Debtor

Cross-references:

• Also found in Nave's Topical Bible
• Also found in Easton's Bible Dictionary

Debtor

1. opheiletes
2. chreopheiletes

opheiletes "one who owes anything to another," primarily in regard to money; in Matt_18:24, "who owed" (lit., "one was brought, a debtor to him of ten thousand talents"). The slave could own property, and so become a "debtor" to his master, who might seize him for payment.

It is used metaphorically,
(a) of a person who is under an obligation, Rom_1:14, of Paul, in the matter of preaching the Gospel; in Rom_8:12, of believers, to mortify the deeds of the body; in Rom_15:27, of gentile believers, to assist afflicted Jewish believers; in Gal_5:3, of those who would be justified by circumcision, to do the whole Law:
(b) of those who have not yet made amends to those whom they have injured, Matt_6:12, "our debtors;" of some whose disaster was liable to be regarded as a due punishment, Luke_13:4 (RV, "offenders;" AV, sinners;" marg., "debtors").

See also : opheiletes in other topics

chreopheiletes lit., "a debt-ower" (chreos, "a loan, a debt," and opheiletes), is found in Luke_7:41, of the two "debtors" mentioned in the Lord's parable addressed to Simon the Pharisee, and in Luke_16:5, of the "debtors" in the parable of the unrighteous steward. This parable indicates a system of credit in the matter of agriculture. In the Sept., Job_31:37, "having taken nothing from the debtor;" Prov_29:13, "when the creditor and the debtor meet together." The word is more expressive than opheiletes.

Note: In Matt_23:16 opheilo, "to owe" (see DEBT), is translated "he is a debtor." The RV marg., keeping the verbal form, has "bound by his oath" (AV, marg., "bound"). In the 18th verse the AV, "he is guilty," means that he is under obligation to make amends for his misdeeds.