Lexical Summary opheiló: To owe, to be indebted, to be obligated Original Word: ὀφείλω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance owe, oughtOr (in certain tenses), its prolonged form opheileo (of-i-leh'-o) probably from the base of ophelos (through the idea of accruing); to owe (pecuniarily); figuratively, to be under obligation (ought, must, should); morally, to fail in duty -- behove, be bound, (be) debt(-or), (be) due(-ty), be guilty (indebted), (must) need(-s), ought, owe, should. See also ophelon. see GREEK ophelos see GREEK ophelon HELPS Word-studies 3784 opheílō (a primitive verb, NAS dictionary) – to owe, be indebted, i.e. obliged to rectify a debt ("ought"). 3784 /opheílō ("owe") refers to being morally obligated (or legally required) to meet an obligation, i.e. to pay off a legitimate debt. [3784 (opheílō) "originally belonged to the legal sphere; it expressed initially one's legal and economic, and then later one's moral, duties and responsibilities to the gods and to men, or to their sacrosanct regulations. . . . opheílō expresses human and ethical responsibility in the NT" (DNTT, 2, 662.663).] NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. word Definition to owe NASB Translation had (1), have (1), indebted (2), must (1), obligated (3), ought (15), owe (4), owed (4), owes (1), responsible (1), should (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3784: ὀφείλωὀφείλω; imperfect ὤφειλον; present passive participle ὀφειλόμενος; from Homer down; to owe; a. properly, to owe money, be in debt for: τίνι τί, Matthew 18:28; Luke 16:5; without a dative, Matthew 18:28; Luke 7:41; Luke 16:7; Philemon 1:18; τό ὀφειλόμενον, that which is due, the debt, Matthew 18:30; αὐτῷ (which L Tr WH omit), that due to him, Matthew 18:34. b. metaphorically: τί, passive τήν εὔνοιαν ὀφειλομένην, the good-will due (A. V. (not R. V.) due benevolence), 1 Corinthians 7:3 Rec.; μηδενί μηδέν ὀφείλετε (here ὀφείλετε, on account of what precedes and what follows, must be taken in its broadest sense, both literal and tropical), εἰ μή τό ἀλλήλους ἀγαπᾶν, owe no one anything except to love one another, because we must never cease loving and the debt of love can never be paid, Romans 13:8. absolutely, to be a debtor, be bound: Matthew 23:16, 18; followed by an infinitive to be under obligation, bound by duty or necessity, to do something; it behooves one; one ought; used thus of a necessity imposed either by law and duty, or by reason, or by the times, or by the nature of the matter under consideration (according to Westcott (Epistles of John, p. 5), Cremer, others, denoting obligation in its special and personal aspects): Luke 17:10; John 13:14; John 19:7 (ὀφείλει ἀποθανεῖν, he ought to die); Acts 17:29; Romans 15:1, 27; 1 Corinthians 5:10; (1 Corinthians 7:36 (A. V. need so requireth)); c. after the Chaldee (see ὀφειλέτης, b., ὀφείλημα, b.), ὀφείλω τίνι, to have wronged one and not yet made amends to him (A. V. indebted), Luke 11:4. (Compare: προσοφείλω.) The verb ὀφείλω (Strong’s 3784) gathers every nuance of indebtedness, duty, and moral imperative. In Greek culture the term could denote monetary debt, legal responsibility, or social obligation. The New Testament gathers all three ideas, using the word to describe (1) financial liabilities, (2) covenantal or relational duties, and (3) moral and spiritual “oughtness.” Each occurrence fleshes out what believers owe—to God, to one another, and to a watching world. Financial Debt in the Teaching of Jesus 1. Parables of the Debtors 2. Warnings about Oaths and Material Obligation In Matthew 23:16–18 Jesus rebukes casuistry that minimized genuine responsibility: “If anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.” Manipulating categories of obligation insults God’s holiness. 3. The Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:4) “Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.” Monetary language frames sin; ultimate liabilities are moral, and only divine forgiveness cancels the ledger. Moral and Spiritual “Oughtness” toward God 1. Christ’s Incarnation and Atonement Hebrews 2:17: “Therefore He had to be made like His brothers in every way, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest.” Divine necessity (ὤφειλεν) grounds the Gospel: the Son’s assumption of flesh was not optional but obligatory to accomplish redemption. 2. The Pattern of Christlikeness 1 John 2:6 insists, “Whoever claims to abide in Him must walk as Jesus walked.” Union with Christ produces an irrevocable obligation to imitate Him. 3. Sound Worship and Theology Acts 17:29: “Therefore, being offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone.” Right doctrine is not a luxury; it is required worship. Obligations within the Covenant Community 1. Love as the Only Perpetual Debt Romans 13:8: “Owe no debt to anyone except to love one another.” Financial metaphors explain a limitless moral duty—love is never “paid off.” 2. Bearing with the Weak Romans 15:1: “We who are strong ought to bear with the shortcomings of the weak.” Spiritual maturity brings obligation, not privilege. 3. Supporting Gospel Workers 1 Corinthians 9:10 teaches that the laborer “ought to partake of the harvest.” Material support for ministry is not charity but overdue remuneration (cf. 3 John 8). 4. Mutual Care in Marriage and Family Ephesians 5:28: “Husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies.” Covenant love translates into concrete duty. 1 Corinthians 7:36 notes a father’s obligation toward an engaged daughter, showing pastoral sensitivity to first-century family structures. Apostolic Integrity and Accountability Paul’s repeated use of ὀφείλω underscores transparent responsibility: Eschatological and Judicial Overtones Matthew 18 and 23 link obligation with final reckoning; defaulted debts end in prison (18:34). The vocabulary of “ought” foresees the judgment seat where every account is settled (cf. Matthew 12:36). Pastoral Applications 1. Stewardship: Christians must keep temporal debts manageable to maximize availability for kingdom service (Romans 13:8). Key Passages for Study Luke 11:4; Matthew 18:28–34; Matthew 23:16–18; Romans 13:8; Romans 15:1–2, 27; 1 Corinthians 9:10–11; Ephesians 5:28; Hebrews 2:17; 1 John 2:6; 1 John 4:11; 3 John 8. Summary ὀφείλω threads through thirty-five New Testament verses, binding theology and ethics. It reminds believers that grace does not abolish obligation; it redirects it. Christ paid the impossible debt of sin and now commands His people to live as joyful debtors—owing continual love to God, sacrificial service to the saints, and gospel witness to the nations. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 18:28 V-IIA-3SGRK: αὐτοῦ ὃς ὤφειλεν αὐτῷ ἑκατὸν NAS: who owed him a hundred KJV: which owed him INT: of his who owed him a hundred Matthew 18:28 V-PIA-2S Matthew 18:30 V-PPM/P-ANS Matthew 18:34 V-PPM/P-ANS Matthew 23:16 V-PIA-3S Matthew 23:18 V-PIA-3S Luke 7:41 V-IIA-3S Luke 11:4 V-PPA-DMS Luke 16:5 V-PIA-2S Luke 16:7 V-PIA-2S Luke 17:10 V-IIA-1P John 13:14 V-PIA-2P John 19:7 V-PIA-3S Acts 17:29 V-PIA-1P Romans 13:8 V-PMA-2P Romans 15:1 V-PIA-1P Romans 15:27 V-PIA-3P 1 Corinthians 5:10 V-IIA-2P 1 Corinthians 7:36 V-PIA-3S 1 Corinthians 9:10 V-PIA-3S 1 Corinthians 11:7 V-PIA-3S 1 Corinthians 11:10 V-PIA-3S 2 Corinthians 12:11 V-IIA-1S 2 Corinthians 12:14 V-PIA-3S Ephesians 5:28 V-PIA-3P Strong's Greek 3784 |
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