6:7a

Philip answered: Philip replied to Jesus. Translate this speech introducer in a natural way in your language.

Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread: The Berean Standard Bible translates the Greek phrase literally as Two hundred denarii. A denarius was a silver coin. It was the average day’s wage for a common worker. So the Greek expression refers to the amount of money that it took a worker more than six months to earn.

Here are other ways to translate this clause:

Two hundred silver coins worth of bread would not be enough (NET Bible)
-or-
It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread (New International Version)

6:7b

for each of them to have a small piece: This phrase means “for each person to be able to eat a small amount.” It implies that nobody would be satisfied. It may be natural to say:

for everyone to receive ⌊even⌋ a small amount
-or-
for each person to have only a little piece (New Century Version)
-or-
for each one to have a bite! (New International Version)

General Comment on 6:7a–b

In some languages it may be natural to change the order of this verse. For example:

7a Philip answered, 7b “For everyone to have even a little, 7a it would take more than two hundred silver coins to buy enough bread.” (Good News Translation)

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