"a debtor, one who owes, Mt. 18:24; met. one who is in any way bound, or under obligation to perform any duty, Rom. 1:14; 8:12; 15:27; Gal. 5:3; in NT one who fails in duty, a delinquent, offender, Mt. 6:12; a sinner, Lk. 13:4, cf. v. 2*"
Definition and meaning
a debtor, one who owes, Mt. 18:24; met. one who is in any way bound, or under obligation to perform any duty, Rom. 1:14; 8:12; 15:27; Gal. 5:3; in NT one who fails in duty, a delinquent, offender, Mt. 6:12; a sinner, Lk. 13:4, cf. v. 2*
In the original Greek the word is written: ὀφειλέτης
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of opheiletes (G3781) across the King James Bible.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.
For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
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Common questions
Strong's G3781 (opheiletes) is a Greek word that means: a debtor, one who owes, Mt. 18:24; met. one who is in any way bound, or under obligation to perform any duty, Rom. 1:14; 8:12; 15:27; Gal. 5:3; in NT one who fails in duty, a delinquent, offender, Mt.... It appears 7 times in the King James Bible.
The word opheiletes (G3781) appears 7 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G3781 is opheiletes, a Greek word defined as: a debtor, one who owes, Mt. 18:24; met. one who is in any way bound, or under obligation to perform any duty, Rom. 1:14; 8:12; 15:27; Gal. 5:3; in NT . James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
opheiletes is a Greek word found in the New Testament.