Greek · Strong's G4151
πνεῦμα
pneûma (PNEW-mah)
noun, neuter
Spirit, breath, wind — the New Testament word for the Holy Spirit.
Pneûma is the Greek counterpart to Hebrew rûaḥ, carrying the same triple meaning of breath, wind, and spirit. Jesus exploits the wordplay in his conversation with Nicodemus: 'The pneuma bloweth where it listeth ... so is every one that is born of the pneuma' (John 3:8).
In the New Testament pneûma typically refers to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, poured out on all flesh at Pentecost (Acts 2). He convicts (John 16:8), regenerates (Titus 3:5), indwells (Romans 8:9), seals (Ephesians 1:13), and produces fruit (Galatians 5:22-23).
Common English renderings
- spirit
- ghost (KJV, archaic)
- breath
- wind
Key verses
"That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born anew. The wind bloweth where it will, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit."
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"And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."
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"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God:"
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"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control; against such there is no law."
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"in whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation,—in whom, having also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is an earnest of our inheritance, unto the redemption of God’s own possession, unto the praise of his glory."
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