Bible Lexicons

For ὀφείλω in its ordinary sense ";owe"; money, see P Eleph 2.10 (a Will—B.C. 285–3) (= Chrest. II. p. 356), where provision is made that their sons are to be responsible for any debts that their parents may contract during their lifetime—ἐὰν δέ τι ἐξαπορῶνται ἢ χρέος ὀφείλωσιν Διονύσιος ἢ Κάλλιστα ζῶντες τρεφέτωσαν αὐτοὺς οἱ υἱεῖς πάντες κοινῆι καὶ συναποτινέτωσαν τὰ χρέα πάντες : cf. P Magd 25 recto.7 (B.C. 221) εἰ δέ τι ἀντιλέγει, μὴ ὀφείλειν ὀμόσας μοι, ἀπολελύσθω, ";if he denies the debt, and swears that he owes me nothing, let him be released,"; BGU III. 846.16 (ii/A.D.) (= Selections, p. 95) ὀφείλω ὀβολόν, P Oxy VII. 1067.12 (iii/A.D.) εἰπὲ αὐτῷ περὶ τῆς κέλλας ὅτι ἐσφραγίσθη τὴν κέλλαν αὐτοῦ μηδὲν ὀφείλων (l. ὀφείλοντος), ";tell him about his cellar, that it has been sealed up although he owes nothing"; (Ed.), ib. XII. 1489.4 (late iii/A.D.) ἐνοχλεῖς μοι ὅτι ὀφείλεις Ἀγαθὸς (= ῷ) Δαίμονι χαλκόν · πεπλήρωσ (= κ)α αὐτόν, ";you worry me about the money which you owe to Agatho-daemon : I have paid him in full"; (Edd.), and P Tebt II. 424.6 (late iii/A.D.) ἴσθι δὲ ὅτι ὀφίλις φόρους καὶ ἀποφορὰς ἑπτὰ ἐτῶν, ";let me tell you that you owe seven years’ rents and dues"; (Edd.). An interesting ex. of the verb used metaphorically is afforded by P Oxy VII. 1021.1 (A.D. 54) with reference to the decease of the Emperor Claudius—ὁ μὲν ὀφειλόμενος τοῖς προγόνοις καὶ ἐνφανὴς θεὸς Καῖσαρ εἰς αὐτοὺς κεχώρηκε, ";the Caesar who had to pay his debt to his ancestors, god manifest, has joined them"; (Ed.). Cf. P Tebt II. 294.24 (A.D. 146) ἵνα καὶ αἱ ὀφίλ [ο ]υσαι ἱερουργίαι τῶν σε φιλούντων θεῶν ἐπιτελῶνται, ";in order that the due services of the gods who love you maybe performed"; (Edd.), and the important inscr. Syll 633 (= .8 1042).15 (ii/iii A.D.) cited. s.v. ἱλάσκομαι.

For ὀφείλω c. inf. = ";ought,"; cf. P Oxy VII. 1021.14 (A.D. 54) διὸ πάντες ὀφείλομεν. . . θεοῖς πᾶσι ε ̣ι ̣̓δ ̣ε ̣ναι χάριτας, ";therefore we all ought to give thanks to all the gods,"; P Ryl II. 77.39 (A.D. 192) ἀναδεξάμενος τὴν μείζονα ἀρχὴν οὐκ ὀφείλει τὴν ἐλάττον᾽ ἀποφεύγειν, ";a person who has offered to undertake the greater office ought not to shun the lesser"; (Edd.), and P Giss I. 40ii. 23 (A.D. 215) ἐ [κεῖνοι ] κωλ [ύ ]εσθαι ὀφε [ί ]λουσιν, οἵτινες φεύγουσι τὰς χώρας τὰς ἰδίας. See also s.v. προσοφείλω.