Body
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through theConnect page. Screenshots are helpful.
Soma means body. The New Testament uses it for the physical body, the crucified and risen body, the body given by Christ, the mortal body that will be raised, the believer's embodied life offered to God, and the church as the body of Christ.
Reader summary
Full entry for σῶμα (G4983) · Open the biblical lexicon
Soma means body. The New Testament uses it for the physical body, the crucified and risen body, the body given by Christ, the mortal body that will be raised, the believer's embodied life offered to God, and the church as the body of Christ.
The BSB source-word alignment has 142 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include body (102), bodies (12), [the] body (3), . . . (2), [it] (2).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 5:29. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Corinthians (46), Matthew (14), Luke (13), Romans (13).
This entry includes 2 verse guides that explain exact original-language forms in context.
Soma means body. The New Testament uses it for the physical body, the crucified and risen body, the body given by Christ, the mortal body that will be raised, the believer's embodied life offered to God, and the church as the body of Christ. Jesus says of the bread, this is My body. Paul speaks of the body of sin rendered powerless with Christ, mortal bodies given life by the Spirit, and bodies offered as living sacrifices.
He also says believers are baptized by one Spirit into one body and are the body of Christ. The word refuses both bodily contempt and bodily idolatry. Bodies matter because creation, incarnation, cross, resurrection, holiness, worship, and church life matter.
Soma is a major New Testament word for embodied life. It can name Jesus' body, the believer's mortal and sanctified body, the body affected by sin and resurrection hope, and the church as Christ's body. Context decides whether the reference is physical, representative, sacramental, ethical, or corporate.
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is My body.”
Jesus identifies the bread in the supper with His body. Soma is tied to His self-giving in the passion context.
We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.
Paul says the old self was crucified so the body of sin might be rendered powerless. The word belongs to union with Christ and freedom from sin's rule.
And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.
Romans 8:11 locates resurrection hope in the body itself: the Spirit who raised Jesus will give life to believers' mortal bodies. Soma carries resurrection hope, not merely present weakness.
Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
Believers offer their bodies as living sacrifices. Worship is embodied obedience, not religious thought alone.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free, and we were all given one Spirit to drink.
Believers are baptized in one Spirit into one body. Soma becomes a corporate image for Spirit-created unity across human divisions.
Now you are the body of Christ, and each of you is a member of it.
Paul tells the Corinthians they are the body of Christ and individually members. The word shapes church identity, mutual dependence, and service.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Verse-level guides showing how this original-language form works in its specific context, including grammar, verse function, and guarded interpretation.
Greek word. The physical body as the instrument through which the soul expresses itself and experiences God's presence or absence.
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 146 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
body, flesh
Read versebody, flesh
Read versebody, flesh
Read versebody, flesh
Read versebody, flesh
Read versebody, flesh
Read versebody, flesh
Read versebody, flesh
Read versebody, flesh
Read versebody, flesh
Read versebody, flesh
Read versebody, flesh
Read versebody, flesh
Read versebody, flesh
Read versebody, flesh
Read versebody, flesh
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 7 case and number patterns. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 142 lexical occurrence verses.
σῶμα is built from this root:
Illustrates the organic unity of believers in Christ.Luke 23:50–56
Confirms the physical death of Christ.Romans 12:3-8
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Soma keeps Christian teaching from becoming disembodied. The body is not a disposable shell, because the Son truly gave His body, believers are united to Him in death and resurrection, the Spirit will give life to mortal bodies, and worship includes the body presented to God. The word also keeps church life from becoming individualistic, because believers are one body in the Spirit and members of Christ's body together.
Soma therefore reaches from the table to sanctification, from resurrection hope to ordinary obedience, and from personal holiness to congregational mutual care. It calls readers to honor the body under the lordship of Christ.
1Cor.12.27
Soma usually names the body, but the body may be considered physically, ethically, sacramentally, eschatologically, or corporately. Context must decide whether the word refers to an individual body, Christ's body, mortal embodiment, or the church.
Creation presents embodied life as God's good work, while sacrifices, priestly service, and bodily obedience show that worship is not merely inward. The New Testament brings that embodied horizon to focus in the incarnation, cross, resurrection, and Spirit-formed church.