Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  5000 Humanity  »  5125 Parts of the body and clothing  »  5136 body

Used in Scripture in both a physical and metaphorical sense, the body is susceptible to sin and suffering, but may be offered to God in worship and will finally be transformed by resurrection.

The body is formed by God

Psalm 139:15-16 See also Genesis 2:7,22; Job 10:8-11; Ecclesiastes 11:5

The body's appearance

The beauty and strength of the body

1 Samuel 16:12 See also 1 Samuel 9:2; 2 Samuel 11:2; Songs 5:10-16; Songs 7:1-9; Daniel 10:6

Clothing for the body

Exodus 22:27; Exodus 28:42; Leviticus 16:4; 2 Kings 6:30; Isaiah 20:2

Diseases affecting the body

Bodily pain

Job 2:7 See also Genesis 3:16; 2 Chronicles 21:19; Job 7:5; Job 14:22; Job 17:7; Job 30:30; Psalm 38:7; 2 Corinthians 12:7

Leprosy

Leviticus 13:2-17; Numbers 12:10; 2 Samuel 3:29; 2 Kings 5:1-2,6-7; 2 Chronicles 26:19-21; Matthew 8:2-3 pp Mark 1:40-42 pp Luke 5:12-13; Luke 17:12-13

Boils

Exodus 9:9-11; Leviticus 13:18-23; Deuteronomy 28:27,35; 2 Kings 20:7 pp Isaiah 38:21

The marks of suffering

John 20:25,27; Galatians 6:17

Healing of the body

Mark 5:25-29 pp Matthew 9:20-22 pp Luke 8:43-44 See also Exodus 4:7; 2 Kings 5:10,14; Job 33:25; Matthew 8:3-4 pp Mark 1:41-42 pp Luke 5:13

Certain actions and attitudes affect the health of the body

The body's response to godliness

Proverbs 14:30 See also Proverbs 3:7-8; Proverbs 4:20-22

Godliness is no guarantee of bodily health

Job 21:23-26; Psalm 73:4

The body's response to sin

Psalm 38:3 Suffering and death are the result of sin in general, but specific experiences of suffering cannot usually be traced to specific sin. See also Psalm 32:2-3; Psalm 38:4-11; Psalm 109:18; Proverbs 5:11

The body's response to distress

Psalm 31:9-10 See also Psalm 44:25; Nahum 2:10

The body's response to fear

Job 4:14-15; Job 21:6; Isaiah 21:3; Daniel 10:15-17

Life here and now in the body

“In the body” meaning “in this life”

2 Corinthians 5:6 See also 2 Corinthians 5:8-10; Galatians 2:20; Philippians 1:20,22,24; 2 Peter 1:13

“Body” meaning “self”

Psalm 63:1 See also Genesis 47:18; Nehemiah 9:37; 2 Corinthians 7:5

Bodily relationships

Parenthood

Genesis 15:4 See also Genesis 35:11; 2 Samuel 7:12; Micah 6:7; Romans 4:19; Hebrews 7:10

Kinship

2 Samuel 5:1 pp 1 Chronicles 11:1 See also Genesis 2:23; Genesis 29:14; Judges 9:2; Nehemiah 5:5; Isaiah 58:7

Marriage

1 Corinthians 7:4 See also Matthew 19:5 pp Mark 10:7-8; Ephesians 5:28-29,31; Genesis 2:24

Rituals performed on the body

Circumcision:

Genesis 17:13-14; Jeremiah 9:25; Ephesians 2:11

Ceremonies for cleansing the body:

Leviticus 15:16; Numbers 8:7

Prohibition of pagan mourning customs:

Leviticus 19:28; Leviticus 21:5

The believer's body as a temple of the Holy Spirit

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 See also John 2:19-22 Jesus Christ also likens his body to a temple; Romans 8:10-11

Believers are to devote their bodies to God

2 Corinthians 7:1 See also Romans 6:13; Romans 8:13; Romans 12:1; 1 Corinthians 9:27; 1 Thessalonians 4:4; Thessalonians 5:23; James 3:2

Sin at work in the body

The body is subject to sinful desires

Matthew 26:41 pp Mark 14:38 See also Romans 6:6; Romans 7:23-24

Bodily temptation is to be resisted

Romans 6:12 See also Romans 1:24; Romans 6:19; 1 Corinthians 6:13-16,18; Jude 8

Undue concern for the body is to be avoided

1 Timothy 4:8 See also Matthew 6:25-32 pp Luke 12:22-30; Matthew 10:28 pp Luke 12:4-5

The resurrection of the body

Dead bodies restored to this life

1 Kings 17:20-22; 2 Kings 4:32-36; Kings 13:21; Matthew 9:25 pp Mark 5:41-42 pp Luke 8:54-55; Luke 7:14-15; John 11:43-44

The resurrection body of believers

Philippians 3:21 See also Psalm 16:9-10; Isaiah 26:19; Romans 8:11,23; 1 Corinthians 15:35-54

Bodies other than human

Idols of pagan gods

1 Samuel 5:4; Psalm 115:4-7; Psalm 135:15-17

Angelic beings

Isaiah 6:2; Ezekiel 1:11,23; Ezekiel 10:12

Heavenly bodies

Matthew 24:29 pp Mark 13:25 pp Luke 21:26; Acts 7:42; 1 Corinthians 15:40-41

Body in a metaphorical sense

A body of people:

Ezra 8:20; 1 Timothy 4:14

A body of laws:

Deuteronomy 4:8; Romans 2:20

See also

3278  Holy Spirit, indwelling
5297  disease
5333  healing
5334  health
5560  suffering
6020  sin
6166  flesh, sinful nature
7110  body of Christ
8451  mortification
8475  self-denial
9030  dead bodies
9310  resurrection