Igama elithi “umphefumulo” eBhayibhelini lihunyushwe lisuselwa egameni lesiHebheru elithi neʹphesh negama lesiGreki elithi psy·kheʹ. Leli gama lesiHebheru ngokwezwi nezwi lisho “isidalwa esiphefumulayo” kanti elesiGreki lona lisho “umuntu ophilayo.” a Ngakho, umphefumulo uyisidalwa esiphelele, awukona okuthile okuqhubeka kuphila lapho umzimba ufa. Nazi izindlela iBhayibheli elibonisa ngazo ukuthi umphefumulo ungumuntu:

• Lapho uJehova uNkulunkulu edala umuntu wokuqala u-Adamu, iBhayibheli lithi “umuntu waba ngumphefumulo ophilayo.” (Genesise 2:7) U-Adamu akanikwanga umphefumulo​—waba ngumphefumulo ophilayo, noma umuntu.

• IBhayibheli lithi umphefumulo ungasebenza, ufise ukudla, udle, ulalele imithetho, futhi uthinte isidumbu. (Levitikusi 5:2; 7:20; 23:30; Duteronomi 12:20; Roma 13:1) Lezo zenzo zingenziwa umuntu ewonke.

Ingabe umphefumulo awufi?

Cha, umphefumulo uyafa. Amavesi amaningi eBhayibheli abonisa ukuthi umphefumulo uyafa. Nazi ezinye izibonelo:

• “Umphefumulo owonayo—yiwo oyokufa.”—Hezekeli 18:​ 4, 20.

• Kwa-Israyeli wasendulo, isijeziso samacala amakhulu sasiwukuba “lowo mphefumulo unqunywe.” (Eksodusi 12:15, 19; Levitikusi 7:20, 21, 27; 19:8) Lowo muntu “wayebulawa.” ​—Eksodusi 31:14, King James Version.

• Ukuze achaze umuntu ofile, amanye amavesi eBhayibheli asebenzisa igama elithi “umphefumulo ofile” esikhundleni selithi isidumbu. (Levitikusi 21:11, Numeri 6:6) Nakuba izinguqulo eziningi zeBhayibheli zisebenzisa la magama “isidumbu” noma “umuntu ofile” kulawo mavesi, isiHebheru sokuqala sisebenzisa igama elithi neʹphesh, noma elithi “umphefumulo.”

“Umphefumulo” ungasho “ukuphila”

IBhayibheli liphinde lisebenzise “umphefumulo” njengegama elisho “ukuphila.” Ngokwesibonelo uJobe 33:22 usebenzisa igama lesiHebheru elithi “umphefumulo” (neʹphesh) njengelisho “ukuphila.” Ngokufanayo iBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi umphefumulo womuntu ungafa noma ukuphila kungaba sengozini.​—Eksodusi 4:19; AbaHluleli 9:17; Filipi 2:​30.

Ukusetshenziswa kwegama elithi “umphefumulo” kusisiza ukuba siqonde amavesi athi ‘umphefumulo uyaphuma’ noma “uyahamba.” (Genesise 35:18, King James Version) Le nkulumo ibonisa ukuthi ukuphila komuntu kuyaphela. Ezinye izinguqulo zihumusha la mazwi akuGenesise 35:18 ngokuthi “waphefumula okokugcina.”​—Good News Translation; New Jerusalem Bible.

Ivelaphi inkolelo yokuthi umphefumulo awufi?

Amasonto obuKristu akholelwa ukuthi umphefumulo awufi, athola le mfundiso kuyifilosofi yamaGreki asendulo hhayi eBhayibhelini. I-Encyclopædia Britannica ithi: “Lapho iBhayibheli likhuluma ngomphefumulo liwuhlobanisa nomqondo wokuhogela umoya futhi alenzi mehluko phakathi komphefumulo ongabonakali nomzimba ongokoqobo. Le nkolelo yamaKristu yokuhlukanisa umzimba nomphefumulo ivela kumaGreki asendulo.”

UNkulunkulu akahambisani nokuhlanganiswa kwezimfundiso zakhe namafilosofi abantu, anjengokuthi umphefumulo awufi. Kunalokho iBhayibheli liyaxwayisa: “Xwayani: mhlawumbe kungase kube khona oyomuka nani njengezisulu zakhe ngefilosofi nangenkohliso eyize ngokwesiko labantu.”​—Kolose 2:8.