Lepton (small coin) — Meaning in the Bible
The smallest coin in circulation in Jesus' time. The poor widow put two of them in the temple treasury.
The text gives the coin's relation to a Roman quadrans, not a modern value; modern equivalents are not reliable.
What it means
Mark says the widow put in "two small brass coins, which equal a quadrans", and Jesus said she had given more than all the rest. Mark 12:41–44Luke 21:1–4
Jesus also warned that a person would not get out of prison until the last small coin was paid. Luke 12:59
Key passages
- Mark 12:41–44 — The widow's two coins.
- Luke 21:1–4 — Luke's account.
- Luke 12:59 — The last small coin.
Original language
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
- Older versions call these coins "mites"; modern versions say "small copper coins". Mark 12:42
For children
A lepton was the smallest coin. A poor widow gave two of them, all she had, and Jesus said she gave the most. Mark 12:42–44