The names “Holy Spirit” and “Holy Ghost” refer to the same person of the Christian Trinity.
But why are there two different names used in the Bible? Is there any difference between the Holy Spirit and the Holy Ghost?
In this blog post, I’ll explore the meaning behind the names Holy Spirit and Holy Ghost, why both terms are used in the Bible, and whether there is any real theological difference between them.
Defining the Terms: Holy Spirit and Holy Ghost
First, let’s define exactly what we mean when we say “Holy Spirit” or “Holy Ghost.”
Both of these terms refer to the third person of the Christian Trinity – the Triune God manifested as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is co-equal and co-eternal with God the Father and God the Son (Jesus Christ).
Here are a few biblical verses that demonstrate the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
Matthew 28:19 (ESV)
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“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”
2 Corinthians 13:14 (ESV)
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“For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.”
1 John 5:7 (NKJV)
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So in summary, the Holy Spirit is the very Spirit of God Himself, fully divine and equal with the Father and the Son as the Triune Godhead.
This is true whether the term “Holy Spirit” or “Holy Ghost” is used.
Translation History: Why the King James Bible Uses Both Terms
If the Holy Spirit and Holy Ghost refer to the same third person of the Trinity, why are both terms used in the Bible?
The answer lies in translation history.
The original New Testament manuscripts were written in Greek. The Greek phrase translated as Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is “τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον” (to Pneuma to Hagion) meaning “the Holy Breath/Wind/Spirit”.
However, when the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible was translated from Greek to English in 1611, the translators rendered “τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον” as “the Holy Ghost” in most places, but as “the Holy Spirit” in a few select places.
For example:
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”
Matthew 28:19 (KJV)
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But then also:
“If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”
Luke 11:13 (KJV)
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Why didn’t the KJV translators choose to use “Holy Ghost” instead of “Holy Spirit” consistently throughout?
The answer lies in how the English language has evolved.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, the words “ghost” and “spirit” both meant the same thing: an incorporeal, immaterial being.
The word “ghost” did not have the connotation of an apparition from a dead person like it does today.
The KJV translators were simply following earlier English translations like the Geneva Bible (1560) and Bishop’s Bible (1568) that also rendered the Greek as “Holy Ghost”. This was common terminology at the time.
Modern Translation Convention: Holy Spirit Used Today
While the KJV uses both “Holy Ghost” and “Holy Spirit” interchangeably based on the English of the 1600s, most modern translations just use “Holy Spirit” consistently.
Why is this?
Over the last 300 years since the KJV translation, the meaning of the word “ghost” has changed.
In modern English, “ghost” primarily refers to the spirit of a dead person or the manifestation of the spirit of a dead person.
This is very different than the original meaning of the third person of the Godhead!
So most contemporary English translations have switched to using only “Holy Spirit” to convey accurately the true meaning in modern English.
Here are some examples of “Holy Spirit” being used consistently in modern translations:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
Matthew 28:19 (ESV)
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“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.”
2 Corinthians 13:14 (NASB)
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I hope this helps demonstrate that “Holy Ghost” and “Holy Spirit” are interchangeable terms referring to the same third person of the Trinity.
The terminology difference is based solely on the evolution of the English language over the last 400 years.
Speculation on Why the KJV Kept Both Terms
Since the Holy Ghost and Holy Spirit refer to the same member of the Trinity, some people wonder why the KJV translators didn’t just standardize on one term or the other. Why allow inconsistency?
One common theory is that different translation teams worked separately on different parts of the KJV Bible, leading to one team using “Holy Ghost” and another “Holy Spirit.” When they combined sections, the inconsistency remained.
However, this theory is unlikely to be true, because you can find examples of both “Holy Ghost” and “Holy Spirit” used within the same KJV books – even in the same chapter!
For example, Luke 11:13 uses “Holy Spirit” but Luke 3:16 in the same gospel says “Holy Ghost”:
“If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”
Luke 11:13 (KJV)
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“John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.”
Luke 3:16 (KJV)
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In the end, the exact reasoning behind why the KJV translators used both terms is uncertain.
Either way, there is no theological difference between the two terms.
Theological Equivalence: Holy Ghost and Holy Spirit are Identical
The main takeaway is that the Holy Spirit and Holy Ghost refer to the same third Person of the Trinity in Christian theology.
The Holy Spirit is not a literal ghost or the spirit of a deceased person. That idea comes from the modern English meaning of “ghost”. But in the 1611 KJV, “ghost” simply meant spirit or incorporeal being.
No matter which term is used in Scripture, the meaning is the Spirit of God – the very presence of God Himself.
As the Nicene Creed says about the Holy Spirit:
“He is worshipped and glorified together with the Father and the Son.”
The Holy Ghost is 100% identical to the Holy Spirit as the third Person of the Trinity.
Key Takeaways on the Holy Spirit vs. Holy Ghost
- There is no difference in meaning between the terms “Holy Spirit” and “Holy Ghost”.
- Both terms refer to the third Person of the Trinity – God the Holy Spirit.
- The King James Bible used both “Holy Spirit” and “Holy Ghost” to translate the Greek word “τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον”.
- “Ghost” meant the essence of a being in 17th-century English, not a dead person’s spirit.
- Modern translations use “Holy Spirit” exclusively because “ghost” in modern English means a dead person’s spirit.
- Some theories suggest translation inconsistencies, but both terms are used within the same KJV books.
- The Holy Ghost and Holy Spirit are interchangeable and identical in meaning theologically.
So in summary, there is zero difference between the Holy Ghost and the Holy Spirit in theology or doctrine. Both names refer to the same third Person of the Trinity.
The terminology difference is simply rooted in how the meanings of “ghost” and “spirit” have evolved in English over the past 400 years since the translation of the King James Bible in 1611.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Does the Bible use the names Holy Spirit and Holy Ghost interchangeably?
A. Yes, the King James Version of the Bible uses both terms interchangeably based on the English meanings in the 17th century when it was translated.
Many instances of “Holy Ghost” in the KJV are translated as simply “Holy Spirit” in modern English Bibles.
Q. What does the original Greek say in verses that mention the Holy Spirit?
A. The Greek phrase is “τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον”, transliterated as “to Pneuma to Hagion”.
This phrase translates as “the Breath/Spirit the Holy”. The Greek word used for “Spirit” is “Pneuma”.
Q. When did the meaning of the word “ghost” change to refer to dead spirits?
A. The shift seems to have happened gradually in the 1800s. In modern English, “ghost” specifically refers to a dead person’s spirit whereas in Early Modern English it just meant “spirit” in a general sense.
Q. Is there any difference between the functions or activities of the Holy Spirit vs the Holy Ghost?
A. No, there is no difference in practice between the Holy Spirit and Holy Ghost.
All the activities attributed to the Holy Spirit like indwelling believers, empowering people, convicting people of sin, etc. are equally applicable to the “Holy Ghost”.
The names describe the same Person of the Trinity.
