ὀφειλέτης (opheiletēs)
opheiletēs
debtor
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 7 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun opheiletēs identifies a person who is in debt or under obligation to another. In its literal sense, it describes someone who owes money or goods, as seen in the parable where a king settles accounts with servants (Matthew 18:24). The word carries the weight of a binding duty that must be satisfied.
Beyond financial transactions, Scripture uses this term metaphorically to describe moral and spiritual obligations. It applies to those who owe a debt of justice for wrongs committed, such as in Luke’s warning about the tower of Siloam (Luke 13:4). Paul also employs it to explain how believers are bound to fulfill their duties to others, whether in gratitude for favors received or in adherence to the law (Romans 1:14; Galatians 5:3).
Etymologically, the word derives from opheilō, meaning "to owe." This root highlights that the status of a debtor is not merely a temporary state but a condition of being held accountable. The term underscores the reality that every person stands before God with debts—whether of sin or duty—that require resolution.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, asking God to forgive our debts, we are using a word that carries heavy weight. The Greek term opheiletēs describes someone who owes a debt that cannot be ignored or ignored away. It reminds us that sin is not just a mistake but a binding obligation we cannot pay off on our own. This truth humbles us, showing that we stand in need of grace every single day.
Yet this word also points to the freedom found in Christ. Because Jesus paid the ultimate debt for us, we are released from the crushing burden of sin. We are no longer debtors to our old nature or to fear. Instead, we find ourselves free to live in gratitude, sharing the peace we have received with others.
This shift changes how we treat those around us. If God has cancelled a debt we could never repay, we are called to extend that same mercy to our neighbors. It is a simple but profound invitation to let go of grudges and offer forgiveness, reflecting the heart of the Father who loves us first.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 7 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- debtors4×
- a debtor3×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ὀφειλέτης3×
- ὀφειλέται3×
- ὀφειλέταις1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 6:12
Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.
This verse links our spiritual standing before God directly to our willingness to forgive others, using 'debtors' to show the intimate connection between receiving and giving mercy.
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Romans 8:12
So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
Paul uses this term to define the believer's new identity, clarifying that we are no longer bound by the sinful nature but are free to live by the Spirit.
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Galatians 5:3
Yes, I testify again to every man who receives circumcision that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
Here the word highlights the impossibility of earning salvation through law-keeping, showing that trying to add works to faith creates an unpayable burden of obligation.