λυτρόω (lutroō)
lutroō
to ransom
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb lutroō means to secure release by paying a specific price, often translated as "ransom" or "redeem." In the ancient world, this term described the commercial act of buying back a slave or prisoner from bondage. It carries the weight of a transaction where freedom is not granted freely but purchased through a cost paid to another party.
In Scripture, this concept moves from physical liberation to spiritual salvation. Luke 24:21 records the disciples’ despair that Jesus might have been the one to "redeem" Israel, using the word in its political sense of national deliverance. However, the New Testament primarily applies it to Christ’s work on the cross. Titus 2:14 describes Jesus as giving Himself to "redeem" us from lawlessness, while 1 Peter 1:18 emphasizes that believers were ransomed not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ.
The word is rooted in lutron, meaning "ransom price." This etymology highlights that redemption involves a substitute who pays the debt owed by the captive. The sources note its Old Testament background, where it often translates Hebrew terms for kinsman-redeemers who restored family property or freedom. Thus, the term underscores both the severity of the bondage and the high cost of the rescue.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word lutroō reminds us that our freedom was never given away for free. In the ancient world, it described a strict transaction: a price was paid to buy someone out of slavery. When Scripture uses this term for your salvation, it points to the immense value God placed on you. You were not rescued by a vague wish or a simple pardon, but by a costly exchange that secured your release from bondage.
This truth anchors our hope in what Christ actually did. As 1 Peter 1:18 explains, you were ransomed not with silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Jesus. This means your worth is defined by His sacrifice, not by your own performance. The debt was settled, and the price was fully paid, leaving no outstanding balance against you.
Even when we feel trapped by old patterns or past mistakes, this word declares that a new reality exists. Titus 2:14 shows that Jesus gave Himself to purify us for His own possession. We are bought out of the useless ways of our ancestors and set free to live with purpose. This freedom is a gift received in faith, inviting you to rest in the security of having been fully redeemed.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- you were redeemed1×
- to redeem1×
- He may redeem1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐλυτρώθητε1×
- λυτρώσηται1×
- λυτροῦσθαι1×
Key Verses
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Luke 24:21
But we were hoping that it was he who would redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened.
This verse shows the word used in its political sense, where the disciples hoped Jesus would deliver Israel from Roman oppression.
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Titus 2:14
who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good works.
Here the term defines Christ’s purpose: He gave Himself specifically to buy us out of all lawlessness and create a people for His own possession.
-
I Peter 1:18
knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things like silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers,
Peter contrasts perishable wealth with Christ’s blood to highlight that the price paid for your freedom was infinite and holy.