Immortality

====Judaism====
{{primary sources|date=June 2015}}
The traditional concept of an immaterial and immortal soul distinct from the body was not found in Judaism before the [[Babylonian exile]], but developed as a result of interaction with [[Persian philosophy|Persian]] and [[Hellenistic philosophy|Hellenistic philosophies]]. Accordingly, the Hebrew word ''[[nephesh]]'', although translated as ''"soul"'' in some older English-language Bibles, actually has a meaning closer to "living being".<ref>{{cite book |publisher=Biblical Studies Press |year=2006 |title=New English Translation |section=Notes |at=Note 23, for {{bibleverse||Gen|2:7}} }}</ref>{{request quotation|date=February 2020}} ''Nephesh'' was rendered in the [[Septuagint]] as {{mvar| {{lang|grc|ψυχή}} }} (''psūchê''), the Greek word for 'soul'.{{citation needed|date=June 2015}}

The only Hebrew word traditionally translated "soul" (''nephesh'') in English language Bibles refers to a living, breathing conscious body, rather than to an immortal soul.{{efn|
"Even as we are conscious of the broad and very common biblical usage of the term ''"soul"'', we must be clear that scripture does not present even a rudimentarily developed theology of the soul. The creation narrative is clear that all life originates with God. Yet the Hebrew scripture offers no specific understanding of the origin of individual souls, of when and how they become attached to specific bodies, or of their potential existence, apart from the body, after death. The reason for this is that, as we noted at the beginning, the Hebrew Bible does not present a theory of the soul developed much beyond the simple concept of a force associated with respiration, hence, a life-force."<ref>
{{cite encyclopedia 
 |last = Avery-Peck  |first = Alan J.
 |year = 2000
 |title = Soul
 |editor = Neusner
 |display-editors = etal 
 |encyclopedia = The Encyclopedia of Judaism
 |page=1343
}}
</ref>{{full citation needed|date=September 2021|reason=full editors' names, publisher, etc.; ISBN would be nice}}
}}
In the New Testament, the Greek word traditionally translated "soul" ({{lang|grc|ψυχή}}) has substantially the same meaning as the Hebrew, without reference to an immortal soul.{{efn|
In the ''[[New Testament]]'', "soul" (orig. {{mvar| {{lang|grc|ψυχή}} }}) retains its basic Hebrew sense of meaning. "Soul" refers to one's life: Herod sought Jesus' ''soul'' ({{bibleverse||Matt.|2:20}}); one might save a ''soul'' or take it ({{bibleverse||Mark|3:4}}); death occurs when God "requires your ''soul''" ({{bibleverse||Luke|12:20}}).
}}
''"Soul"'' may refer either to the whole person, the self, as in "three thousand ''souls''" were converted in {{bibleverse||Acts|2:41}} (see {{bibleverse||Acts|3:23}}).

The [[Hebrew Bible]] speaks about ''[[Sheol]]'' (שאול), originally a synonym of the grave – the repository of the dead or the cessation of existence, until the [[Techiyat hamaysim|resurrection of the dead]]. This doctrine of resurrection is mentioned explicitly only in {{bibleverse||Daniel|12:1–4|ESV}} although it may be implied in several other texts. New theories arose concerning Sheol during the [[intertestamental period]].

The views about immortality in Judaism is perhaps best exemplified by the various references to this in [[Second Temple period]]. The concept of resurrection of the physical body is found in {{nobr|[[2 Maccabees]]}}, according to which it will happen through recreation of the flesh.<ref>{{bibleverse|2|Maccabees|7.11, 28}}</ref> Resurrection of the dead is specified in detail in the extra-canonical books of [[Book of Enoch|Enoch]],<ref>{{cite book |title=1&nbsp;Enoch |title-link=Book of Enoch |at=61.2, 5}}</ref> and in [[Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch|Apocalypse of Baruch]].<ref>{{cite book |title=2&nbsp;Baruch |title-link=Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch |at=50.2, 51.5}}</ref> According to the British scholar in ancient Judaism [[Philip R. Davies|P.R. Davies]], there is "little or no clear reference ... either to immortality or to resurrection from the dead" in the [[Dead Sea scrolls]] texts.<ref>
{{cite book
 |first=P.R. |last=Davies  |author-link=Philip R. Davies
 |year=2000
 |section=Death, resurrection and life after death in the Qumran Scrolls
 |editor1-first=Alan J. |editor1-last=Avery-Peck
 |editor2-first=Jacob   |editor2-last=Neusner
 |title=Judaism in Late Antiquity
 |volume=Part Four: Death, life-after-death, resurrection, and the World-to-Come in the Judaisms of antiquity
 |page=209
 |place=Leiden
}}
</ref>
Both [[Josephus]] and the [[New Testament]] record that the [[Sadducees]] did not believe in an [[afterlife]],<ref>
{{cite book |author=[[Josephus]] |title=[[Antiquities of the Jews]] |at=18.16 |postscript=;}}
{{bibleverse||Matthew|22.23}}; {{bibleverse||Mark|12.18}}; {{bibleverse||Luke|20.27}}; {{bibleverse||Acts|23.8}}
</ref>
but the sources vary on the beliefs of the [[Pharisees]]. The New Testament claims that the Pharisees believed in the resurrection, but does not specify whether this included the flesh or not.<ref>{{bibleverse||Acts|23.8}}</ref> According to [[Josephus]], who himself was a Pharisee, the Pharisees held that only the soul was immortal and the souls of good people will be [[reincarnation|reincarnated]] and "pass into other bodies", while "the souls of the wicked will suffer eternal punishment."<ref>
{{cite book |author=[[Josephus]] |title=[[The Jewish War|Jewish War]] |at=2.8.14 |postscript=;}} cf.<br/>
{{cite book |author=[[Josephus]] |title=[[Antiquities of the Jews]] |at=8.14–15}}
</ref>
The [[Book of Jubilees]] seems to refer to the resurrection of the soul only, or to a more general idea of an immortal soul.<ref>{{cite book |title=[[Book of Jubilees]] |at=23.31}}</ref>

[[Rabbinic Judaism]] claims that the righteous dead will be resurrected in the [[Messianic Age]], with the coming of the [[messiah in Judaism|messiah]]. They will then be granted immortality in a perfect world. The wicked dead, on the other hand, will not be resurrected at all. This is not the only Jewish belief about the afterlife. The [[Tanakh]] is not specific about the afterlife, so there are wide differences in views and explanations among believers.{{citation needed|date=June 2015}}