

The Hebrew letters seems to hint:

Both "soul" and "spirit":

• is related to life which is distinct from the parent
• needs to be nourished

Because of this overlap, it might suggest that the soul might be a type of spirit.

However, this does not rule out that it might be two distinct components of a human being. They are different in the sense that:

• "soul" is associated with "speak" or "word" which hints communication or "open" or "scatter" which hints thoughts or ideas. This could perhaps be summarized as intelligence.
• "spirit" is associated with "water" and "breath" which hints it is the force that makes a being alive.

It also seems like there are no scripture that mention that any animal have a "soul", but there are many scriptures that state that animals do have "spirits". This is probably why humans are considered intelligent beings while animals cannot speak and reason like humans do.

The Greek word for "soul" according to Strong's Concordance:

psuché : breath, the soul Original Word : ψυχή, ῆς, ἡ Part of Speech : Noun, Feminine Transliteration : psuché Phonetic Spelling : (psoo-khay') Definition : breath, the soul Usage : (a) the vital breath, breath of life, (b) the human soul, (c) the soul as the seat of affections and will, (d) the self, (e) a human person, an individual.

What it is

• God also has a soul (Isaiah 1:14; Judges 10:16 (KJV))
• The soul has emotions:
  • Bitter
    • Hannah (1 Samuel 1:10)
  • Rest/Relax (Matthew 11:29)
  • Sorrowful
    • Jesus (Matthew 26:38, Mark 14:34)
  • Fear
    • New church members (Acts 2:43)
  • Troubled/Unsettled/Distressed
    • Shunammite woman (2 Kings 4:27)
    • Jesus (John 12:27)
    • New church members (Acts 23:24)
  • Discouraged (Hebrews 12:3)
    • Israelites (Numbers 21:4)
• The soul is not immortal. (Matthew 10:28)

It departs when we die. For example:

And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died)... And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. -- Genesis 35:18-19 (KJV)

And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again. And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth. -- 1 Kings 17:21-23 (KJV)

According to Job, our souls are distinct from God's spirit:

Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,

As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul; All the while my breath [or soul] is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils. -- Job 27:1-3 (KJV)

What it can do

• The soul must obey His voice (Deuteronomy 30:2, 30:10)
• The soul must subject to governing authorities (Romans 13:1; Hebrews 13:17)
• The soul sins (Micah 6:7; Habakkuk 2:10)
• Soul can magnify the Lord (Luke 1:46)
• Soul can go to hell/Hades
  • Jesus (Matthew 10:28, Acts 2:27,31)
• Souls become the same / one / added together
  • by relationship, e.g. mother, son, daughter, wife, friend (Deuteronomy 13:6), e.g.
    • Jonathan and David (1 Samuel 18:1-3, 1 Samuel 20:17)
  • by faith (Acts 2:41, 4:32)

What you can do with it

• The soul cannot be destroyed by humans (Matthew 10:28)
• It can be strengthened (Acts 14:22)
• The word (logos) or correction saves your soul (James 1:21; 5:20)
• Can lose your soul (Matthew 16:26, Mark 8:36-37)
  • Lust war against the soul (1 Pet 2:11), for example:
    • Prince Shechem, son of Hamor the Hivite (Genesis 34:3)
• Purify your soul by obeying the truth (1 Pet 1:22)
• Greatest sacrifice is to love God with all the heart, understanding, soul and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5, 10:12, 11:13, 13:3, 30:6, Josh 22:5, Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:33)

Purpose

• Human soul causes body to live and leave the world at death (Luke 12:20)
  • Rachel (Genesis 35:18)
  • Elijah: widow's son (1 Kings 17:21-22)

This study is part of an ongoing research project and may contain errors.