WG: Debt / Obligation¶
Overview¶
The debt/obligation concept in the Greek NT centers on the ὀφείλω word family — a verb root with three derived nouns, two compound forms, and two semantically linked verbs for debt cancellation (forgiveness). The group spans financial, moral, and relational obligation.
Word Group Members¶
| Strong's | Word | Transliteration | POS | Occurrences | Role in Concept | Library Entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G3784 | ὀφείλω | opheilō | verb | 35 | The action (to owe, ought) | TODO(need G3784 study) |
| G3783 | ὀφείλημα | opheilēma | neuter noun | 2 | The thing owed (debt, obligation) | G3783 |
| G3782 | ὀφειλή | opheilē | feminine noun | 3 | The state of indebtedness (due) | G3782 |
| G3781 | ὀφειλέτης | opheiletēs | masculine noun | 7 | The person who owes (debtor) | G3781 |
| G5533 | χρεοφειλέτης | chreopheiletēs | masculine noun | 2 | A loan-debtor (compound) | TODO(need G5533 study) |
| G4359 | προσοφείλω | prosopheilō | verb | 1 | To owe additionally (compound) | TODO(need G4359 study) |
| G863 | ἀφίημι | aphiēmi | verb | 133 | Debt cancellation (forgive, release) | G863 |
| G5483 | χαρίζομαι | charizomai | verb | 19 | Gracious cancellation (forgive freely) | G5483 |
Relationships¶
Shared Roots¶
- opheilō (G3784), opheilēma (G3783), opheilē (G3782), opheiletēs (G3781) — all from root ὀφείλω
- prosopheilō (G4359) = πρός + ὀφείλω (to owe in addition)
- chreopheiletēs (G5533) = χρέος (loan) + ὀφειλέτης (debtor)
Co-occurrence (appear in same verses)¶
| Word A | Word B | Shared Verses | Typical Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| G3784 opheilō | G5533 chreopheiletēs | 2x | Luk 7:41 — "a creditor which had two debtors: the one owed..." |
| G3783 opheilēma | G3781 opheiletēs | 1x | Mat 6:12 — "forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors" |
| G3783 opheilēma | G863 aphiēmi | 1x | Mat 6:12 — debt released through forgiveness |
| G3782 opheilē | G863 aphiēmi | 1x | Mat 18:32 — "I forgave thee all that debt" |
| G3784 opheilō | G3781 opheiletēs | 1x | Rom 15:27 — mutual obligation between Jew and Gentile |
| G3784 opheilō | G863 aphiēmi | 1x | Luk 11:4 — "forgive...every one that is indebted to us" |
| G3781 opheiletēs | G863 aphiēmi | 1x | Mat 6:12 — debtor released by forgiveness |
Semantic Contrast¶
- G5485 χάρις (charis) — grace. Explicitly antithetical to opheilēma in Rom 4:4: wage earned by work is debt (obligation); what God gives in justification is grace (unearned gift).
Roles in the Concept¶
- Action: opheilō (G3784) — the owing itself; also extended to moral "ought"
- Thing Owed: opheilēma (G3783) — the concrete debt/obligation (-μα result noun)
- State: opheilē (G3782) — the condition of indebtedness, the sum due
- Person: opheiletēs (G3781) — the debtor, the one under obligation
- Compound Person: chreopheiletēs (G5533) — specifically a loan-debtor
- Compound Action: prosopheilō (G4359) — additional/further indebtedness
- Release: aphiēmi (G863) — to send away, forgive, cancel the debt
- Gracious Release: charizomai (G5483) — to forgive freely, as a favor
Key Passages Where Multiple Group Words Appear Together¶
- Mat 6:12 — [G3783 + G3781 + G863] "And forgive (aphiēmi) us our debts (opheilēmata), as we forgive our debtors (opheiletais)."
- Luk 7:41 — [G3784 + G5533] "A certain creditor which had two debtors (chreopheiletai): the one owed (opheilō) five hundred pence..."
- Mat 18:32 — [G3782 + G863] "I forgave (aphiēmi) thee all that debt (opheilē)."
- Luk 11:4 — [G3784 + G863] "Forgive (aphiēmi) us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted (opheilō) to us."
Generated from: gather_word_group_data.py, search_strongs.py Last updated: 2026-05-03