For the redemption of his soul is costly, and never can payment suffice,
Parallel translations
- WEB For the redemption of their life is costly, no payment is ever enough,
- KJV (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)
- NKJV For the redemption of their souls is costly, And it shall cease forever—
- NASB For the redemption of his soul is priceless, And he should cease imagining forever—
- NLT Redemption does not come so easily, for no one can ever pay enough
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The price to redeem a human life is so costly that no payment could ever suffice. Salvation is beyond human purchase.
Overview
The redemption of a soul is 'costly'—so much so that no earthly payment can ever be enough. This deepens the previous verse: the problem is not merely that people lack funds, but that no amount could buy life from death. Scripture's answer is that only the precious blood of Christ, not silver or gold, can redeem (1 Peter 1:18-19).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 2
- Matt 16:26What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
- Job 36:18–19Be careful that no one lures you with riches; do not let a large bribe lead you astray.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 49:8 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.