"a saving, preservation, Acts 27:34; Heb. 11:7; deliverance, Lk. 1:69, 71; Acts 7:25; salvation, spiritual and eternal, Lk. 1:77; 19:9; Acts 4:12; Rev. 7:10; a being placed in a condition of salvation by an embracing of the Gospel, Rom. 10:1, 10; 2 Tim. 3:15; means or opportunity ..."
Definition and meaning
a saving, preservation, Acts 27:34; Heb. 11:7; deliverance, Lk. 1:69, 71; Acts 7:25; salvation, spiritual and eternal, Lk. 1:77; 19:9; Acts 4:12; Rev. 7:10; a being placed in a condition of salvation by an embracing of the Gospel, Rom. 10:1, 10; 2 Tim. 3:15; means or opportunity of salvation, Acts 13:26; Rom. 11:11; Heb. 2:3; ἡ σωτηρία, the promised deliverance by the Messiah, Jn. 4:22
In the original Greek the word is written: σωτηρία
Historical context
Luke wrote as a historian addressing a Greek audience. He carefully interviewed eyewitnesses and arranged events in order. The social and economic realities he describes — Roman taxation, Jewish religious hierarchy, the marginalization of women and the poor — are consistent with first-century Judea under Roman administration.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of soteria (G4991) across the King James Bible.
And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;
That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;
To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,
And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.
Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.
For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.
Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.
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Common questions
Strong's G4991 (soteria) is a Greek word that means: a saving, preservation, Acts 27:34; Heb. 11:7; deliverance, Lk. 1:69, 71; Acts 7:25; salvation, spiritual and eternal, Lk. 1:77; 19:9; Acts 4:12; Rev. 7:10; a being placed in a condition of salvation ... It appears 42 times in the King James Bible.
The word soteria (G4991) appears 42 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G4991 is soteria, a Greek word defined as: a saving, preservation, Acts 27:34; Heb. 11:7; deliverance, Lk. 1:69, 71; Acts 7:25; salvation, spiritual and eternal, Lk. 1:77; 19:9; Acts 4:12; Rev.. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
soteria is a Greek word found in the New Testament.