ὀφείλημα
opheílēma
G3783 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
That which is owed; a debt or obligation, either monetary or metaphorical. In its primary sense, refers to what one is bound to pay, return, or fulfill to another. Used figuratively for moral or spiritual obligations, such as wrongdoing or sin conceived as a debt owed to another or to the divine. The core meaning is 'debt,' but context determines the specific application (financial, legal, or moral/spiritual).
Semantic Range
debt, obligation, something owed (legal or financial); offense or transgression conceived as a debt; penalty; moral or spiritual liability
Root / Etymology
From the verb ὀφείλω (to owe, to be obligated), specifically from the alternate form ὀφείλω. The noun is formed with the suffix -μα, which often indicates the result of an action or a state. Thus, ὀφείλημα is properly 'that which is owed,' i.e., a debt or obligation resulting from owing.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term ὀφείλημα is attested in Koine Greek, including documentary papyri, where it refers to financial debts or formal obligations. In the New Testament, notably in Matthew 6:12 ('forgive us our debts'), the word is used in a spiritual or metaphorical sense to refer to offenses or sins conceived as debts requiring forgiveness—reflecting both a legal and ethical dimension. In wider Hellenistic Greek, the term retained a primary reference to monetary debts, but could be extended metaphorically to unpaid duties or penalties. The English tradition of translating it as 'debt' captures the base meaning, but sometimes narrows the broader semantic range, especially the figurative usage for spiritual or moral obligations. The shift to moral and spiritual senses is shaped by contemporaneous Jewish and Greek thought, where sin is sometimes metaphorized as debt owed to God or another. Related terms include ὀφειλέτης ('debtor'), and ὀφείλω ('to owe'). The sense of 'fault' or 'transgression,' common in some English translations, emerges from the metaphorical extension, particularly within religious discourse.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from (the alternate of) ὀφείλω; something owed, i.e. (figuratively) a due; morally, a fault:--debt.
Root Family
ὀφειλ- (opheilétēs) — to owe, to be obligated, to be in debt
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| G3781 | ὀφειλέτης | debtors |
| G3782 | ὀφειλή | debts |
| G3784 | ὀφείλω | is obligated |
| G4359 | προσοφείλω | you are additionally obligated |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3783-01 |
ὀφείλημα | opheilema | N ACC N SG |
debt | a debt | a debt | 1 |
G3783-02 |
ὀφειλήματα | opheilemata | N ACC N PL |
debts | debts | debts | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3783-02 |
Matthew 6:12 | ὀφειλήματα | opheilemata | N ACC N PL |
debts | debts | debts |
G3783-01 |
Romans 4:4 | ὀφείλημα | opheilema | N ACC N SG |
debt | a debt | a debt |