English · KJV
G4152

πνευματικός

pneumatikós /pnyoo-mat-ik-os'/ Ask about this word
Rootfrom πνεῦμα
Meaningnon-carnal, i.e. (humanly) ethereal (as opposed to gross), or (dæmoniacally) a spirit (concretely), or (divinely) supernatural, regenerate, religious
KJV usagespiritual. Compare ψυχικός.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of pneumatikós — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word pneumatikós, represented by G4152, describes that which is spiritual. It appears 26 times across 21 unique verses in the Bible. Derived from G4151 pneûma, or spirit, it denotes what is non-carnal and supernatural, in contrast to what is merely human or worldly. Its meaning ranges from divine blessings and gifts to the very nature of a regenerate person.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In scripture, G4152 is used to establish a fundamental contrast between the realm of God and the realm of the flesh. The law is described as spiritual, while a person bound by sin is carnal Romans 7:14. Paul addresses believers who are immature as carnal G4559 and not yet spiritual 1 Corinthians 3:1. The term also defines the nature of the believer's new reality; they are a "spiritual house" offering "spiritual sacrifices" 1 Peter 2:5 and are blessed with all "spiritual blessings" Ephesians 1:3. This spiritual reality extends to worship, with believers admonishing one another with "spiritual songs" Ephesians 5:19, and to warfare, which is not against flesh and blood but against "spiritual wickedness" Ephesians 6:12.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the meaning of G4152:

  • G4151 pneûma (spirit): As the root word, it refers to a current of air, a spirit, the rational soul, or the Holy Spirit. It is the source from which all things spiritual derive their nature Galatians 5:22.
  • G4559 sarkikós (carnal): This is the direct opposite of spiritual, pertaining to the flesh, the temporal, and the unregenerate. It is used to contrast the motivations and realities of the world with those of the Spirit 1 Corinthians 9:11.
  • G5591 psychikós (natural): This word describes the sensitive or animate nature, distinct from the renewed spiritual nature. The Bible contrasts the natural body that is sown with the spiritual body that is raised 1 Corinthians 15:44.
  • G5486 chárisma (gift): This refers to a divine gratuity or spiritual endowment. It is often paired with pneumatikós to describe the spiritual gifts given to believers to establish them in the faith Romans 1:11.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G4152 is significant, defining the essence of the Christian life and hope.

  • The Regenerate Identity: A person who is spiritual is one who is mature in Christ, able to judge matters rightly 1 Corinthians 2:15 and restore others with meekness Galatians 6:1. This identity is contrasted with that of an immature believer, or babe G3516, who is still carnal 1 Corinthians 3:1.
  • The Divine versus the Worldly: The term consistently elevates divine things above earthly ones. Believers are called to sow spiritual things 1 Corinthians 9:11, desire spiritual understanding Colossians 1:9, and operate through spiritual gifts 1 Corinthians 14:1, which are distinct from carnal or worldly counterparts.
  • Christocentric Fulfillment: Old Testament events are reinterpreted as spiritual types pointing to Christ. The sustenance of the Israelites in the wilderness—the manna and water—is called "spiritual meat" G1033 and "spiritual drink" from a "spiritual Rock G4073 that was Christ" 1 Corinthians 10:3-4. Likewise, the hope of the resurrection is for a "spiritual body" G4983, following the pattern of Christ 1 Corinthians 15:44.

Summary

In summary, G4152 is a crucial biblical term that defines the reality of God's work in the world and in the believer. It moves beyond a simple dichotomy of physical and non-physical to describe the life, blessings, wisdom, and power that originate from the Spirit of God. From the spiritual body G4983 believers will one day receive, to the spiritual sacrifices G2378 they offer now, the word pneumatikós is a cornerstone for understanding the nature of a life transformed by Christ.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists one rendering for this word. It is counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the number is how many of them use it. Select it to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as an adjective across 26 occurrences, inflected in 12 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it. These are this word’s own inflections, not words built from it — for those, see Related Words.

  • πνευματικὰ
  • πνευματικός
  • πνευματικόν
  • πνευματικὸν
  • πνευματικαῖς
  • πνευματικοῖς
  • πνευματικῇ
  • πνευματικὰς
  • πνευματικοῖς
  • πνευματικῶν
  • πνευματικῆς
  • πνευματικοὶ

Related Words

Related

Words formed from this one

2 entries in Strong’s name this word as their origin. These are its derivatives — a different relationship from the inflected forms above, which are this same word bent by grammar.

G4153 πνευματικῶς non-physically, i.e. divinely, figuratively G5591 ψυχικός from ψυχή; sensitive, i.e. animate (in distinction on the one hand from πνευματικός, which is the higher or renovated…

Also mentioned in the study

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

G4151 πνεῦμα a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze G4559 σαρκικός pertaining to flesh, i.e. (by extension) bodily, temporal, or (by implication) animal, unregenerate G5486 χάρισμα a (divine) gratuity, i.e. deliverance (from danger or passion) G3516 νήπιος not speaking, i.e. an infant (minor) G1033 βρῶμα food (literally or figuratively), especially (ceremonially) articles allowed or forbidden by the Jewish law G4073 πέτρα a (mass of) rock (literally or figuratively)

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 21 verses across 6 of the 27 books. Most frequent in 1 Corinthians (11 verses); never once in the other 21.

3
Romans
11
1 Corinthians
1
Galatians
3
Ephesians
2
Colossians
1
1 Peter

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.