Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: sl87m@cc.usu.edu (The Barking Pumpkin Digital Gratification Ensemble) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Biblical usages of "spirit" Message-ID: Date: 4 Apr 91 06:06:55 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Utah State University Lines: 34 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu [Robert O'Barr asking about the word translated "spirit" in the Bible. He had heard that the same word is used for spirit and breath, and that in Luke 23:46, a correct translation would be "into thy hands I comment my breath". I responded with a list of meanings for the Greek pneuma, which does indeed mean spirit and breath, among other things, and some comments on the passage he asked about. --clh] The word "pneuma" has various meanings from context as do many words in various languages. Consider "fire" in English. I light a fire. (fire, flame) I'll fire you. (terminate employment) Fire! (Cry of warning) Fire! (bang bang bang) Fire up the machine. (Turn it on) etc. etc. etc. Thus, there are times when "breath" would be correct. Other times, such as in your cited passages, "breath" would be incorrect. Translating "I'll fire you" as "I'll light or burn you" or "I'll shoot you" is rediculous. Using "breath" in these passages is not a _translation_, but a _translitteration_. Translitteration is looking something up in a dictionary, and using the word that was found. The person who said that "breath" is the propper word is translitterating, which leads to really embarassing results if you try to pass it off as a translation. Translation is expressing the original idea in another language. When translating, it can be difficult discerning what the author meant unless you could confidently step into the author's world and live a life in that culture. As I've never been to Brazil, my Portuguese is rather shallow. I don't always understand what was said, even though I understood each word individually. However, I have a true feeling for modern Greek and its nuances having learned the language from those wonderful people. Death is the separation of one's spirit from the body. The spirit is a living, thinking entity. Joined with one's body, they act as one. Then the spirit can experience life as we know it. --- TZMattareyay