Biblical Context: Life

“A man had two sons,” [Jesus] said. “The younger told his father, ‘Father, give me my part of the estate.’ So he divided his life (bios) between them...

His father came out and consoled [his older son], but he answered his father, ‘Look, I’ve been serving you for many years and have never come against your command, but you’ve never even given me a kid to celebrate with my friends! Yet when your son came, who ate up your life (bios) with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ Then he replied, ‘Son, you’re always with me and all I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be happy, because your brother was dead and now he lives (zoe). He was lost and found.’”

— The Story of Jesus 23.4 

[adapted from Lk 15:11-32]

The Greek language has three words that are often translated as “life” in English. 

The first is bios. It refers to the quantity of time lived or the course of life itself, but could also refer to physical property possessed during one’s life, such as wealth or land.

A woman was there who had been bleeding for twelve years, but she couldn’t be healed by anyone. She had suffered much under many doctors, having spent all she had (bios), but nothing had helped.

— The Story of Jesus 13.3 

[adapted from Lk 8:43]

Then he sat across from the treasury and watched people putting coins into it. He looked up and saw many of the rich putting their many gifts into the treasury, but a poor widow came and put in two lepta, worth a penny. He called his disciples and told them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow put in more than all the others giving to the treasury. They all gave out of their excess, but she gave out of her poverty and put in all she owned, even her whole life (bios).”

— The Story of Jesus 28.1 

[adapted from Mk 12:41-44; Lk 2:1-4]

Bios occurs few times in the Bible, most often used by the Gospel writer Luke.

Second, psyche refers to the essence of a person’s being, the vital force that animates each body, or one’s personhood. It describes the quality or character of inner life – each person’s source of feelings, desires, affection, and aversions. 

But look, after Herod died, an angel from the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream in Egypt. “Get up,” he told him. “Take the child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel, because those who sought the child’s life (psyche) are dead.”

— The Story of Jesus 28.1 

[adapted from Mt 2:19-20]

Whoever wants to save his life (psyche) will lose it, and whoever loses his life (psyche) for the sake of me and the good news, he’s the one who will save it.

— The Story of Jesus 17.2

[adapted from Mt 16:26]

According to Christian theology, the psyche lives on after physical death. 

Whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul (psyche) from death and will cover a multitude of sins. 

— James 5:20, ESV

Psyche occurs often in the Bible, but not always as “life” – it’s also rendered “soul” or “breath.” It’s where the English word “psychology” (the study of mental function) originates.

Finally, zoe refers to the true fullness of life. It’s the highest state someone can exist in, as it incorporates vitality, vigor, and virtue. It typically describes God’s life. 

Go in through the narrow gate. Destruction has a wide gate and a broad road that leads to it, and many go in through it. But life (zoe) has a small gate and a narrow road that leads to it, and few ever find it.

— The Story of Jesus 9.5

[adapted from Mt 7:14]

God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that whoever believes in him wouldn’t die, but would have eternal life (zoe).

— The Story of Jesus 25.6

[adapted from Jn 3:16]

Zoe occurs more frequently in the Bible than the other two words for “life.”