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savior


One who delivers from present and/or future danger or distress. The primary usage of the word “savior” in the OT is in reference to judges and other leaders raised up by God to bring deliverance to Israel in time of national crisis (Neh 9:27). It is also used of God, who employs these human saviors as agents. In Isaiah it becomes a recognized title for God (e.g., Isa 43:3) in connection with the deliverance of Israel during the return from the exile. In the NT, the word continues to be used in the sense of end-time deliverer (Phil 3:20; Luke 1:47; Luke 2:11; Acts 5:31; Acts 13:23). Jesus is said to have been born a savior in Luke 2:20. The term also occurs once in Eph. 5:23, six times in Jude and 2 Peter (Jude 25 2Pet 1:1; 2Pet 1:11; 2Pet 2:20; 2Pet 3:2; 2Pet 3:18), and twice in the Johannine writings in the unique phrase “savior of the world” (John 4:42; 1John 4:14). The term is found ten times in the pastoral Letters (1Tim 1:1; 1Tim 2:3; 1Tim 4:10; 2Tim 1:10; Titus 1:3; Titus 1:4; Titus 2:10; Titus 2:13; Titus 3:4; Titus 3:6).

  • Powell, Mark Allan, ed. HarperCollins Bible Dictionary. Abridged Edition. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2009.