It's difficult because:
1. The New Testament uses the word psyche in reference to the soul, the mind and the life of individuals.
2. Both the Old and the New Testament spoke about it being prophesied that Jesus'
soul (nephesh/psyche) would not be left in hades. But Jesus preached by the eternal Spirit (pneuma) to the spirits (pneuma) in prison.
We are body (soma), soul (psyche) and spirit (pneuma) - but the word pneuma is
also used interchangeably in the New Testament in reference to the soul and the spirit.
We are born into this world with a body and soul. We know that.
Everyone seems to assume that when Adam was created, the words "living soul" implies that he only became a soul when the eternal Spirit of God breathed eternal life into him.
But because of the way it's written, I believe personally that Adam was first created body and soul, then God breathed eternal life into him and the emphasis is on the word
living in
living soul - because this is how it is written:
In the beginning God (Spirit) created. -- Genesis 1:1.
(He created something other than Spirit - He created the natural universe and earth, and all that exists in it, including humans). -- Genesis 1:1; Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 2:7:-
Created:
"God created [bara] humankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them."
Formed:
"When YHVH God created man, He formed [yatsar] man of the dust of the ground, .."
Breathed (Spirit of God):
".. and breathed (naphach) into his nostrils the breath (nshamah) of life (chay); .. "
"The Spirit breathes where He desires, and you hear His voice,
but you do not know from where He comes, and where He goes;
so is everyone who is born [γεννάω gennáō] of the Spirit."
-- John 3:8.
gennáō: to procreate (properly, of the father, but by extension of the mother); figuratively, to regenerate:--bear, beget, be born, bring forth, conceive, be delivered of, gender, make, spring. [Strongs Greek 01080]
Became (hayah:):
".. and man became [hayah] a
living (chay) soul (nephesh)."
-- Genesis 1:27; 2:7.
hayah: to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit (one-)self, require, X use. [Srong's Hebrew 1961]
The created human who was formed from the dust of the earth became a living (chay) soul (nephesh) when the Spirit of God breathed the breath (Spirit of God) of (everlasting) life into him:
"That which is born [gennáō] of the flesh is flesh,
and that which is born [gennáō] of the Spirit is spirit."
-- John 3:6.