What does σώζω (sṓzō) mean in the Bible?
σώζω names saving action: rescue from danger, deliverance from ruin, and preservation into the safety God gives. In the Pastoral Epistles, the word is not vague religious improvement.
Greek · G4982
σώζω
To save
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σώζω G4982
Pronunciation sṓzō
What does σώζω (sṓzō) mean in the Bible?
σώζω names saving action: rescue from danger, deliverance from ruin, and preservation into the safety God gives. In the Pastoral Epistles, the word is not vague religious improvement.
Reader summary
Full entry for σώζω (G4982) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G4982?
The BSB source-word alignment has 106 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include save (14), to save (11), will be saved (10), be saved (9), has healed (5).
Where does σώζω (sṓzō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 1:21. Its strongest book concentrations include Luke (17), Mark (15), Matthew (15), Acts (13).
Are there verse guides for σώζω (sṓzō)?
This entry includes 2 verse guides that explain exact original-language forms in context.
What This Word Actually Means
σώζω names saving action: rescue from danger, deliverance from ruin, and preservation into the safety God gives. In the Pastoral Epistles, the word is not vague religious improvement. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, God wants people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, and God has saved us not because of our works but because of His purpose, grace, mercy, new birth, and the Holy Spirit.
The word also reaches into ministry responsibility. Timothy's persevering attention to life and teaching is described as saving himself and his hearers, not because teaching earns redemption, but because sound doctrine is one of God's appointed means for guarding people in the gospel. Paul can also use the word for the Lord's final rescue into the heavenly kingdom.
σώζω therefore holds together conversion, mercy, truth, sanctifying means, and final deliverance under God's saving initiative.
How the Bible Uses It
In the Pastoral Epistles, σώζω gathers the gospel's rescue logic into one word. Salvation comes through Christ Jesus, according to God's mercy and grace, and it is carried by truthful teaching into the life of the church until the Lord's final rescue.
- 1Tim.1.15
This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst.
Christ's mission is stated plainly: He came into the world to save sinners. This anchors σώζω in the person and saving work of Christ, not in moral self-repair.
- 1Tim.2.4
Who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
God's saving desire is joined to coming to the knowledge of the truth. Salvation and truth belong together in the Pastoral Epistles.
- 1Tim.4.16
Pay close attention to your life and to your teaching. Persevere in these things, for by so doing you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
Timothy's life and teaching matter because sound doctrine is a means by which hearers are preserved in the gospel. The verse does not make Timothy the redeemer.
- 2Tim.1.9
He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began.
God has saved and called His people by purpose and grace, not by works. This passage protects the word from works-righteousness.
- 2Tim.4.18
And the Lord will rescue me from every evil action and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Paul applies saving language to the Lord's final rescue into the heavenly kingdom. Salvation includes final preservation under Christ's lordship.
- Titus.3.5
He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
Titus locates saving mercy in new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, explicitly excluding righteous deeds as the basis.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It save 14× Matthew 14:30, Matthew 27:40, Matthew 27:42, Mark 15:31
to save 11× Matthew 16:25, Matthew 27:49, Mark 3:4, Mark 8:35
will be saved 10× Matthew 10:22, Matthew 24:13, Mark 13:13, Mark 16:16
be saved 9× Matthew 19:25, Mark 10:26, Luke 13:23, Luke 18:26
has healed 5× Matthew 9:22, Mark 5:34, Mark 10:52, Luke 8:48
He saved 4× Matthew 27:42, Mark 15:31, Luke 23:35, Titus 3:5
will save 4× Matthew 1:21, Mark 8:35, Luke 9:24, James 5:20
saved 3× Ephesians 2:5, Ephesians 2:8, 2 Thessalonians 2:10
you will save 3× 1 Corinthians 7:16, 1 Timothy 4:16
being saved 2× Acts 27:20, 2 Corinthians 2:15
has saved 2× Luke 7:50, 2 Timothy 1:9
I will be healed 2× Matthew 9:21, Mark 5:28
may be saved 2× John 5:34, 1 Corinthians 5:5
shall we be saved 2× Romans 5:9, Romans 5:10
she will be healed 2× Mark 5:23, Luke 8:50
they may be saved 2× 1 Corinthians 10:33, 1 Thessalonians 2:16
to be saved 2× 1 Timothy 2:4, 1 Peter 4:18
was healed 2× Matthew 9:22, Acts 4:9
would be saved 2× Matthew 24:22, Mark 13:20
you will be saved 2× Acts 16:31, Romans 10:9
[and] be saved 1× Luke 8:12
[and] save 1× Mark 15:30
[that] we are saved 1× Acts 15:11
are being saved 1× 1 Corinthians 1:18
bring [me] safely 1× 2 Timothy 4:18
had been healed 1× Luke 8:36
had delivered 1× Jude 1:5
has made you well 1× Luke 17:19
he will be saved 1× John 10:9
he will get better 1× John 11:12
I might save 1× 1 Corinthians 9:22
let Him save 1× Luke 23:35
save us 1× Matthew 8:25
saves 1× 1 Peter 3:21
to be healed 1× Acts 14:9
we were saved 1× Romans 8:24
were being saved 1× Acts 2:47
were healed 1× Mark 6:56
will restore 1× James 5:15
Women, however, will be saved 1× 1 Timothy 2:15
you are saved 1× 1 Corinthians 15:2
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 1:21 σώσει to will save Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 8:25 σῶσον to save us Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular Matthew 9:21 σωθήσομαι to I will be healed Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 1st Person Singular Matthew 9:22 σέσωκέν to has healed Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 9:22 ἐσώθη to was healed Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 10:22 σωθήσεται to will be saved Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 14:30 σῶσόν to save Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular Matthew 16:25 σῶσαι to to save Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active Matthew 19:25 σωθῆναι to be saved Verb - Aorist Infinitive Passive Matthew 24:13 σωθήσεται to will be saved Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 1:21
Aligned rows 106
Books represented 18
Matthew 15 Mark 15 Luke 17 John 6 Acts 13 Romans 8 1 Corinthians 9 2 Corinthians 1 Ephesians 2 1 Thessalonians 1 2 Thessalonians 1 1 Timothy 4 2 Timothy 2 Titus 1 Hebrews 2 James 5 1 Peter 2 Jude 2
Source forms
σωθήσεται 13x sōthēsetai Matthew 10:22, Matthew 24:13, Mark 13:13, Mark 16:16
σῶσαι 13x sōsai Matthew 16:25, Matthew 27:42, Mark 3:4, Mark 8:35
σωθῆναι 10x sōthēnai Matthew 19:25, Mark 10:26, Luke 18:26, Acts 4:12
σέσωκέν 7x sesōken Matthew 9:22, Mark 5:34, Mark 10:52, Luke 7:50
σώσει 6x sōsei Matthew 1:21, Mark 8:35, Luke 9:24, 2 Timothy 4:18
σῶσον 5x sōson Matthew 8:25, Matthew 27:40, Mark 15:30, Luke 23:37
ἐσώθη 4x esōthē Matthew 9:22, Matthew 24:22, Mark 13:20, Luke 8:36
ἔσωσεν 4x esōsen Matthew 27:42, Mark 15:31, Luke 23:35, Titus 3:5
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active 13x Matthew 16:25, Matthew 27:42, Mark 3:4, Mark 8:35
Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular 13x Matthew 10:22, Matthew 24:13, Mark 13:13, Mark 16:16
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Passive 10x Matthew 19:25, Mark 10:26, Luke 18:26, Acts 4:12
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular 7x Matthew 8:25, Matthew 14:30, Matthew 27:40, Mark 15:30
Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 7x Matthew 9:22, Mark 5:34, Mark 10:52, Luke 7:50
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 6x Matthew 1:21, Mark 8:35, Luke 9:24, 2 Timothy 4:18
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 4x Matthew 27:42, Mark 15:31, Luke 23:35, Titus 3:5
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular 4x Matthew 9:22, Matthew 24:22, Mark 13:20, Luke 8:36
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Rest assurance on God's mercy in Christ, not on ministry usefulness or personal performance.
- Let the word strengthen seriousness about doctrine without implying that human teachers redeem their hearers.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that σωζω always means final justification in every occurrence.
- Do not claim that 1 Timothy 4:16 teaches salvation by a minister's work.
Key Verse and Form Guides
Verse-level guides showing how this original-language form works in its specific context, including grammar, verse function, and guarded interpretation.
Ephesians 2:8 Verb Perfect Passive Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
σεσωσμένοι sesosmenoi to save The form clarifies how the verbal idea relates to the surrounding clause in the local phrase. Read verse guide Matthew 1:21 Verb Third Person Singular Future Active Indicative
σώσει sosei to save The form sharpens the verse as a promise about Jesus' saving mission, while the clause itself defines the rescue as from sins. Read verse guide Evidence Summary
Greek word. Salvation encompasses past redemption, present grace, and future glory—three temporal dimensions of deliverance.
Source Gloss
to save
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 110 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
swsei
I save, heal
Read verse Matthew 8:25 Verb Second Person Singular Aorist Active Imperative
σῶσον swson
I save, heal
Read verse Matthew 9:21 Verb First Person Singular Future Passive Indicative
σωθήσομαι. swqhsomai
I save, heal
Read verse Matthew 9:22 Verb Third Person Singular Perfect Active Indicative
σέσωκέ seswken
I save, heal
Read verse Matthew 9:22 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Passive Indicative
ἐσώθη eswqh
I save, heal
Read verse Matthew 10:22 Verb Third Person Singular Future Passive Indicative
σωθήσεται. swqhsetai
I save, heal
Read verse Matthew 14:30 Verb Second Person Singular Aorist Active Imperative
σῶσόν swson
I save, heal
Read verse Matthew 16:25 Verb Aorist Active Infinitive
σῶσαι swsai
I save, heal
Read verse Matthew 18:11 Verb Aorist Active Infinitive
σῶσαι swsai
I save, heal
Read verse Matthew 19:25 Verb Aorist Passive Infinitive
σωθῆναι; swqhnai
I save, heal
Read verse Matthew 24:13 Verb Third Person Singular Future Passive Indicative
σωθήσεται. swqhsetai
I save, heal
Read verse Matthew 24:22 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Passive Indicative
ἐσώθη eswqh
I save, heal
Read verse Matthew 27:40 Verb Second Person Singular Aorist Active Imperative
σῶσον swson
I save, heal
Read verse Matthew 27:42 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἔσωσεν, eswsen
I save, heal
Read verse Matthew 27:42 Verb Aorist Active Infinitive
σῶσαι. swsai
I save, heal
Read verse Matthew 27:49 Verb Future Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
σώσων swswn
I save, heal
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 102 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist 51 future 31 present 11 perfect 8 imperfect 1
Voice
passive 53 active 49
Mood
indicative 51 infinitive 24 subjunctive 10 imperative 10 participle 7
NT Occurrences
Matthew 1:21 σώσει future active indicative prospective Matthew 8:25 σῶσον aorist active imperative imperative Matthew 9:21 σωθήσομαι future passive indicative prospective Matthew 9:22 σέσωκέν perfect active indicative resultant Matthew 9:22 ἐσώθη aorist passive indicative completed Matthew 10:22 σωθήσεται future passive indicative prospective Matthew 14:30 σῶσόν aorist active imperative imperative Matthew 16:25 σῶσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Matthew 19:25 σωθῆναι aorist passive infinitive infinitive Matthew 24:13 σωθήσεται future passive indicative prospective Matthew 24:22 ἐσώθη aorist passive indicative completed Matthew 27:40 σῶσον aorist active imperative imperative Matthew 27:42 ἔσωσεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 27:42 σῶσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Matthew 27:49 σώσων future active participle participle Mark 3:4 σῶσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Mark 5:23 σωθῇ aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive Mark 5:28 σωθήσομαι future passive indicative prospective Mark 5:34 σέσωκέν perfect active indicative resultant Mark 6:56 ἐσῴζοντο imperfect passive indicative background Mark 8:35 σῶσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Mark 8:35 σώσει future active indicative prospective Mark 10:26 σωθῆναι aorist passive infinitive infinitive Mark 10:52 σέσωκέν perfect active indicative resultant Mark 13:13 σωθήσεται future passive indicative prospective Mark 13:20 ἐσώθη aorist passive indicative completed Mark 15:30 σῶσον aorist active imperative imperative Mark 15:31 ἔσωσεν aorist active indicative completed Mark 15:31 σῶσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Mark 16:16 σωθήσεται future passive indicative prospective Luke 6:9 σῶσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Luke 7:50 σέσωκέν perfect active indicative resultant Luke 8:12 σωθῶσιν aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive Luke 8:36 ἐσώθη aorist passive indicative completed Luke 8:48 σέσωκέν perfect active indicative resultant Luke 8:50 σωθήσεται future passive indicative prospective Luke 9:24 σῶσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Luke 9:24 σώσει future active indicative prospective Luke 13:23 σῳζόμενοι present passive participle participle Luke 17:19 σέσωκέν perfect active indicative resultant
+62 more occurrences
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Sampled Scripture Occurrences
Representative Scripture witnesses for this entry: passage, original form, and sense in context.
New Testament Witnesses
To rescue from danger, sin, and judgment and bring into eternal life.
To be delivered or preserved, here linked with perseverance in faith and holiness.
to rescue, deliver, or bring into safety and salvation
To be delivered or rescued.
To be rescued or delivered.
To be rescued or delivered.
has saved
has saved
Word Origins
σώζω is from an obsolete root - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
The verb emphasizes divine initiative; God acts decisively to rescue sinners. 1 Timothy 1:12-17
Defines the explicit redemptive mission of Jesus. 1 Timothy 2:8-15
Links physical restoration to deeper salvation in Christ. 2 Timothy 1:8-12
Connects physical healing with deeper salvation. Acts 15:1-5
Links healing with salvation theme. Acts 16:25-34
Indicates salvation beyond physical healing. Acts 27:27-38
Declares completed salvation through faith. Luke 17:11–19
Introduces soteriological dimension to Sabbath discussion. Luke 18:35–43
Expresses completed salvation with ongoing result.
Indicates completed salvation with enduring result.
Defines the core issue under debate: how one is saved.
Defines the jailer’s urgent spiritual need.
Refers to physical preservation within God’s promise.
The term highlights God’s decisive act of rescue that grounds Christian identity and ministry.
This verb defines Christ’s mission; salvation is central to His incarnation and ministry.
Salvation is not earned through a role but evidenced in continued faith, love, and holiness.
Canonical Themes
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
The Pastoral Epistles use σώζω to keep salvation both deeply doctrinal and directly pastoral. Salvation is grounded in God's initiative: Christ Jesus enters the world to save sinners, God saves and calls by grace before works can be counted, and Titus insists that mercy, new birth, and renewal by the Spirit explain why the saved are heirs. Yet this same saving vocabulary enters the ordinary work of ministry.
Timothy must watch his life and teaching because error can destroy and truth can preserve. That does not make Timothy a savior beside Christ. It shows that the Savior uses truthful doctrine, faithful endurance, and shepherding vigilance as means of grace. The word therefore refuses two reductions: salvation is not earned by human effort, and it is not detached from the church's responsibility to guard and teach the gospel.
Anchor passage
1Tim.1.15
Doctrinal connections
- G2424 Jesus: Christ Jesus is the one who came into the world to save sinners, so σωζω remains personally centered on Him.
- G5485 Charis: 2 Timothy 1:9 ties saving action to grace given in Christ Jesus before time began.
- G1656 Eleos: Titus 3:5 places salvation according to mercy, not righteous deeds.
- G225 Aletheia: 1 Timothy 2:4 joins being saved with coming to the knowledge of the truth.
- G1319 Didaskalia: 1 Timothy 4:16 shows sound teaching as a means by which hearers are preserved in the gospel.
- G2222 Zoe: salvation leads toward the life promised in Christ and hoped for in Titus 3:7.
σώζω can describe rescue, healing, preservation, or eschatological salvation depending on context. In the Pastoral Epistles, its major uses are theological and pastoral: saving sinners, being saved by mercy, preserving hearers through faithful teaching, and final rescue. Do not flatten every use into one identical doctrinal sentence, but do not separate the ministry uses from God's saving purpose.
From Old to New Testament
The broader canon regularly presents the Lord as the one who saves His people, while the New Testament identifies God's saving mercy in Christ. The Pastoral Epistles place that saving work in the church's entrusted teaching, so rescue, truth, mercy, and final hope remain joined.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain