Salvation is God's gift through Jesus Christ: God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son (John 3:16); if thou shalt confess… and believe… thou shalt be saved (Romans 10:9); by grace are ye saved through faith… not of works (Ephesians 2:8-9); and there is none other name under heaven whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12).
The heart of the Christian message is salvation—rescue from sin and death through Jesus Christ. These twelve King James passages declare the gospel plainly: God's love, Christ's cross, grace through faith, and the call to believe. They are for seekers, new believers, and anyone sharing the good news.
The gospel in one verse
1. John 3:16
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
2. Romans 5:8
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Salvation begins with God's love toward the undeserving.
3. Isaiah 53:5
"But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities… and with his stripes we are healed. The Suffering Servant bears our sin.
4. 2 Corinthians 5:21
"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Exchange at the cross: our sin for His righteousness.
Saved by grace through faith
5. Ephesians 2:8-9
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
6. Titus 3:5
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;"
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.
7. Romans 10:9
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
8. Acts 16:31
"And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. The jailer heard a clear call: believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Christ the only way
9. Acts 4:12
"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
10. John 14:6
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Salvation's path is a Person.
11. Romans 6:23
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Wages vs. gift—death earned, life given.
12. 1 John 1:9
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Confession meets faithful forgiveness.
A short prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for dying for my sins and rising again. I believe You are Lord. Save me by Your grace, forgive my sins, and make me Yours forever. Amen.
Go deeper: a SOAP study prompt
Pick one verse above and write: - Scripture: copy the verse by hand. - Observation: what does it say? Who is speaking, to whom? - Application: what does it mean for you today? - Prayer: turn it into a two-line prayer.
New to this method? See our Bible study guide or pick a Bible reading plan.
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Frequently asked questions
What Bible verses explain salvation?
John 3:16, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 10:9, and Acts 4:12 together present God's love, grace through faith, confession and belief, and Christ as the only name for salvation.
Where does the Bible say by grace are ye saved through faith?
Ephesians 2:8-9. Salvation is God's gift, not of works, lest any man should boast.
How do I get saved according to the Bible?
Romans 10:9 and Acts 16:31 call you to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ—confess Him as Lord and believe God raised Him from the dead.
Is salvation by works?
No—Ephesians 2:8-9 and Titus 3:5 say we are saved by grace and mercy, not by works of righteousness we have done. Good works follow salvation; they do not earn it.
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
Related: Bible verses about faith · Bible verses about God's love · Bible verses about forgiveness · Bible verses on hope · Bible verses about trusting God
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