CategoryDoctrine / Redemption Term
Modern Equivalentprice paid to release; deliverance payment.
KJV Word TypeTheological noun / verb
DefinitionA price paid to release someone from bondage, captivity, debt, or judgment. In the New Testament, Christ gives His life as a ransom.
Key Verses"Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:28); "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all." (1 Timothy 2:5–6)
KJV Usage NoteClosely related to redemption language and emphasizes release through a costly price.
Common MisunderstandingIt does not mean a bribe; in Scripture it often describes costly deliverance or release.
EtymologyFrom Old French rançon, meaning redemption or release payment.