In both the Old Testament and New Testament the Hebrew and Greek words for "ransom" are cast against the background of helplessness. Each finds human beings captured, held captive by the power of forces they cannot overcome. Only by the intervention of a third party can bondage be broken and the person freed.

In the Old Testament, the price for redeeming, the ransom, was paid for slaves (Leviticus 19:20), for captives (Isaiah 45:13), and for the ransom of a life (Exodus 32:30). In the New Testament, the ransom provided by Jesus Christ and His work on the cross, liberates the believer from the misery and penalty of their sins (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45). (Thayer's Greek Lexicon)

A "ransom" is a price paid to redeem, loose, free and release. Redemption does not involve a price paid to Satan. Rather, the ransom is offered to God—to satisfy His justice and wrath against sin (Romans 5:9). The price paid was Christ's own life—as a blood atonement (Leviticus 17:11; Hebrews 9:22). This, then, is the meaning of the cross: Christ subjected Himself to the divine punishment against sin on our behalf (Isaiah 53:4‑5). Suffering the brunt of divine wrath in the place of sinners was the "cup" He spoke of having to drink, and the baptism He was preparing to undergo (Matthew 20:22).

New Testament passages make it clear that Jesus' life is the price of redemption (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45). The redemption price, the "precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect," was paid to release people from "the empty way of life" received from the forefathers (1 Peter 1:18‑20 NLT). Redemption is a release "from all wickedness" (Titus 2:14 NIV). The redemption that Jesus accomplished by his blood is an eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12), intended to so cleanse us that we may "serve the living and true God" (1 Thessalonians 1:9).

Thus, redemption in the New Testament focuses on the condition of the believer, who had been locked in a wicked and empty way of life, and on the price of redemption, the blood of Christ. It also focuses on the result of redemption, a commitment by the believer to serve God (1 Thessalonians 1:9; 1 Corinthians 6:20 KJV).

The redeemed believer is given a place in the family of God and is called to live a life that reflects the rule and reign of God (Romans 8:12‑14).

Conclusions: Only the Scriptures, of all the world's religious writings, portrays the relationship between human beings and God in terms of redemption. Redemption reveals a helpless humanity; and redemption affirms a God whose love drives Him to take part by paying the price needed to win our release from Satan, sin, and the flesh (the fallen part of our humanity).

In the forgiveness made possible by the ransom of Christ, God kindly enables us to worship Him with a clean conscience despite our imperfections (Romans 4:5; Hebrews 9:13‑14). The ransom is the most outstanding evidence of God's love for us — "⁸But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. ⁹And since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God's wrath through him!" (Romans 5:8‑9 NLT; KJV).