Nepesh, Strong’s #5315, is used 753 times in the Old Testament. It is most frequently translated as: soul, life, person, mind, heart, creature, body, himself, yourselves, dead. Examples:
Pânîym, Strong’s #6440, is used 2109 times in the Old Testament. It is most frequently translated as: before, face, presence, because, sight, countenance, person. Examples:2 Samuel 14:14 (KJV) For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him.
Deuteronomy 1:17 (KJV) Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.
Deuteronomy 10:17 (KJV) For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward:
Deuteronomy 16:19 (KJV) Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.
2 Chronicles 19:7 (KJV) herefore now let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.
Job 13:7-10 (KJV) 7 Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him? 8 Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God? 9 Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him? 10 He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.
Proverbs 24:23 (KJV) These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
Job 32:21 (KJV) Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man.
Prosōpon, Strong’s #4383, is used 78 times in the New Testament. It is translated as: face, person, presence, countenance. Examples:Proverbs 28:21 (KJV) To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress.
Matthew 22:16 (KJV) And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men.
Luke 20:21 (KJV) And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly:
From The Words of His Kingdom and the words of the world compared:Galatians 2:5-6 (KJV) To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's personfor they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:
Person and Man compared
Webster’s Dictionary, 1828The term person appears in Scripture, but it is not a noun, it only describes the noun. Matthew 22:16, "...for thou regardest not the person of men." 2 Corinthians 2:10, "...the person of Christ." Person means "presence or countenance", it does not mean 'man.' Here is scriptural proof that "person" and "man" are not synonymous terms. For if they are synonymous, then God is a liar.
First of all, the scripture is very clear that God is no "respecter of persons" (2 Samuel 14:14, 2 Chronicles 19:7, Acts 10:34, Romans 2:11, Galatians 2:6, Ephesians 6:9, Colossians 3:25, 1 Peter 1:17). God does not respect persons, period!
Now, if the term 'person' is synonymous with 'man', then there is a contradiction in the scripture, because throughout scripture, God specifically says he does respect man! For example, "the LORD had respect unto Abel" (Genesis 4:4), God had respect "upon the children of Israel" (Ex. 2:25, Leviticus 26:9, 2 Kings 13:23), and God has "respect unto the lowly" (Psalms 138:6). Therefore, "person" and "man" are not the same.
Second of all, the scripture says that if we have respect of persons, we commit sin and transgress God's Law (Leviticus 19:15, Deuteronomy 1:17; 16:19, Proverbs 24:23, Proverbs 28:21, James 2:1-4, 9). But in the same breath, scripture commands us to honour all men (1 Peter 2:17)! So obviously, "persons" and "men" cannot be synonymous terms.
Let us look more closely at Leviticus 19:15. Notice it says ,"thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty." It does not say, "thou shalt not respect the poor, nor honour the mighty," but only the person of the poor and mighty. Therefore, we are not to respect someone just because they are the president, or a police officer, or a banker, or a priest, or wealthy. These are the 'persons' of men. We are to respect men because of what's in their hearts, and not because of their image. Jesus did not accept the person of any (Luke 20:21), neither should we.
Another example is in James 2:1-4. Notice these religious people were sinning because they would give the best seats in their assembly to the persons of the rich, and not to the poor. This is discrimination. They were being partial and were giving judgment to the outward circumstances of man and not to their intrinsic merits. They preferred, as the more worthy, one whose "image" or "person" is one that is rich, high born, or powerful, over another who does not have these qualities.
Person: "In law, man and person are not exactly-synonymous terms." Bouvier's Law Dictionary, 1856, 1 Bouv. Inst. n. 137.
Person: "...not every human being is a person." Black's Law Dictionary, 4th ed. 1957 & 1968, p.1300.
A maxim of law states, "A slave is not a person" and "A slave, and everything a slave has, belongs to his master."
So, if you are a slave, or a bondservant of Jesus, the Christ, you don't fit that description of being the person described in the natural man's statutes. A servant belongs to his master, and our Master is the King of kings, "For ye are bought with a price" (1 Corinthians 6:20).
Some may object to being called a 'slave' because they claim "slavery" was abolished in the US Constitution. This is not true. Only "involuntary servitude" was outlawed (see article XIII), not "voluntary servitude." Forced slavery was outlawed, not the freedom to choose to be an obedient bondman, or slave.
After the Civil War, many slaves stayed with and continued to serve their masters...voluntarily. Today, citizens, persons, residents, and others of like spirit are "voluntarily serving" Caesar and his "civil" world (to their destruction if they do not repent). But the bondmen of Jesus Christ choose to be an obedient slave of and to the Prince of Peace (to eternal life).
In addition, it can be seen that 'person' and 'man' are not synonymous by the phrase "artificial person." In man's law, this phrase is used to describe corporations and such.
But, if we replace the word 'person' with 'man,' look at what we get-- "artificial man." What is an artificial man? Is it a cyborg, a half-man - half-machine or something? However, "artificial person" makes sense, because a person is created by man, whereas a man is created by God. God does not create artificial things, only man does.
Now, the term man is found in scripture, but it has to be qualified. You are a bondman of Christ, but not a natural man (1 Corinthians 2:14). Also, you can find the term mankind in scripture, but it refers only to the flesh (human beings), and has nothing to do with God or His Spirit. Remember, all human beings are monsters (as verified in man's law).
In Webster's New World Dictionary, Third College Edition, 1988, page 823, Mankind is defined as "all human beings; the human race."
Bouvier’s Dictionary of Law, 1856:PERSON, noun per'sn. [Latin persona; said to be compounded of per, through or by, and sonus, sound; a Latin word signifying primarily a mask used by actors on the state.]
1. An individual human being consisting of body and soul. We apply the word to living beings only, possessed of a rational nature; the body when dead is not called a person It is applied alike to a man, woman or child.
A person is a thinking intelligent being.
2. A man, woman or child, considered as opposed to things, or distinct from them.
A zeal for persons is far more easy to be perverted, than a zeal for things.
3. A human being, considered with respect to the living body or corporeal existence only. The form of her person is elegant.
You'll find her person difficult to gain.
The rebels maintained the fight for a small time, and for their persons showed no want of courage.
4. A human being, indefinitely; one; a man. Let a person's attainments be never so great, he should remember he is frail and imperfect.
5. A human being represented in dialogue, fiction, or on the state; character. A player appears in the person of king Lear.
These tables, Cicero pronounced under the person of Crassus, were of more use and authority than all the books of the philosophers.
6. Character of office.
How different is the same man from himself, as he sustains the person of a magistrate and that of a friend.
7. In grammar, the nominative to a verb; the agent that performs or the patient that suffers any thing affirmed by a verb; as, I write; he is smitten; she is beloved; the rain descends in torrents. I, thou or you, he, she or it, are called the first, second and third persons. Hence we apply the word person to the termination or modified form of the verb used in connection with the persons; as the first or the third person of the verb; the verb is in the second person
8. In law, an artificial person is a corporation or body politic.
In person by one's self; with bodily presence; not be representative.
The king in person visits all around.
PER'SON, verb transitive To represent as a person; to make to resemble; to image. [Not in use.]
Miscellaneous Maxims regarding "persons"PERSON. This word is applied to men, women and children, who are called natural persons. In law, man and person are not exactly-synonymous terms. Any human being is a man, whether he be a member of society or not, whatever may be the rank he holds, or whatever may be his age, sex, &c. A person is a man considered according to the rank he holds in society, with all the rights to which the place he holds entitles him, and the duties which it imposes. 1 Bouv. Inst. n. 137.
2. It is also used to denote a corporation which is an artificial person. 1 Bl. Com. 123; 4 Bing. 669; C. 33 Eng. C. L R. 488; Wooddes. Lect. 116; Bac. Us. 57; 1 Mod. 164.
3. But when the word "Persons" is spoken of in legislative acts, natural persons will be intended, unless something appear in the context to show that it applies to artificial persons. 1 Scam. R. 178.
4. Natural persons are divided into males, or men; and females or women. Men are capable of all kinds of engagements and functions, unless by reasons applying to particular individuals. Women cannot be appointed to any public office, nor perform any civil functions, except those which the law specially declares them capable of exercising. Civ. Code of Louis. art. 25.
5. They are also sometimes divided into free persons and slaves. Freemen are those who have preserved their natural liberty, that is to say, who have the right of doing what is not forbidden by the law. A slave is one who is in the power of a master to whom he belongs. Slaves are sometimes ranked not with persons but things. But sometimes they are considered as persons for example, a negro is in contemplation of law a person, so as to be capable of committing a riot in conjunction with white men. 1 Bay, 358. Vide Man.
6. Persons are also divided into citizens, (q. v.) and aliens, (q. v.) when viewed with regard to their political rights. When they are considered in relation to their civil rights, they are living or civilly dead; vide Civil Death; outlaws; and infamous persons.
7. Persons are divided into legitimates and bastards, when examined as to their rights by birth.
8. When viewed in their domestic relations, they are divided into parents and children; hushands and wives; guardians and wards; and masters and servants son, as it is understood in law, see 1 Toull. n. 168; 1 Bouv. Inst. n. 1890, note.
A privilege is a personal benefit and dies with the person.
He who contracts, knows, or ought to know, the quality of the person with whom he contracts, otherwise he is not excusable.
A personal action dies with the person. This must be understood of an action for a tort only.
Equity acts upon the person.
Certain legal consequences are attached to the voluntary act of a person.
An error in the name is nothing when there is certainty as to the person.
Where a person does an act by command of one exercising judicial authority, the law will not suppose that he acted from any wrongful or improper motive, because it was his bounden duty to obey.
The status of a person is his legal position or condition.
A person is a man considered with reference to a certain status.
The law is no respecter of persons. [Acts 10:34]
Debts follow the person of the debtor.
A slave is not a person.