Exegetical Meaning

Sōtēria (σωτηρία) describes being rescued, healed, or made completely safe and whole—both physically and spiritually. It's the idea of deliverance from danger or disease, but also the deeper rescue that comes from being saved from sin and death. When you read this word in Scripture, think of someone being pulled from a raging river, a person healed of a terrible illness, or most importantly, a soul rescued from spiritual destruction through Jesus Christ. The word appears throughout the New Testament to describe this full kind of rescue. Sometimes it means physical healing or safety in the immediate sense, like being saved from shipwreck. More often, especially in Paul's letters and the Gospels, it refers to the complete spiritual restoration that comes through faith in Christ—rescue from sin's penalty and power, and restoration to right relationship with God. This salvation isn't just a moment of conversion; it can mean the ongoing process of being made whole and holy throughout your life. English translations render sōtēria as "salvation," "deliverance," "saving," "health," or "rescue" depending on context. In Romans 1:16, Paul calls the Gospel "the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes"—emphasizing that complete spiritual rescue. In Mark 5, when Jesus heals the bleeding woman, he tells her, "Your faith has made you well" (literally "saved you")—showing how healing and salvation are deeply connected.

Origin

Root form

English Glosses

Canon Usage

Context Themes

• Salvation Declared and Offered
• Salvation by Grace through Faith

Exegetical Meaning

something saved, i.e. (abstractly) deliverance; hence, aid, victory, prosperity | Etymology: feminine passive participle of H3467 (יָשַׁע); | KJV: deliverance, health, help(-ing), salvation, save, saving (health), welfare.

Origin

Root form

English Glosses

Canon Usage

Context Themes

• God Is My Salvation
• The Name of the Saviour
• All the Ends of the Earth Shall See