Denarius — Meaning in the Bible
A Roman silver coin. In Jesus' parable a vineyard owner pays workers a denarius for a day's work; Caesar's image was on it.
Matthew 20:2 shows a denarius agreed as one day's pay in the parable. Converting it to modern money is not reliable.
What it means
In the parable of the workers the owner agrees to pay each worker a denarius for the day. Jesus asked to see a denarius and said "Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's". Matthew 20:1–2Matthew 22:19–21
The good Samaritan gave the innkeeper two denarii. Philip said two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for the crowd. Luke 10:35John 6:7
Key passages
- Matthew 20:1–16 — A day's pay.
- Matthew 22:15–22 — Whose image?
- Luke 10:35 — Two denarii at the inn.
- John 6:7 — Two hundred denarii of bread.
Original language
δηνάριον dēnarion
Greek · Strong’s G1220 · gloss: “denarius”
The Greek word denarion, from Latin denarius. Matthew 20:2
A Strong’s number is a reference identifier, not a complete definition: what a word means in a passage depends on its context. Lexical data: STEPBible.org, based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
How translations differ
- Some versions translate denarius as "a day's wage" or "a silver coin"; older versions say "a penny". Matthew 20:2
For children
A denarius was a silver coin. In one of Jesus' stories, workers were paid one denarius for a day of work. Matthew 20:2