G3784 ὀφείλω (opheílō)

Ought (3784)(opheilo from ophéllo = heap up) means to owe something to someone. Literally it speaks of financial indebtedness and thus means to owe money, to be in debt, or to describe that which is due (Mt 18:28, Lk 7:41, 16:5, 7, Philemon 1:18). The verb opheilo was sometimes used to describe "the debt" itself. Figuratively, opheilo describes a sense of indebtedness to someone for something. For example, it was used to describe owing good will (1Co 7:3), love (Ro 13:8 = we can never love enough and will always "owe" this debt). Opheilo in most of the NT uses conveys the sense of necessity, duty or to be under obligation (obligation = moral requirement which conveys the binding force of civility, kindness or gratitude, when the performance of a duty cannot be enforced by law). The idea is that one is held or bound by duty, moral obligation or necessity to do something. Thus opheilo can mean that it behooves one to do something (Mt 23:16, 18). Opheilo is used of a necessity imposed either by law and duty, by reason, by the times, or by the nature of the matter under consideration (Lk 17:10, Jn 13:14 = you also [because Jesus washed their feet] ought to wash one another's feet, Jn 19:7, Acts 17:29 = ought not to think..., Ro 15:1, 27 = they are indebted to them...indebted to minister, Eph 5:28 = husbands ought also to love their own wives, 2Th 1:3, 2:13 = ought to give thanks to God; He 5:12 = ought to be teachers; 1Jn 2:16 = ought to walk [like Jesus], 1Jn 3:16 = [Jesus laid down His life] we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren; 1Jn 4:11 = [because of God's love] we also ought to love one another; 3Jn 1:8 = we ought to support such men) English dictionaries say that "ought" is used to express obligation [ought to pay our debts], advisability [ought to take care of yourself], natural expectation [ought to be here by now], or logical consequence [the result ought to be infinity]. Ought expresses prudent expediency (you ought to be more careful with your money) Note that opheilo speaks of a moral obligation as contrasted to a necessity in the nature of the case as is dei [word study]. The original Greek sentence order places emphasis on the obligation or debt we owe (Young's literal = "and we ought - we who are strong..."). The sense is because we are strong we have a debt or moral obligation to aid those who are weak. Paul uses the same verb, opheilo to explain our obligation to continually owe (Ro 13:8-note). The implication is that the strong are to show agape love, that love which reaches out and picks up the weak brother because it seeks his highest good and it does so expecting nothing in return. From the context apparently the strong brethren in Rome were living to please self. Things haven't changed much in the church have they? Opheilo - 35x in 34v and is translated in the NAS as had(1), have(1), indebted(2), must(1), obligated(3), ought(15), owe(4), owed(4),owes(1), responsible(1), should(2). Matthew 18:28 "But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, 'Pay back what you owe.' Matthew 18:30 "He was unwilling however, but went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. Matthew 18:34 "And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. Matthew 23:16 "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obligated.' Matthew 23:18 "And, 'Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing, but whoever swears by the offering upon it, he is obligated.' Luke 7:41 "A certain moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Luke 11:4 'And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.'" Luke 16:5 "And he summoned each one of his master's debtors, and he began saying to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?' Luke 16:7 "Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?' And he said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' He said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.' Luke 17:10 "So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.'" John 13:14 "If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. John 19:7 The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and by that law He ought to die because He made Himself out to be the Son of God." Acts 17:29 "Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone (idolatry is directly attacked as an affront to God and a devaluation of Him), an image formed by the art and thought of man . Romans 13:8 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. Romans 15:1 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. Romans 15:27 Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them (the Jerusalem saints). For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things. 1 Corinthians 5:10 I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters; for then you would have to go out of the world. 1 Corinthians 7:36 But if any man thinks that he is acting unbecomingly toward his virgin daughter (either a fiancée, a daughter, or the ward of a guardian), if she should be of full age (past the bloom of youth), and if it must be so, let him do what he wishes, he does not sin; let her marry. 1 Corinthians 9:10 Or is He speaking altogether for our sake? Yes, for our sake it was written, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops. 1 Corinthians 11:7 For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. 1 Corinthians 11:10 Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 2 Corinthians 12:11 I have become foolish; you yourselves compelled me. Actually I should have been commended by you, for in no respect was I inferior to the most eminent apostles, even though I am a nobody. 2 Corinthians 12:14 Here for this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I do not seek what is yours, but you; for children are not responsible to save up for their parents (Literal = or the children ought not for the parents to lay up), but parents for their children. Ephesians 5:28 So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; 2 Thessalonians 1:3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater; 2 Thessalonians 2:13 But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. Philemon 1:18 But if he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account; Hebrews 2:17 Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. Hebrews 5:3 and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins, as for the people, so also for himself. Hebrews 5:12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 1 John 2:6 the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. Comment: In other words your "actions speak louder than your words" or as James would say, "your faith has works" and thus your faith is genuine. If you do not have godly conduct (note not "perfection" but one's general "direction"), you are not a believer, no matter how loudly you claim (or protest). NET Bible Note: "Abides" = The Greek verb meno (which) is commonly translated into contemporary English as "remain" or "abide," but both of these translations have some problems: "Abide" has become in some circles almost a "technical term" for some sort of special intimate fellowship or close relationship between the Christian and God, so that one may speak of Christians who are "abiding" and Christians who are not. It is accurate to say the word indicates a close, intimate (and permanent) relationship between the believer and God. However, it is very important to note that for the author of the Gospel of John and the Johannine Epistles every genuine Christian has this type of relationship with God, and the person who does not have this type of relationship (cf. 2Jn 9) is not a believer at all (in spite of what he or she may claim). 1 John 3:16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 3 John 1:8 Therefore we ought to support such men, that we may be fellow workers with the truth. Opheilo - 5x in the Septuagint - Deut 15:2; Job 6:20; Pr 14:9; Isa 24:2; Ezek 18:7 "Copy and paste the address below into your web browser in order to go to the original page which will allow you to access live links related to the material on this page - these links include Scriptures (which can be read in context), Scripture pop-ups on mouse over, and a variety of related resources such as Bible dictionary articles, commentaries, sermon notes and theological journal articles related to the topic under discussion." http://www.preceptaustin.org/romans_15_word_studies.htm#o