The price paid to free slaves, captives, property, or a life. Jesus said his whole work was to serve by giving his life as a ransom for many people (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45). “Ransom” is closely connected to words like “redemption” and “salvation.” It relates to how Christ paid for sin.
In the Old Testament
In the Old Testament, God gave his people rules for buying back (or redeeming) life and property by paying a ransom (compare Leviticus 25–27). A ransom was a payment made to replace something or someone that was redeemed or set free.
The Old Testament uses three different Hebrew words for ransom or redemption. These words are translated as “ransom” only when the text clearly shows that a price was paid. Even when English translations use other words like “redemption,” they often still mean that a ransom price was paid.
One of the Hebrew terms (kopher) means a “cover” or a “covering.” It was a payment made instead of punishment. For example:
If an ox killed someone, its owner could pay a ransom to save their own life (Exodus 21:30).
God required each Israelite to pay half a shekel as ransom during a census to prevent a plague (Exodus 30:12). This “atonement money” was an offering used in the tabernacle service.
A murderer could not be ransomed, and anyone who found safety in a city of refuge could not be taken back by ransom (Numbers 35:31–32).
It was impossible to avoid death by paying a ransom (Psalm 49:7–9).
In a few instances, this word is used to mean a payment made to influence someone unfairly or to keep them quiet (1 Samuel 12:3; Proverbs 6:35; Amos 5:12).
A second Hebrew word for “ransom” and “redemption” is related to go’el. Go’el means a "redeemer" or someone who takes back what was lost. It comes from a Hebrew word meaning “to restore, repair, deliver, or rescue.” This term refers to God's family laws that required relatives to help each other (Leviticus 25:25–55). A close relative (kinsman) had several duties:
A kinsman was responsible for buying back family property that someone had to sell (Leviticus 25:25–34; Ruth 4:4–6).
A kinsman was responsible for freeing a relative who had to sell himself as a slave because of poverty (Leviticus 25:47–55).
A kinsman was responsible for seeking justice for a dead relative by punishing the person who killed them (Numbers 35:19–27; Joshua 20:3–5).
A kinsman was also obligated to marry the wife of a dead brother who had no children so that the family line would continue (Ruth 3:9–13; 4:1–12).
In general, the go‘el was someone who helped or defended others. For example, Job called on God to defend him (Job 19:25).
In the highest sense, God is the kinsman and go’el (redeemer) of Israel. He redeemed them from:
the bondage of Egypt (Exodus 6:5–7),
from captivity in Babylon, and
from distress in general (the word go’el occurs 13 times in Isaiah 40–46).
Thus Israel is called “the redeemed of the LORD” (Isaiah 35:10), having been redeemed “without money” (52:3). In these cases, however, the “payment” was God's great power and strength.
The Old Testament uses a third Hebrew word (pidyon) for ransom or payment. This word comes from business laws. In the Old Testament, it is used in three main ways:
It was used for firstborn sons. God saved the firstborn Israelites during Passover in Egypt. After this, all firstborn animals and sons belonged to God. People had to pay a ransom to keep their firstborn sons (Exodus 13:12–15; 34:20; Leviticus 27:27; Numbers 18:15–17). Later, God chose the Levites to serve Him instead of all firstborn sons. Since there were 273 more firstborn than Levites, a payment of five shekels was paid in ransom for each (Numbers 3:40–48).
This word was also used for the price paid to ransom a slave from slavery (Deuteronomy 15:15; 24:18). It also applied to freeing a female slave who was a concubine (Exodus 21:8–11; Leviticus 19:20). God justifies these rules by reminding the Israelites that he freed them from slavery in Egypt (Deuteronomy 15:15; 24:18).
The Bible also uses this Hebrew word when talking about God freeing Israel from Egypt (Deuteronomy 7:8; 9:26; 13:5; 2 Samuel 7:23; 1 Chronicles 17:21; Psalm 78:42) and from Babylon (Isaiah 35:10; 51:11). Sometimes the Bible talks about God ransoming people without mentioning a specific event (Hosea 7:13; compare Deuteronomy 21:8; Nehemiah 1:10; Isaiah 1:27; Jeremiah 31:11). God also ransoms people from death (Hosea 13:14), from sins (Psalm 130:8), and from troubles (25:22). This deliverance always implies some sort of payment or cost, such as “the mighty power” or “strong hand” of God needed for the redemption.
In the New Testament
In the New Testament, there is only one group of related words used for ransom. The basic meaning of this word is “to set free” or “to release.” It means freeing someone by paying a price. In English Bibles, the word “ransom” is used about eight times. These are cases where the text clearly describes paying a price to free someone. The Greek Old Testament (called the Septuagint) used this word carefully. They only used it when the three Hebrew words clearly meant paying a ransom.
The most important use of “ransom” in the New Testament is when Jesus talks about his own death. Jesus said his death would be “a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45). There are three important things Jesus meant by this:
Jesus came to serve by paying a ransom.
The ransom price was his own life.
His ransom is substitutionary (Jesus took our place by paying this ransom).
Other parts of the New Testament explain this more:
Jesus Christ “gave Himself as a ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:6).
Jesus Christ “gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness” (Titus 2:14).
The ransom price was “the precious blood of Christ,” who was a lamb without any faults (1 Peter 1:18–19).
This reminds us of the animal sacrifices in the Old Testament that pointed to Jesus. But there's a big difference:
The blood of goats and calves was not able to save people.
But Christ's blood provides eternal freedom from sin (Hebrews 9:12).
The Bible tells us that in heaven, the saved people sing a new song. They praise Jesus (called the Lamb) because his blood paid the ransom for them (Revelation 5:9; compare 14:3–4).