Which is it? “Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Timothy 2:6) OR: “Even as the son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28)

The Bible does not contradict itself. Why did Paul say Jesus gave himself a ransom “for all,” but Jesus said, “for many”? The simple answer is “many” means “all,” as demonstrated in Romans 5:15: “…For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.” 

In Romans 5:15, the “many” are ALL of Adam’s posterity. Just as Adam’s posterity is ALL mankind, so those who will benefit from the free gift is ALL mankind. “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” 1 Corinthians 15:22.

Paul clearly explains this free gift is the opportunity to have eternal life. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). But when will mankind learn about Jesus and learn to walk in God’s ways? In the resurrection, when all that are in their graves shall hear his voice and come forth! (John 5:28,29) 

Many prophecies in the Old Testament foretell this amazing blessing.  Isaiah 26:9, Jeremiah 31:33,34, “…for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness…I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Additional Resources:
Christian Questions Podcast
Episode #1086: “Are Jesus’ Ransom and Our Salvation the Same?”
Clarifying the purpose of the ransom and the process of salvation
Preview Video
CQ Rewind Show Notes

For children, parents and Bible class teachers:
Animated video: Why did Jesus come to earth?