"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." Matthew 10:28.

Jesus clearly teaches in this text that the soul is not naturally immortal. It can and will be destroyed in hell. But what does He mean about killing the body, but not the soul? Is it possible for the soul to exist apart from the body? Some say it is, but the Bible indicates otherwise.

The Hebrew word "psuche" has been translated "soul" in this text, but in forty other texts it has been translated "life." For example, Jesus said, "Whosoever shall lose his life (psuche) for my sake shall find it." Matthew 16:25. Obviously "psuche" could not mean soul in this instance, or people could be said to lose their soul for Christ's sake. It is properly translated "life."

But what of Matthew 10:28? Put in the word "life" instead of "soul" and the text makes perfect sense in its consistency with the rest of the Bible. The contrast is between one who can take the physical life, and He who can take away eternal life. Here is proof in the words of Jesus: "And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell." Luke 12:4,5.

In other words, the word "soul" here means not only life, but eternal life. Notice that Luke says everything just like Matthew except that he does not say "kills the soul." Instead he says "cast into hell." They mean the same thing. Men can only kill the body and take away the physical life. God will cast into hell and take away eternal life. Not only will their bodies be destroyed in that fire, but their lives will be snuffed out for all eternity.

Concerning the teaching of the Holy Scriptures on the subject of the immortality of the human soul, the New Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. 13, pp. 467, 468, article "Soul in the Bible," states:

"In the first Christian writers one does not find the arguments from reason concerning the immortality of the soul but rather the proclamation that God through Christ has called man to a life of happiness that will never end."

"The notion of the soul surviving after death is not readily discernible in the Bible."

"The Bible does not speak of the survival of an immaterial soul."