βαλλάντιον G0905
A money-bag or purse used for carrying coins
In the ancient Mediterranean world, the ballántion was a leather pouch or purse used to carry money. Jesus twice references this item in Luke's Gospel — first forbidding the seventy disciples from carrying one on mission (Luke 10:4), then reversing that instruction at the Last Supper (Luke 22:36). In Luke 12:33, he urges selling possessions to obtain 'purses that do not wear out,' a striking metaphor for heavenly treasure. Spanish 'bolsa' and French 'bourse' both capture this everyday financial accessory.
Senses
1. sense 1 — A leather pouch or bag for carrying money, used in everyday commerce. All four NT occurrences appear in Luke's writings, where Jesus employs it as both a literal travel item (Luke 10:4; 22:35-36) and a metaphor for imperishable heavenly investment (Luke 12:33). The multilingual glosses — Spanish 'bolsa,' French 'bourse' — consistently point to a money-purse rather than a general bag. 4×
AR["أَكْيَاسًا", "كيساً", "كيسٌ", "كيسٍ"]·ben["টাকার-থলি", "থলি", "থলের"]·DE["βαλλάντια", "βαλλάντιον", "βαλλαντίου"]·EN["a-moneybag", "a-purse", "moneybags"]·FR["bourse"]·heb["כִּיס", "כִּיסִים"]·HI["थैलियाँ", "थैली", "बटुआ", "बटुए"]·ID["pundi-pundi"]·IT["ballantia", "ballantion", "ballantiou"]·jav["kanthong", "kanthong-arta", "kanthong-arta,"]·KO["돈주머니를", "전대를", "전대와"]·RU["кошели", "кошелька", "мешка", "мешок"]·ES["bolsa", "bolsas"]·SW["mfuko-wa-pesa", "mifuko", "mkoba"]·TR["kese", "keseler"]·urd["بٹوا", "بٹوے", "تھیلیاں"]
Related Senses
H2719 1. sword, weapon of war (410×)H4196 1. altar (place of sacrifice) (403×)H7393 1. chariot, chariotry (117×)H7198 1. bow (weapon) (72×)H7979 1. table (71×)H7782 1. ram's horn trumpet (69×)H4294 2. staff, rod, scepter (63×)H4043 1. shield, defensive weapon (60×)H0646 1. ephod (priestly garment) (49×)H8504 1. blue (violet-blue yarn/fabric) (49×)H2595 1. spear, lance (48×)H2671 1. arrow, projectile weapon (46×)H4818 1. chariot, war-chariot (44×)H3658 1. lyre, harp (stringed instrument) (42×)H1537 1. Gilgal (place name) (41×)H0713 1. purple (fabric/dye) (38×)H0905 3. poles, staves (37×)H7392 1. Qal participle: rider, charioteer (37×)H4501 1. cultic lampstand (menorah) (36×)H0212 1. wheel (35×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
βαλλάντιον, τό, bag, pouch, purse, [Refs 5th c.BC+; παῖς ἐκ βαλλαντίου a supposititious child, Refs __II javelin (as if from βάλλω), a pun in Refs 2nd c.AD+. (The spelling βαλλ-is better attested than that with βαλ-,Refs 5th c.BC+; compare βαλλαντιοτομέω, -τόμος.)