That part of a living being which exists before mortal birth, which dwells in the physical body during mortality, and which exists after death as a separate being until the resurrection. All living things-mankind, animals, and plants-were spirits before any form of life existed upon the earth (Gen. 2: 4-5; Moses 3: 4-7). The spirit body looks like the physical body (1 Ne. 11: 11; Ether 3: 15-16; D&C 77: 2; D&C 129). Spirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure than mortal element or matter (D&C 131: 7).

Every person is literally a son or a daughter of God, having been born as a spirit to Heavenly Parents before being born to mortal parents on the earth (Heb. 12: 9). Each person on earth has an immortal spirit body in addition to a body of flesh and bone. As sometimes defined in scripture, the spirit and the physical body together constitute the soul (Gen. 2: 7; D&C 88: 15; Moses 3: 7, 9, 19; Abr. 5: 7). A spirit can live without a physical body, but the physical body cannot live without the spirit (James 2: 26). Physical death is the separation of the spirit from the body. In the resurrection, the spirit is reunited with the same physical body of flesh and bone it possessed as a mortal, with two major differences: they will never be separated again, and the physical body will be immortal and perfected (Alma 11: 45; D&C 138: 16-17).

A spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have, Luke 24: 39. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God, Rom. 8: 16. Glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, 1 Cor. 6: 20. This body is the body of my spirit, Ether 3: 16. Man is spirit, D&C 93: 33. Christ ministered to the righteous spirits in paradise, D&C 138: 28-30 (1 Pet. 3: 18-19). Ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit, Moses 6: 59. He stood among those that were spirits, Abr. 3: 23.

Evil spirits: Jesus cast out many devils, Mark 1: 27, 34, 39. Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit, Mark 5: 2-13. The evil spirit teacheth a man that he must not pray, 2 Ne. 32: 8. In the name of Jesus did he cast out devils and unclean spirits, 3 Ne. 7: 19. Many false spirits have gone forth deceiving the world, D&C 50: 2, 31-32. Joseph Smith explained three keys for determining whether a spirit is of God or the devil, D&C 129.