Real Bible Translation

, the one who is holding, let him lift up a money-purse, and likewise a leather pouch, and the one who is not holding, let him exchange the Outer Garment of himself and buy a dagger!⁷⁷

Julia Smith Literal 1876 Translation:
Then said he to them, But now, he having a purse, let him take up, and likewise a wallet: and he not having, let him sell his garment, and buy a sword.

LITV Translation:
Then He said to them, But now, the one having a purse, let him take it ; likewise also a wallet. And the one not having, let him sell his garment, and let him buy a sword.

ESV Translation:
He said to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one.

Footnotes

Abraham's Knife

The term μάχαιρα, though often broadly translated as sword, more precisely refers to a large knife or dagger, particularly in Classical and Hellenistic usage. The LSJ defines μάχαιρα as "a large knife or dirk," with early attestations in Homer (e.g., Il. 11.844) describing it as a weapon distinct from the longer, straight ξίφος (sword). The term frequently denotes a short-bladed weapon, suitable for close combat or assassination—hence its identification as "an assassin’s weapon" (Antiphon 5.69). While the word later encompasses curved or sabre-like cavalry blades (μ. ἱππική, IG XI.2.161), it remains consistently distinct from ξίφος, which denotes a longer, straighter blade. In philosophical and legal texts, μάχαιρα is even contrasted with ξίφος in contexts that stress this morphological and functional difference (e.g., Xen. Eq. 12.11). Therefore, in many literary and historical settings, μάχαιρα is best rendered as dagger or dirk, not merely sword.

Cf. LSJ s.v. μάχαιρα: “as a weapon, short sword, dagger … later, sabre, opp. the straight sword (ξίφος) … an assassin's weapon …”