ἀγοράζω

I buy

Definition

The verb ἀγοράζω primarily means 'to buy' or 'to purchase' in the marketplace. In the New Testament, it is used literally for commercial transactions, such as buying food (Mark 6:36) or a field (Matthew 27:7). It also carries a significant metaphorical sense of 'purchasing' or 'redeeming' people, most notably in contexts describing Christ's redemptive work (e.g., 1 Corinthians 6:20, 7:23; Revelation 5:9). This dual usage connects everyday economic activity with the profound theological concept of salvation.

Biblical Usage

ἀγοράζω appears 31 times across the Gospels, Pauline epistles, and Revelation. In the Gospels, it is often used in parables about the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 13:44, 13:46) and in narratives of practical need (Matthew 14:15, 21:12). Paul uses it to describe believers being 'bought at a price' (1 Corinthians 6:20). In Revelation, it refers to people being purchased for God by Christ's blood (Revelation 5:9, 14:3-4), emphasizing its theological application.

Etymology

Derived from ἀγορά (agora, G58), meaning 'marketplace' or 'assembly.' The verb literally means 'to do business in the marketplace.' It is a common commercial term in Koine Greek, with its meaning straightforwardly extending from the physical act of purchasing to broader metaphorical acquisitions.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically central to the doctrine of redemption. It vividly portrays salvation as a costly purchase, highlighting Christ's sacrificial death as the payment that 'buys back' believers from sin and death (1 Corinthians 6:20, Revelation 5:9). Understanding this Greek term enriches reading by connecting the economic imagery of the ancient marketplace to the priceless value of Christ's atoning work.

In the Greco-Roman world, the ἀγορά was the bustling center of civic and commercial life. 'Buying' (ἀγοράζω) was a public, transactional act. This context makes its metaphorical use for redemption powerful: just as goods were publicly acquired in the market, Christ's redemption was a decisive, public act. Furthermore, the term could be used in contexts of slavery, relating to the purchase of a slave, which deeply informs its theological use regarding being 'bought' from the slavery of sin.

λυτρόω (lytroō, G3084) — to redeem or ransom, focusing on the payment for release. ἐξαγοράζω (exagorazō, G1805) — to buy out or redeem, often with a sense of rescue from the marketplace (of sin).

Word Details

Scripture References