What does the Bible say about man?
Bible Topic · WEB
The Bible teaches that man is God’s specially created image-bearer, made for His glory, accountable to Him, and crowned with dignified yet dependent stewardship over creation. Genesis 1:26-27 declares that God made humanity male and female in His image, while Genesis 2:7 shows our bodily life comes from God’s breath. Psalm 8:6-8 celebrates humanity’s appointed rule under God over the works of His hands, not autonomous dominion. Isaiah 43:7 grounds our purpose in God’s glory, and Proverbs 20:27 reminds us that the human spirit lies open before the Lord. Yet Job 4:17 humbles us: no mortal is righteous or pure before his Maker. Hebrews 2:7 ultimately points to Christ, the true Man, who restores His people’s calling through His saving reign.
Top passages, ranked by readers
Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible
- Genesis 1:26
God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
- Genesis 1:27
God created man in his own image. In God's image he created him; male and female he created them.
- Job 4:17
'Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?
- Isaiah 43:7
everyone who is called by my name, and whom I have created for my glory, whom I have formed, yes, whom I have made.
- Hebrews 2:7
You made him a little lower than the angels; You crowned him with glory and honor.
- Genesis 2:7
Yahweh God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
- Psalms 8:6-8
[6] You make him ruler over the works of your hands. You have put all things under his feet: [7] All sheep and oxen, Yes, and the animals of the field, [8] The birds of the sky, the fish of the sea, And whatever passes through the paths of the seas.
- Proverbs 20:27
The spirit of man is Yahweh's lamp, Searching all his innermost parts.
Study outline
Curated topical outlines from classic public-domain study works.
Nave's Topical Bible
- CREATED Genesis 1:26; Genesis 1:27; Genesis 2:7; Genesis 5:1; Genesis 5:2; Deuteronomy 4:32; Job 4:17; Job 10:2; Job 10:3; Job 10:8; Job 10:9; Job 31:15
- See CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD, below
- CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD Genesis 1:26; Genesis 1:27; Genesis 9:6; Ecclesiastes 7:29; 1 Corinthians 11:7; 1 Corinthians 15:48; 1 Corinthians 15:49; James 3:9
- DESIGN OF THE CREATION OF Psalms 8:6-8; Proverbs 16:4; Isaiah 43:7
- DOMINION OF Genesis 1:26; Genesis 1:28; Genesis 2:19; Genesis 2:20; Genesis 9:2; Genesis 9:3; Jeremiah 27:6; Jeremiah 28:14; Daniel 2:38; Hebrews 2:7; Hebrews 2:8
- DUTY OF
- See DUTY
- See NEIGHBOR
- EQUALITY OF Job 31:13-15; Psalms 33:13-15; Proverbs 22:2; Matthew 20:25-28; Matthew 23:8; Matthew 23:11; Mark 10:42-44; Acts 10:28; Acts 17:26; Galatians 3:28
- See RACE, UNITY OF
- IGNORANCE OF
- See IGNORANCE
- IMMORTAL
- See IMMORTALITY
- INSIGNIFICANCE OF Job 4:18; Job 4:19; Job 15:14; Job 22:2-5; Job 25:4-6; Job 35:2-8; Job 38:4; Job 38:12; Job 38:13; Psalms 8:3; Psalms 8:4; Psalms 144:3
- LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS Job 4:18-21; Psalms 8:5; Hebrews 2:7; Hebrews 2:8
- MORTAL Job 4:17; Ecclesiastes 2:14; Ecclesiastes 2:15; Ecclesiastes 3:20; 1 Corinthians 15:21; 1 Corinthians 15:22; Hebrews 9:27
- See DEATH
- SPIRIT Job 4:19; Job 32:8; Psalms 31:5; Proverbs 20:27; Ecclesiastes 1:8; Ecclesiastes 3:21; Ecclesiastes 12:7; Isaiah 26:9; Zechariah 12:1; Matthew 4:4; Matthew 10:28; Matthew 26:41
- STATE OF, AFTER THE FALL
- See DEPRAVITY
- STATE OF, BEFORE THE FALL
- See above, CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD
- YOUNG MEN
- See YOUNG MEN
Torrey's New Topical Textbook
- Made for God Proverbs 16:4; Revelation 4:11
- God’s purpose in creation completed by making Genesis 2:5; Genesis 2:7
- Cannot profit God Job 22:2; Psalms 16:2
- Unworthy of God’s favour Job 7:17; Psalms 8:4
- Created
- By God Genesis 1:27; Isaiah 45:12
- By Christ John 1:3; Colossians 1:16
- By the Holy Spirit Job 33:4
- After consultation, by the Trinity Genesis 1:26
- On the sixth day Genesis 1:31
- Upon the earth Deuteronomy 4:32; Job 20:4
- From the dust Genesis 2:7; Job 33:6
- In the image of God Genesis 1:26; Genesis 1:27; 1 Corinthians 11:7
- After the likeness of God Genesis 1:26; James 3:9
- Male and female Genesis 1:27; Genesis 5:2
- A living soul Genesis 2:7; 1 Corinthians 15:45
- In uprightness Ecclesiastes 7:29
- In knowledge (inferred) Colossians 3:10
- Under obligations to obedience Genesis 2:16; Genesis 2:17
- A type of Christ Romans 5:14
- Approved of by God Genesis 1:31
- Blessed by God Genesis 1:28; Genesis 5:2
- Placed in the garden of Eden Genesis 2:15
- Every herb and tree given to, for food Genesis 1:29
- Allowed to eat flesh after the flood Genesis 9:3
- Not good for, to be alone Genesis 2:18
- Woman formed to be a help for Genesis 21:2-25
- Possessed of
- A Body Matthew 6:25
- A soul Luke 12:20; Acts 14:22; 1 Peter 4:19
- A spirit Proverbs 18:14; Proverbs 20:17; 1 Corinthians 2:11
- Understanding Ephesians 1:18; Ephesians 4:18
- Will 1 Corinthians 9:17; 2 Peter 1:21
- Affections 1 Chronicles 29:3; Colossians 3:2
- Conscience Romans 2:15; 1 Timothy 4:2
- Memory Genesis 41:9; 1 Corinthians 15:2
- Made by God in his successive generations Job 10:8-11; Job 31:15
- Fearfully and wonderfully made Psalms 139:14
- Of every nation, made of one blood Acts 17:26
- Quickened by the breath of God Genesis 2:7; Genesis 7:22; Job 33:4
Showing the first 40 headings of this outline.
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