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Holy Spirit

What is the Holy Spirit?

Christianity.id Editorial Team·3 min read·Reviewed October 2026
What is the Holy Spirit?
The short answer

Christians believe the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity — not a force or an energy but God himself, present and active in the world and in believers. The Spirit gives life, inspires Scripture, draws people to faith, makes them more like Christ, and equips the Church with gifts.

A person, not a power

The Hebrew ruach and Greek pneuma both mean breath, wind and spirit. In Genesis the Spirit hovers over the waters at creation; in the prophets the Spirit comes on leaders and speakers. In the New Testament Jesus promises "the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost" who "shall teach you all things" (John 14:26, KJV). Because the Spirit teaches, speaks, intercedes and can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30), Christians have always described the Spirit as personal. The Nicene Creed calls the Spirit "the Lord, the giver of life, who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified".

What the Spirit does

  • Brings new life — Jesus speaks of being "born of the Spirit" (John 3).
  • Lives in believers and assures them they are God's children (Romans 8).
  • Transforms character — the "fruit of the Spirit" (Galatians 5:22–23).
  • Gives gifts for the good of the community — teaching, service, healing, prophecy, tongues and more (1 Corinthians 12).
  • Helps in prayer when people do not know what to say (Romans 8:26).

Pentecost

Fifty days after Passover, the disciples in Jerusalem received the Spirit with the sound of wind and "cloven tongues like as of fire" and began speaking in other languages (Acts 2). Christians celebrate Pentecost as the birthday of the Church.

How churches differ

All historic traditions affirm the Spirit's full divinity. They differ in emphasis and practice: Catholic and Orthodox teaching connects the gift of the Spirit with baptism and confirmation (chrismation); Pentecostal and charismatic Christians — now hundreds of millions worldwide — emphasise a distinct experience often called baptism in the Spirit, frequently accompanied by speaking in tongues; many Reformed and Baptist churches hold that some miraculous gifts ceased with the apostles (cessationism), while others hold they continue (continuationism).

In Scripture

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.John 14:26 · KJV
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.Galatians 5:22–23 · KJV
Acts 2John 14–16Romans 81 Corinthians 12–14Galatians 5:16–26

Where the traditions differ

CatholicThe Spirit is given in baptism and strengthened in confirmation; seven gifts of the Spirit (from Isaiah 11) are traditionally named.
OrthodoxThe Spirit is given in chrismation immediately after baptism; the Spirit proceeds from the Father (no filioque).
ProtestantRanges from cessationist Reformed views to Pentecostal emphasis on Spirit baptism and tongues; all affirm the Spirit's work in conversion and growth.

Each position is attributed to the tradition that holds it; we do not rank them. See the full comparison.

Context

Older English translations such as the KJV say 'Holy Ghost' — 'ghost' was the ordinary Old English word for spirit (gāst), with no spooky connotation.

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Continue your study

Go deeperExplore the person and work of the Holy Spirit in greater depth at HolySpirit.id.