Money in the Bible

A denarius was a day’s wage for a labourer (Matthew 20:2), so every sum is shown in days of work and in grams of silver. Today’s money is only a rough guide: wages and prices change every year.

Converter

Amount

Enter a non-negative number up to 1 000 000: 2, 0.5 or 1/4.

From

≈ 1 Drachma

Days of work: 1

Silver: ≈ 3.4–3.9 g, typically 3.8 g

Today's money is only a rough guide: wages and prices change every year.

Country

Today: 58 USD — at the minimum wage (7.25 USD per hour, as of 2026-09-29, U.S. Department of Labor: federal minimum wage (in force since 24.07.2009))

Today: ≈ 6.70–7.69 USD — at the price of silver (as of 2026-09-28, LBMA Silver Price, 28.09.2026)

Money

Unit	Equals	Value	Scripture
Denarius NT δηνάριον dēnarion The Roman silver coin and a labourer's pay for a day (Matthew 20:2). Under Augustus it weighed about 3.9 g, from Nero about 3.4 g.		Days of work: 1 Silver: ≈ 3.4–3.9 g ^[1][3]	Matthew 20:2, Matthew 22:19, Luke 10:35
Drachma NT δραχμή drachmē The Greek silver coin, reckoned equal to the denarius; the Attic drachma weighed about 4.3 g.	≈ 1 × Denarius	Days of work: ≈ 1 Silver: ≈ 3.4–4.4 g ^[3]	Luke 15:8, Acts 19:19
Didrachma NT δίδραχμον didrachmon Two drachmas, the yearly temple tax of half a shekel.	= 2 × Drachma	Days of work: ≈ 2 Silver: ≈ 6.8–8.8 g	Matthew 17:24
Stater NT στατήρ statēr Four drachmas, the temple tax for two; most likely the Tyrian shekel of about 14 g of silver.	= 4 × Drachma	Days of work: ≈ 4 Silver: ≈ 13.5–14.4 g ^[3]	Matthew 17:27
Piece of silver NT ἀργύριον argyrion A silver coin without a named value; the thirty pieces paid to Judas are usually taken as Tyrian shekels.	≈ 1 × Stater	Days of work: ≈ 4 Silver: ≈ 13.5–14.4 g	Matthew 26:15, Matthew 27:3
Assarion NT ἀσσάριον assarion The Roman copper as, a sixteenth of a denarius.	= 1/16 × Denarius	Days of work: 1/16 Silver: ≈ 0.213–0.244 g	Matthew 10:29, Luke 12:6
Quadrans NT κοδράντης kodrantēs The smallest Roman coin, a quarter of an as; two lepta make one (Mark 12:42).	= 1/4 × Assarion	Days of work: 1/64 Silver: ≈ 0.0531–0.0609 g	Matthew 5:26, Mark 12:42
Lepton NT λεπτόν lepton The smallest copper coin in circulation, half a quadrans, 1/128 of a denarius; in the Synodal translation also «полушка».	= 1/2 × Quadrans	Days of work: 1/128 Silver: ≈ 0.0266–0.0305 g	Mark 12:42, Luke 12:59, Luke 21:2
Mina (Greek) NT μνᾶ mna A hundred drachmas, about a hundred days of work.	= 100 × Drachma	Days of work: ≈ 100 Silver: ≈ 340–440 g	Luke 19:13, Luke 19:16
Talent (Greek) NT τάλαντον talanton Sixty minas, 6000 drachmas: about twenty years of a labourer's work.	= 60 × Mina (Greek)	Days of work: ≈ 6 000 Silver: ≈ 20.4–26.4 kg	Matthew 18:24, Matthew 25:15
Shekel of silver OT שֶׁקֶל sheqel Silver by weight, before coins; the price of land, of a slave, of a sacrifice. Reckoned at four drachmas: the half-shekel tax is paid with a didrachma in Matthew 17:24.	≈ 4 × Drachma	Days of work: ≈ 4 Silver: ≈ 10–13 g ^[1][2]	Genesis 23:16, Exodus 30:13, 2 Samuel 24:24
Beka OT בֶּקַע beqa Half a shekel, the ransom paid by every man counted in the census.	= 1/2 × Shekel of silver	Days of work: ≈ 2 Silver: ≈ 5–6.5 g	Exodus 38:26
Gerah OT גֵּרָה gerah A twentieth of a shekel.	= 1/20 × Shekel of silver	Days of work: ≈ 1/5 Silver: ≈ 0.5–0.65 g	Exodus 30:13
Pim OT פִּים pim Two thirds of a shekel, the Philistines' price for sharpening tools.	= 2/3 × Shekel of silver	Days of work: ≈ 2 2/3 Silver: ≈ 6.67–8.67 g	1 Samuel 13:21
Mina of silver OT מָנֶה maneh Fifty shekels of silver.	= 50 × Shekel of silver	Days of work: ≈ 200 Silver: ≈ 500–650 g	Ezra 2:69, Nehemiah 7:71
Talent of silver OT כִּכָּר kikkar 3000 shekels of silver, about 34 kg: a tribute of kings.	= 60 × Mina of silver	Days of work: ≈ 12 000 Silver: ≈ 30–39 kg	2 Kings 5:5, 2 Kings 15:19, Esther 3:9
Daric OT אֲדַרְכֹּן adarkon The Persian gold coin of about 8.4 g. Xenophon counts 3000 darics as ten talents, so a daric is about twenty drachmas; silver here is by that value.	≈ 20 × Drachma	Days of work: ≈ 20 Silver: ≈ 68–88 g	1 Chronicles 29:7, Ezra 8:27
Qesitah OT קְשִׂיטָה qesitah A unit of silver of the patriarchs' time; its value is unknown. Translations render it as «a piece of money» or «a lamb».		value unknown	Genesis 33:19, Joshua 24:32, Job 42:11

Sums and measures in Scripture

Passage	Scripture	Amount	Equivalent
The last lepton	Luke 12:58, 59	1 × Lepton	Days of work: 1/128 Silver: ≈ 0.0266–0.0305 g
The widow's two lepta	Mark 12:41–44, Luke 21:1–4	2 × Lepton	Days of work: 1/64 Silver: ≈ 0.0531–0.0609 g
The last quadrans	Matthew 5:25, 26	1 × Quadrans	Days of work: 1/64 Silver: ≈ 0.0531–0.0609 g
Two sparrows for an assarion	Matthew 10:29–31	1 × Assarion	Days of work: 1/16 Silver: ≈ 0.213–0.244 g
Five sparrows for two assaria	Luke 12:6, 7	2 × Assarion	Days of work: 1/8 Silver: ≈ 0.425–0.488 g
The lost drachma	Luke 15:8–10	1 × Drachma	Days of work: ≈ 1 Silver: ≈ 3.4–4.4 g
The woman's ten drachmas	Luke 15:8–10	10 × Drachma	Days of work: ≈ 10 Silver: ≈ 34–44 g
A choinix of wheat for a denarius	Revelation 6:6	1 × Denarius	Days of work: 1 Silver: ≈ 3.4–3.9 g
A day's pay in the vineyard	Matthew 20:1–16	1 × Denarius	Days of work: 1 Silver: ≈ 3.4–3.9 g
The coin of the tax to Caesar	Matthew 22:15–22, Mark 12:13–17, Luke 20:20–26	1 × Denarius	Days of work: 1 Silver: ≈ 3.4–3.9 g
Two denarii to the innkeeper	Luke 10:30–37	2 × Denarius	Days of work: 2 Silver: ≈ 6.8–7.8 g
The temple tax	Matthew 17:24–27	1 × Didrachma	Days of work: ≈ 2 Silver: ≈ 6.8–8.8 g
A stater for two	Matthew 17:24–27	1 × Stater	Days of work: ≈ 4 Silver: ≈ 13.5–14.4 g
The smaller debt forgiven	Luke 7:40–43	50 × Denarius	Days of work: 50 Silver: ≈ 170–195 g
The greater debt forgiven	Luke 7:40–43	500 × Denarius	Days of work: 500 Silver: ≈ 1.7–1.95 kg
A hundred denarii owed by a fellow servant	Matthew 18:23–35	100 × Denarius	Days of work: 100 Silver: ≈ 340–390 g
The unforgiving servant's debt	Matthew 18:23–35	10 000 × Talent (Greek)	Days of work: ≈ 60 000 000 Silver: ≈ 204 000–264 000 kg
A mina to each servant	Luke 19:12–27	1 × Mina (Greek)	Days of work: ≈ 100 Silver: ≈ 340–440 g
Five talents to the first servant	Matthew 25:14–30	5 × Talent (Greek)	Days of work: ≈ 30 000 Silver: ≈ 102–132 kg
Thirty pieces of silver	Matthew 26:14–16, Matthew 27:3–10	30 × Piece of silver	Days of work: ≈ 120 Silver: ≈ 405–432 g
Two hundred denarii of bread	Mark 6:35–44, John 6:5–7	200 × Denarius	Days of work: 200 Silver: ≈ 680–780 g
Ointment worth three hundred denarii	Mark 14:3–9, John 12:1–8	300 × Denarius	Days of work: 300 Silver: ≈ 1.02–1.17 kg
The books burned at Ephesus	Acts 19:19	50 000 × Drachma	Days of work: ≈ 50 000 Silver: ≈ 170–220 kg
The cave of Machpelah	Genesis 23:15, 16	400 × Shekel of silver	Days of work: ≈ 1 600 Silver: ≈ 4–5.2 kg
Joseph sold into Egypt	Genesis 37:28	20 × Shekel of silver	Days of work: ≈ 80 Silver: ≈ 200–260 g
Half a shekel of ransom	Exodus 30:13–15	1/2 × Shekel of silver	Days of work: ≈ 2 Silver: ≈ 5–6.5 g
The price of a slave	Exodus 21:32	30 × Shekel of silver	Days of work: ≈ 120 Silver: ≈ 300–390 g
Araunah's threshing floor	2 Samuel 24:24	50 × Shekel of silver	Days of work: ≈ 200 Silver: ≈ 500–650 g
The field at Anathoth	Jeremiah 32:9	17 × Shekel of silver	Days of work: ≈ 68 Silver: ≈ 170–221 g
Thirty pieces of silver for the shepherd	Zechariah 11:12, 13	30 × Shekel of silver	Days of work: ≈ 120 Silver: ≈ 300–390 g

Sources

Marvin A. Powell. Weights and Measures // The Anchor Bible Dictionary, ed. D. N. Freedman. Vol. 6. New York: Doubleday, 1992
R. B. Y. Scott. Weights and Measures of the Bible // The Biblical Archaeologist 22, no. 2 (1959)
Weights and Measures; Money // The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, rev. ed., ed. G. W. Bromiley. Vol. 3–4. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1986–1988