Understanding the various Greek translations for Salvation

The Greek verb “sozo” means saved, made whole, restored, healed, delivered, preserved.

The word salvation in Greek is “soteria” and derived from ‘sozo’ and ‘soter’ which means “saviour.” Soteria simply means saviour saves.

In biblical terms, soteria is the act of the saviour (God) that made provision for deliverance, restoration, preservation and salvation for mankind.

The usage of salvation in the old covenant differs in the new covenant. Simply, salvation to the Israelites means to be delivered from Egypt and preserved into the promised land (Canaan). While salvation to Christians means being delivered from sin and being preserved into eternal life. In both cases, it is the whole process that makes it complete salvation.

In the New Testament, about one-third of its use refers to physical healing. The word ‘sozo’ is used in different Greek tenses and has 110 occurrences. 30 occurrences used the Greek future tense while 57 occurrences of this verb are in the aorist tense.

The challenge is many believers today have built their doctrine of “we are already saved” on the English tenses of the verbs that are in Greek aorist tense. The aorist tense is one tense in Greek for which we have no equivalent in English. It is a word in which “timing” is not emphasised.

Many English Bible scholars and translators claimed that the aorist tense is the same as past or perfect tense in the English language. But strangely these bible translators have been inconsistent with that interpretation. Sometimes they translate the aorist tense as present continuous another part future tense which is inconsistent with their logic.

We will go through some of these contradictory verse translations later on.

In an actual sense, the true interpretation of the aorist tense is totally dependent on the context in which it is used. Reference to the actual Greek text is a good way to check the accuracy of the translation. The interlinear Bible is a good tool to check the actual Greek words but I’ll advise not to always rely on their English translations because it isn’t free from inconsistency. If you’re as zealous for the truth as I am, then do your own research on the ideal English interpretation of the Greek words.

Now let’s look at the different usage of the Greek words for ‘soteria’ and ‘sozo’ in the new testament and its standard English translation. Jesus and his disciples use these words in various forms, most of which have similar meanings with different tenses.

The gospel usage

The earthly ministry of Jesus Christ kick-started the plan of salvation in the new covenant. In the gospel, salvation is not only for eternal life but also for physical healing and deliverance. When it is used for healing, past or perfect tense is clearly indicated.

However, for eternal salvation, Jesus clearly told us it isn't instant but a process for those who endure till the end (Matthew 24:13).

While the provision for our eternal salvation is perfectly completed by God through Jesus Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Every saint must go through the process to receive the gift as long as they live in the physical body until their last day.

Now, let’s look at the different Greek words and tenses for ‘soteria’ used in the gospel

soteria: salvation [provision] (Luke 19:9, John 4:22)

soterias: [knowledge of] salvation (Luke 1:69,77)

soterian: deliverance (Luke 1:71)

Next, let’s look at the different Greek words and tenses for ‘sozo’ used in the gospel.

First, let’s look at ‘sozo’ used for physical healings

sothesomai: will be healed (Matt 9:21, Mark 5:28)

sesoken: has healed [done] (Matt 9:22a; Mark 5:34,10:52; Luke 7:50, 8:48, 17:19, 18:42)

esothe: was healed [done] (Matt 9:22b, Luke 8:36)

esozonto: many were healed [done] (Mark 6:56)

esosen: healed [done] (Luke 23:35a, Mark 15:31a)

Second, let’s look at ‘sozo’ used to being saved or preserved for eternal life. The Greek words listed are used in messages about the process or path to attain eternal life.

sozomenoi: to be or being saved (Luke 13:23)

sothenai: can be saved? (Matthew 19:25, Mark 10:26, Luke 18:26)

sothosin: will or may be saved (Luke 8:12)

Third, let’s look at ‘sozo’ used for referring to delivering from sin, or from physical death or from destruction or eternal condemnation (second death).

soso /soson /sosato /sosai /sosei: save or deliver life (Matthew 1:21, 8:25, 14:30, 16:25, 27:40,42b,49; Luke 6:9, 9:24, 19:10, 23:35b,37,39; John 12:27,47; Mark 3:4, 8:35,15:30,31b)

sothesetai: will be saved or delivered (Matthew 10:22, 24:13; Mark 13:13, 16:16; Luke 8:50; John 10:9, 11:12)

sothe /sothete: will or may be saved or delivered (Mark 5:23, John 3:17, 5:34)

esothe: be delivered [endtime tribulations] (Matthew 24:22, Mark 13:20)

For example, let’s look at Luke 23:35,37,39 same as Mark 15:31;

… Allous esosen; sosato heauton ei…Christos…soson seauton!

… others healed; deliver himself if… Christ…save yourself! (ideal)

… He saved others; let him save himself… save yourself. (niv)

The Apostles usage

The apostles use the word ‘soteria’ and ‘sozo’ just as Jesus did but with additional words.

Now, let’s look at the different Greek words and tenses for ‘soteria’ used by the apostles.

soteria: salvation [provision] (Acts 4:12, Rom 11:11, 13:11, Rev 7:10, 12:10, 19:1)

soterias: [message or way of] salvation or deliverance or preservation (Acts 13:26, 16:17, 27:34; 2 Cor 1:6, 6:2; Ephesians 1:13, Philippians 1:28; 1 Thess 5:8,9; 2 Tim 2:10, Hebrews 2:3,10, 5:9, 6:9; 1 Peter 1:10, Jude 1:3)

soterian: deliverance [from slavery of sin or death] (Acts 7:25, 13:47; Rom 1:16, 10:1, 10:10; 2 Cor 7:10; Phil 1:19; 2 Thess 2:13; 2 Tim 3:15; Hebrew 1:14, 9:28, 11:7; 1 Peter 1:5,9, 2:2; 2 Peter 3:15)

Next, let’s look at the different Greek words and tenses for ‘sozo’ used in the Apostles’ books.

First, let’s look at ‘sozo’ used for physical healings;

sesotai: been healed (Acts 4:9)

Sothenai: to be healed/delivered (Acts 14:9, 27:31)

Second, let’s look at ‘sozo’ used for being saved or preserved for eternal life;

sozomenous /sozomenois: being saved (Acts 2:47; 1Cor 1:18; 2Cor 2:15)

sesosmenoi: being saved (Ephesians 2:5, 8)

sozetai: to be saved (1 Peter 4:18)

esothemen: being saved (Romans 8:24)

Third, let’s look at ‘sozo’ used for refering to saving from sin or physical death or destruction;

sothesetai: will be saved or delivered (Acts 2:21, Romans 9:27, 10:13, 11:26; 1 Cor 3:15; 1Tim 2:15)

sothesometha: will be saved or delivered (Romans 5:9–10)

sothete /sotho: to be saved or delivered (Act 2:40, 16:30)

sothese: will or shall be saved or delivered (Acts 11:14, 16:31; Roman 10:9)

sothenai: to be saved (Acts 4:12, 15:1,11, 27:31; 2 Thess 2:10, 1 Tim 2:4)

sozein/sozei: able to save (Hebrews 5:7, 7:25; 1 Peter 3:21)

sozesthai: being delivered or saved (Acts 27:20)

sozesthe: being delivered or saved (1 Corinthians 15:2)

sozete: to save (Jude 1:23)

soso /sosai: to save or deliver (Romans 11:14; 1 Cor 1:21, 9:22;1Tim 1:15; James 1:21, 2:14, 4:12)

sosantos /sosas: having delivered or saved (2 Timothy 1:9, Jude 1:5)

sothe /sothosin: will or may be saved (1 Corinthians 5:5, 10:33; 1 Thess 2:16)

sosei: to preserve or deliver (2 Timothy 4:18, James 5:15,20)

soseis: will save or deliver (1 Timothy 4:16, 1 Corinthians 7:16)

esosen: saved or delivered (Titus 3:5)

diesothesan: were delivered [Noah’s family] (1 Peter 3:20)

To summarize the bible verses usage of salvation in the new testament; 12% was used for physical healings, 26% used for eternal life message while 62% used for deliverance from sin or death.

The main aim of salvation is to deliver people from sin that leads to their destruction, the other aims are benefit(physical healing) and reward (eternal life).

Different translations of Salvation in the common English Bibles

Most of the common English bibles tend to have contradictory translations for salvation. To compare the original Greek text with the English Bible translations, let’s focus only on the King James Version(KJV) and New International Version(NIV). You can check other translations but we wouldn’t reference others in this article.

Now, let’s look at Ephesians 2:5b, 2:7a and 2:8

…chariti este sesosmenoi… (Ephesians 2:5b)

…grace you are becoming/ being saved (ideal)

…it is by grace you have been saved (niv)

…by grace ye are saved; (kjv)

Also,

… Gar chariti este sesosmenoi dia pisteos … (Ephesians 2:8a)

… For grace you are being/ to be saved through faith (ideal)

… For by grace are ye saved through faith; (kjv)

… For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith (niv)

Why do both KJV and NIV English bibles translate ‘sesosmenoi’ to mean “are ye saved” or “have been saved” respectively?

The surprising thing is that the same English bible translators translate similar words differently in other parts of the bible. Greek is not a language where one word can have multiple unrelated meanings. Then you wonder why the inconsistency?

Even in English, for example, the verb ‘do’ can be used as do, doing, did and done. You can’t use the words interchangeably because it will alter the meaning. It is illogical to write ‘doing’ in one text and another you write ‘done’ and claim it has the same meaning. It is obviously misleading to say something is done when it is still in the process (doing).

Notice here, how the English Bible translators chose to use different kinds of tenses for similar Greek suffixes.

… en tois alosin tois eperchomenois …. (Ephesians 2:7a)

… in the ages that to come upon/ to arrive (ideal)

… that in the ages to come (kjv)

… that in the coming ages (niv)

Why did the English translators use different tenses for the same suffix “-menoi” in Ephesians 2:7 vs 2:5 and 2:8?

How did the translators unarguably know the next age is a future event — by using the right tense ‘to come or coming’ for ‘eperchomenois.’ But use the contrary tense ‘been saved’ for ‘sesosmenoi’ to mean something that is already completed when it is clearly a present continuous or a future event like the coming age.

Another key point is that ‘sesosmenoi’ in Ephesians 2:8 shouldn’t be translated as a perfect tense because it comes before ‘dia’ which means ‘through.’ The word dia is used to emphasize a process and not a point and it is a Greek term used also in English as a prefix like a diagnosis, diameter etc. Therefore, your faith must be across your Christian life like a diameter of a circle to be saved.

In addition to the point above, ‘dia pisteos’ appears after ‘sesosmenoi’ in Ephesians 2:8. Why would there be a condition after it says it’s already done?

For example, how can you say, “Your clothes have been cleaned, through putting it in the washing machine” — This is illogical, If I can clearly see dirty clothes when you made such a statement, I will think you’re out of your mind.

Why can’t you simply say? “Your clothes will be cleaned, through putting it in the washing machine” — then this makes sense.

Strangely both translators used the right tenses in 1 Corinthians 1:18 and 2 Corinthians 2:15

…. apollymenois moria estin tois de sozomenois… (1 Cor 1:18)

… being destroyed foolish is those but being saved…(ideal)

… foolishness to those …perishing, but to us who are being saved... (niv)

…to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved... (kjv)

Clearly, you can see how NIV and KJV inconsistently translate the same suffix ‘-menois’ in the same sentence. It’s like using ‘ -ing’ and ‘-ed’ interchangeably in English text when it clearly alters the meaning.

And also in Luke 13:23 below both use the right translation as the ideal

… Kyrie, ei oligoi hoi sozomenoi? Ho de eipen pros autous… (Luke 13:23)

… Lord, if few those to be saved? He then said to them (ideal)

… Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? (kjv)

… Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” (niv)

Unarguably Ephesians 2:5 and 2:8 is erroneously translated in most English bibles. The correct translation is ‘Being saved or to be saved’ which indicates an ongoing process to the end.

Other translation errors in some English bibles

… Te gar elpidi esothemen … (Romans 8:24)

… This for hope to be saved … (ideal)

… For we are saved by hope… (kjv)

… For in this hope we were saved… (niv)

Surprisingly most English bibles use perfect or past tense. Even when the surrounding context clearly shows otherwise. The word HOPE evidently shows it is in the future and the context emphasizes that.

For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? (niv)

For this hope we are [to be saved]. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? (ideal translation)

Also,

… di hou kai sozethe …ei… (1 Corinthians 15:2)

… Through which also being saved/ will be saved…if… (ideal)

… By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory… (kjv)

… By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word… (niv)

Same as for Romans 8:24, the text is wrongly translated because the word IF is an obvious conditional statement after ‘saved.’ Salvation all through the scriptures denote a process that takes toiling till the end as stated by Apostle Peter;

… Ei ho dikaios molis sozetai, …(1 Peter 4:18)

… If the righteous toilsomely to be saved, … (ideal)

… “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, …” (niv)

… if the righteous scarcely be saved, … (kjv)

The word ‘molis’ also appears in Acts 27:7,8,16; Romans 5:7. It means toiling, hardship or difficulty.

Conclusion

The safest way to translate any Greek word is to look at the whole context it is used in. It’s illogical to translate a bible Greek text based on preconceived ideas that are unbiblical but based on human wisdom that is prone to errors.

I will conclude with Jesus’ words in Luke 13:23–24 and Matthew 10:22 using NIV translation.

Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going [sozomenoi] to be saved ?” He said to them, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. (Luke 13:23–24 NIV)

You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end [sothesetai] will be saved. (Matthew 10:22 NIV)