Salvation — Meaning in the Bible
Being rescued or delivered. The Bible uses it for rescue from enemies and danger, and above all for God's rescue of people from sin and death.
What it means
In the Old Testament salvation is often rescue from a real danger: Israel is saved from the Egyptian army at the sea, and the psalms call God "my salvation" when he delivers from enemies. Exodus 14:13Exodus 15:2Psalm 27:1
In the New Testament salvation centres on rescue from sin and its judgment through Jesus, received by faith, and it looks forward to a future completion. Luke 19:9–10Acts 4:12Romans 10:9–10Romans 13:11
Key passages
- Exodus 14:13–14 — "See the salvation of the LORD": rescue at the Red Sea.
- Psalm 27:1 — The LORD is light and salvation.
- Isaiah 12:2 — "God is my salvation".
- Luke 19:9–10 — Jesus to Zacchaeus: "Today, salvation has come to this house".
- Acts 4:12 — There is salvation in no one else.
- Romans 10:9–10 — Confessing and believing for salvation.
Different senses
- Rescue from danger
- Deliverance from enemies, illness or disaster. Exodus 14:13Psalm 18:2–3
- Rescue from sin
- Forgiveness and new life through Jesus. Luke 19:10Ephesians 2:8
- Future completion
- Salvation still to be fully revealed. Romans 13:111 Peter 1:5
Original language
יְשׁוּעָה ye.shu.ah
Hebrew · Strong’s H3444 · gloss: “salvation”
The Hebrew word for salvation or deliverance; the name Joshua (and Jesus, its Greek form) is related to this word family. Exodus 15:2Isaiah 12:2
A Strong’s number is a reference identifier, not a complete definition: what a word means in a passage depends on its context. Lexical data: STEPBible.org, based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
For children
Salvation means being rescued. God rescued Israel at the sea, and Jesus came to rescue people from sin. Exodus 14:13Luke 19:10
Study further
- Exodus 14:10–31 Salvation at the sea.
- Psalm 27 Salvation in a psalm of trust.
- Luke 19:1–10 Salvation comes to Zacchaeus.
- Romans 10:5–13 How Paul describes being saved.