# What Does Grace Mean in the Bible? > Grace in the New Testament is the Greek word charis, God’s favor given freely in Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:8–9 says salvation is that gift, not a wage. - Canonical: https://apologetics.wiki/christianity/grace-meaning-in-the-bible - Religions: Christianity - Denominations: none - Beliefs: none - Tags: grace, salvation, bible, greek - Updated: 2026-10-12 - Author: [Paul Ambrose](https://apologetics.wiki/author/hi-its-paul) ([GitHub](https://github.com/hi-its-paul)) Grace, in the Bible, is God’s favor given freely. The New Testament word in [Ephesians 2:8](/bible/ephesians/2/8) is [χάρις](/bible/greek/charis-g5485), charis. That verse says people are saved by grace through faith, and that this is the gift of God, not of works. ## Key Points - [Ephesians 2:8–9](/bible/ephesians/2) says, “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.” - The word page for [charis (G5485)](/bible/greek/charis-g5485) gives the short gloss “grace, favor, kindness.” - [Romans 11:6](/bible/romans/11/6) says that if it is by grace, it is no more of works, otherwise grace is no more grace. - [Romans 3:24](/bible/romans/3/24) says people are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. - [John 1:14](/bible/john/1/14) says the Word became flesh, full of grace and truth. Verse 17 says the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. - [Genesis 6:8](/bible/genesis/6/8) says Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. The Hebrew word is [חֵן](/bible/hebrew/chen-h2580), chen, and the word page glosses it “favour.” - [2 Nephi 25:23](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/25?lang=eng&id=23) says “it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” That is Latter-day Saint scripture. [(9)](#ref-9) ## What Does Grace Mean in the Bible? Ephesians 2:8–9 is the sentence people quote. [(1)](#ref-1) > 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. [Romans 3:24](/bible/romans/3/24) says justified freely by his grace, through the redemption in Christ Jesus. [Titus 2:11](/bible/titus/2/11) says the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. [What does the Bible say about salvation?](/christianity/what-does-the-bible-say-about-salvation) stays with those verses. This page is the word itself. ## What Is the Greek Word Charis? [Charis (G5485)](/bible/greek/charis-g5485) is the lemma behind “grace” in Ephesians 2:8. The site’s word page, from the Dodson lexicon, gives the short gloss “grace, favor, kindness.” The page does not add a gloss of its own. [Romans 11:6](/bible/romans/11/6) draws the line the word is used for: if by grace, then it is no more of works, otherwise grace is no more grace. [(2)](#ref-2) [John 1:14–17](/bible/john/1) says the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth, and that of his fulness we have received, and grace for grace. Verse 17 sets Moses’ law beside grace and truth that came by Jesus Christ. [The deity of Christ](/christianity/deity-of-christ) is who that Word is. [2 Corinthians 12:9](/bible/2-corinthians/12/9) records the word to Paul: “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” ## What Does the Hebrew Word Chen Mean? [Genesis 6:8](/bible/genesis/6/8) says Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. The Hebrew word page for [chen (H2580)](/bible/hebrew/chen-h2580) glosses it “favour.” That is favor shown, not a wage Noah paid. [(5)](#ref-5) ## How Does the Bible Speak About Showing Grace? [Colossians 4:6](/bible/colossians/4/6) says, “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” [Hebrews 4:16](/bible/hebrews/4/16) says to come boldly to the throne of grace, to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Those verses name speech and a throne. They are the texts. [(6)](#ref-6) [(7)](#ref-7) ## Do the Churches Agree About Grace and Salvation? Ephesians 2:8–9 is the shared sentence. Churches that confess the Trinity do not agree about baptism, or about whether a person who believes can fall away. [Is baptism necessary for salvation?](/christianity/is-baptism-necessary-for-salvation), [once saved, always saved](/christianity/once-saved-always-saved), and [what is Calvinism?](/christianity/what-is-calvinism) quote each church’s own text. They do not add a verdict. Latter-day Saint scripture adds a line the New Testament verses above do not. [2 Nephi 25:23](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/25?lang=eng&id=23) says it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do. [(9)](#ref-9) [What Do Mormons Believe?](/latter-day-saints/what-do-mormons-believe) quotes that verse beside the church’s Gospel Topics page on grace. This page does not turn into that article. The Nicene claim stays the gift in Ephesians 2. Jesus is God. [The Trinity](/christianity/the-trinity) is that confession. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What Does Grace Mean? God’s favor, given, not earned. Ephesians 2:8 calls it the gift of God. Romans 11:6 says that if it is of works, grace is no more grace. ### What Is the Greek Word? [χάρις](/bible/greek/charis-g5485), charis, G5485. The word page’s short gloss is “grace, favor, kindness.” ### How Does a Person Show Grace? Colossians 4:6 says speech is to be with grace, seasoned with salt. That is the verse. It is not a set of manners added beside the text. ## Passages Quoted on This Page ### Ephesians 2:8–9 King James Version. > [2:8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [2:9] Not of works, lest any man should boast. ### Romans 11:6 King James Version. > And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. ### Romans 3:24 King James Version. > Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: ### John 1:14 King James Version. > And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. ### Genesis 6:8 King James Version. > But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. ### 2 Nephi 25:23 English, churchofjesuschrist.org. [Open on churchofjesuschrist.org](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/25?lang=eng&id=23) > For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do. ### Titus 2:11 King James Version. > For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, ### John 1:14–17 King James Version. > [1:14] And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. [1:15] John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. [1:16] And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. [1:17] For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. ### 2 Corinthians 12:9 King James Version. > And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ### Hebrews 4:16 King James Version. > Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. ## Sources Numbered to match the HTML References list. Item 1 is `#ref-1` under `#references`. Scripture links to the King James Version on this site. 1. [Letter to the Ephesians, 2:8–9](https://apologetics.wiki/bible/ephesians/2). King James Version 2. [Letter to the Romans, 3:24; 11:6](https://apologetics.wiki/bible/romans/3/24). King James Version 3. [Letter to Titus, 2:11](https://apologetics.wiki/bible/titus/2/11). King James Version 4. [Gospel of John, 1:14–17](https://apologetics.wiki/bible/john/1). King James Version 5. [Book of Genesis, 6:8](https://apologetics.wiki/bible/genesis/6/8). King James Version 6. [Letter to the Colossians, 4:6](https://apologetics.wiki/bible/colossians/4/6). King James Version 7. [Letter to the Hebrews, 4:16](https://apologetics.wiki/bible/hebrews/4/16). King James Version 8. [Second Letter to the Corinthians, 12:9](https://apologetics.wiki/bible/2-corinthians/12/9). King James Version 9. [Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 25:23](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/25?lang=eng&id=23) (Latter-day Saint scripture. Not the Protestant canon.) ## See Also - [What Does the Bible Say About Salvation?](https://apologetics.wiki/christianity/what-does-the-bible-say-about-salvation) — The Bible says people are saved by grace through faith, not of works. Churches that confess the Trinity disagree about baptism and about whether a believer can fall away. - [Can You Lose Your Salvation? What Each Church Teaches About "Once Saved, Always Saved"](https://apologetics.wiki/christianity/once-saved-always-saved) — Can a Christian lose salvation? Official teaching from Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Reformed, Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, and other churches, with the King James verses each side cites. - [Does Archaeology Confirm the Bible?](https://apologetics.wiki/christianity/does-archaeology-confirm-the-bible) — The Pilate stone, the Tel Dan stele, Hezekiah’s tribute on the Taylor Prism, the Siloam tunnel inscription, and the Cyrus Cylinder name people and events the Bible also names. Each find has a limit. - [Does the Bible Contradict Itself?](https://apologetics.wiki/christianity/does-the-bible-contradict-itself) — Some Bible passages look as if they cannot both be true. Judas, the census numbers, and Matthew’s naming of Jeremy are real differences in the text. A contradiction is two claims that cannot both be true in the same way. - [How Many New Testament Manuscripts Are There?](https://apologetics.wiki/christianity/how-many-new-testament-manuscripts-are-there) — On 29 September 2023 the Münster Liste had 5,700 Greek New Testament entries, and the editors called that number a snapshot. Codex Sinaiticus is a fourth-century copy of the whole New Testament.