μαμωνᾶς G3126
Mammon; wealth or riches personified, viewed as a rival master to God.
Mamonas is an Aramaic loanword (mamona, 'wealth' or 'possessions') that Jesus uses to personify riches as a competing lord demanding allegiance. The saying 'You cannot serve God and Mammon' (Matt 6:24; Luke 16:13) frames the choice as absolute -- two masters, two loyalties. In Luke 16:9 Jesus paradoxically urges using 'unrighteous mammon' to make friends for eternity, and in Luke 16:11 faithfulness with mammon becomes a test of fitness for true riches. The word's Aramaic origin gives it an almost demonic resonance in Greek ears.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Wealth or material possessions personified as a rival deity or master. Jesus declares that no one can serve both God and Mammon (Matt 6:24; Luke 16:13), framing the pursuit of riches as a form of idolatry. In Luke 16:9, 11 he speaks of 'unrighteous mammon' and 'faithful in mammon,' treating wealth as a proving ground for spiritual trustworthiness. The Aramaic origin is preserved across all translations -- Spanish 'Mamón,' French 'Mammon,' German 'Mammon' -- none domesticate it, preserving its foreignness and its ominous overtone as a power that competes with God. 4×
AR["المالَ", "المَالِ", "لِلْمَالِ", "مَالِ"]·ben["ধনের।", "মমোনায়", "মমোনার"]·DE["μαμωνᾶ", "μαμωνᾷ"]·EN["mammon"]·FR["Mammon"]·heb["מָמוֹן"]·HI["धन-की", "मामोना", "मामोने-की।", "मामोने-में"]·ID["mamon"]·IT["mamona"]·jav["Mamon", "mamon", "mamon,", "mamon."]·KO["맘몬", "맘몬에서", "맘몬으로", "맘몬을"]·PT["a-Mamom", "riquezas", "às-riquezas"]·RU["маммоне", "маммоны", "мамоне"]·ES["a-Mamōn", "a-mamonás", "mamonás", "riquezas"]·SW["mamona", "mamoni"]·TR["mamona", "mamonda", "paaya"]·urd["خدمت-کرنا", "دولت-کی", "مامون"]
Related Senses
H3605 1. all, every, whole (5352×)H0259 1. one (cardinal numeral) (940×)H8147 1. cardinal number two (666×)G3956 1. all (collective plural) (616×)H3967 1. cardinal numeral hundred (550×)H1419a 1. great, large (general quality) (486×)H7969 1. cardinal number three (431×)H0505 1. cardinal number thousand (427×)H7651 1. seven (cardinal number) (393×)G1520 1. cardinal number one (339×)H6240 1. ten (cardinal number) (334×)H6242 1. twenty (cardinal number) (315×)H2568 1. cardinal number five (309×)H0702 1. four (cardinal number) (277×)G3956 2. every, each (distributive) (227×)H8337 1. six (cardinal number) (215×)G3956 3. all things, everything (substantive) (211×)G3956 4. (187×)H6235 1. ten (177×)G3173 1. great in size or extent (176×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
μαμωνᾶς, ᾶ, wealth, NT