πήρα

a sack, wallet

Definition

πήρα refers to a traveler's bag or wallet, typically made of leather or coarse cloth, used for carrying food and personal provisions on a journey. In the New Testament, it specifically denotes the kind of bag that itinerant workers, philosophers, or travelers would carry. Jesus instructs his disciples not to take a πήρα when he sends them out on a mission of urgency and dependence on God (Matthew 10:10, Mark 6:8, Luke 9:3, 10:4). However, in Luke 22:35-36, Jesus later tells them to take a πήρα, indicating a shift to a time of self-provision and heightened opposition.

Biblical Usage

The word is used exclusively in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke), always in the context of Jesus's instructions to his disciples about what to carry—or not carry—on their journeys. Its usage highlights a thematic contrast: initially, the disciples are to travel without a πήρα to demonstrate dependence on God's provision through hospitality (Matthew 10:10, Luke 9:3). Later, Jesus tells them to take one, signaling a new era of self-sufficiency and peril (Luke 22:35-36).

Etymology

Derived from the ancient Greek word πήρα, meaning a leather pouch, sack, or wallet. It is a common term for a traveler's bag in classical Greek literature, used by soldiers, shepherds, and philosophers. The word itself does not have a complex derivation but denotes a simple, functional container.

Semantic Range

The πήρα is theologically significant as a symbol of dependence versus self-reliance in discipleship. Jesus's command to forgo the bag (Matthew 10:10) teaches total reliance on God's provision and the hospitality of the gospel message. The later instruction to take one (Luke 22:35-36) marks a transition to a period where the disciples must prepare for opposition and a world less receptive to their message, reflecting the changing nature of their mission after Jesus's departure.

In the 1st-century Greco-Roman world, a πήρα was a common item for travelers, beggars, philosophers (like the Cynics), and soldiers. It was often made of animal skin and slung over the shoulder. When Jesus told his disciples not to take one, it would have been culturally surprising, as it meant renouncing the normal means of securing food and money, forcing them to rely entirely on the generosity of those they ministered to.

θύλακος (thylakos, G1199) — a general term for a bag or sack, often larger; βαλλάντιον (ballantion, G905) — specifically a money bag or purse.

Word Details

Scripture References