The Greek verb agorazō (ἀγοράζω) means to buy, to purchase, to acquire — from agora (the marketplace, the public forum where commerce occurred). It is used both in mundane commercial contexts (buying food, land) and in the profound theological context of Christ's redemptive work. The slave market background is crucial: slaves were agorazō'd — purchased and transferred to new ownership. Paul applies this directly to believers: "You were bought with a price" (1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23). Revelation uses it to describe Christ purchasing people for God (Revelation 5:9; 14:3–4).
Agorazō is one of three Greek words for redemption in the New Testament (alongside lytroō and exagorazō). It vividly images salvation as a purchase from slavery: humanity was enslaved to sin (Romans 6:17; John 8:34); Christ paid the purchase price (His own blood) to transfer believers from the domain of darkness to the kingdom of light (Colossians 1:13). The price is emphasized: it was not cheap ("you were bought at a price" — the aorist passive indicating a completed transaction). Revelation 5:9 shows the heavenly worship chorus celebrating this purchase: "You are worthy to take the scroll... because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation." This grounds both the security of salvation (we belong to God, fully purchased) and the ethic of holiness (we are not our own).