Greek word · G465

ἀντάλλαγμα

antallagma

in exchange

"That which is given in exchange": an equivalent, a trade-off, a purchase price or compensation (BDAG). It comes from ἀντί ("in place of") + ἀλλάσσω ("to change, exchange"), and belongs to the language of the market and of settling accounts.

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἀντ-άλλαγμα, -τος, τό

(ἀντί, ἄλλαγμα; ἀλλάσσω) [in LXX chiefly for מְחִיר ;]

an exchange, the price received as an equivalent for an article of commerce: Matthew 16:26, Mark 8:37 (cf. Sirach 26:14; and see Swete, Mk., l.with; Cremer, 90).†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Mark 8:37

Range of meaning

"That which is given in exchange": an equivalent, a trade-off, a purchase price or compensation (BDAG). It comes from ἀντί ("in place of") + ἀλλάσσω ("to change, exchange"), and belongs to the language of the market and of settling accounts.

Against the English

"In exchange for" (KJV, BSB, NASB, NIV) gets the idea across well. ESV's "in return for" is softer. NLT turns the question into one about worth. None of these brings out the echo of a ransom price.

Used elsewhere in the period

LXX 3 Kgdms (1 Kings) 20:2 (21:2): Ahab offers Naboth "a better vineyard as antallagma". Job 28:15: silver cannot be weighed out "as its exchange" for wisdom. Sirach 6:15: "a faithful friend has no antallagma" (nothing is worth as much). Sirach 26:14: "there is no antallagma for a well-trained soul (psychē)". Ruth 4:7: legal exchange.

From the study of Matthew 16:26

Range of meaning

Something given in exchange, an equivalent value, the price paid in a trade.

Against the English

All the versions say 'in exchange for', which is accurate. The rhetorical sense is 'what price could buy it back?' or 'what is it worth?'.

Used elsewhere in the period

Septuagint Sirach 6:15: 'a faithful friend has no antallagma', meaning nothing is worth as much. Sirach 26:14: there is no antallagma for a well-trained soul (psychē). LXX Ruth 4:7 uses it for the legal exchange of property. The thought also matches LXX Psalm 48:8–9 (Heb. 49:7–9): no one can pay God the ransom for his own life, because 'the redemption-price of their psychē' is too costly.

Where it appears

Matthew · 1

  1. Matthew 16:26 ἀντάλλαγμα [as] an exchange for

    What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

    Here: Something handed over in return for something else, an equivalent value. Nothing a person owns is worth as much as his own life, so nothing can buy it back.

Mark · 1

  1. Mark 8:37 ἀντάλλαγμα [as] an exchange

    Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

    Here: A trade word: whatever is handed over in return for something else, its equal value or purchase price. With no article and placed beside the object, it means "as the price": nothing a person owns could be paid for the self.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.