ὤφειλον
opheilon
probably from the base of ὄφελος (through the idea of accruing); to owe (pecuniarily); figuratively, to be under obligation (ought, must, should); morally, to fail in duty:--behove, be bound, (be) debt(-or), (be) due(-ty), be guilty (indebted), (must) need(-s), ought, owe, should. See also ὄφελον.
2 Corinthians 12:11 · Word #8
Lexicon G3784
| Lemma | ὀφείλω |
| Transliteration | opheílō |
| Strong's | G3784 |
Morphology V IMPF ACT IND 1P SG
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | V — Verb — An action or state of being |
| Tense | IMPF — Imperfect — Continuous or repeated past action |
| Voice | ACT — Active — The subject performs the action |
| Mood | IND — Indicative — States a fact or reality |
| Person | 1P — 1st person — The speaker ("I" / "we") |
| Number | SG — Singular — One |
Lexical Info
| Lemma | ὀφείλω |
| Strong's | G3784 |
SIBI-P1 G3784-07
I was owing
| Root | ὀφείλω (opheilō) |
| Core Meanings | to owe, to be indebted, to be obligated, to be bound by duty |
| Semantic Range | to owe a debt, to be under financial obligation, to be morally bound, to be required, ought, must, to be indebted in duty or gratitude |
| Conceptual Significance | In biblical usage, ὀφείλω often expresses moral and relational obligation—whether financial debt, covenantal duty, or ethical responsibility. It can frame human responsibility toward God and others, highlighting the concept of indebtedness as a metaphor for sin, love, and covenant faithfulness. |
| Morphological Notes | Verb; imperfect tense (past ongoing), active voice, indicative mood, first person singular. The imperfect denotes continuous or repeated action in past time. |
| Rendering Rationale | The rendering "I was owing" preserves the core idea of indebtedness or obligation inherent in ὀφείλω, while reflecting the imperfect tense (ongoing or continuous past action), active voice, indicative mood, and first person singular form—indicating that the speaker was in a continuing state of obligation in the past. |
AI-generated (openai/gpt-5.2-chat-latest)
Words from Root ὀφείλω (to owe, to be indebted, to be obligated, to be bound by duty)
| SILEX Code | Transliteration | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
G3784-01 |
opheilei | he/she/it is owing |
G3784-02 |
opheileis | you are owing / you are under-obligation |
G3784-03 |
opheilen | he/she was owing; he/she was under-obligation |
Word Usage (35 occurrences of G3784)
| Location | Form | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew 18:28 | ὤφειλεν | opheilen | |
| Matthew 18:28 | ὀφείλεις | opheileis | |
| Matthew 18:30 | ὀφειλόμενον | opheilomenon |