Chalkos originally denoted copper, the first metal humans learned to smelt, and by extension the bronze alloys made from it. In the New Testament, its five occurrences span a surprising range of reference: Jesus prohibits his disciples from carrying copper coins in their belts (Matt 10:9; Mark 6:8), Mark describes the bronze coins cast into the temple treasury (Mark 12:41), Paul compares loveless speech to a clanging bronze gong (1 Cor 13:1), and Revelation lists bronze among the luxury commodities of Babylon (Rev 18:12). German 'Kupfer' and French 'cuivre' preserve the base-metal sense, while Spanish 'cobre/bronce' reflects the material's dual identity.