Greek word · G3785

ὄφελον

ophelon

I wish!

Originally a form of opheilō ('I ought'), it hardened into a particle for an unattainable or unfulfilled wish: 'would that, if only.' With a past-tense indicative it marks something contrary to fact (Gal 5:12; 2 Cor 11:1; Rev 3:15).

Appears 4 times in 4 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ὄφελον 2 aorist of ὀφείλω, without the augment (see M, Pr., 201n), used to express a fruitless wish;

[in LXX (with aor. indic.): Exodus 16:3 (נָתַן מִי), Numbers 14:2 Numbers 20:3 (לוּא), Psalms 119:5 (אַחֲלַי), etc. ;]

in cl. with an infin. (chiefly poët.),

would that: with indic. aor., 1 Corinthians 4:8; impf., 2 Corinthians 11:1, Revelation 3:15; fut., Galatians 5:12 (a practicable wish, see 131., 206 f., 220. The construction with indic. is only found in late writers.)†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of 1 Corinthians 4:8

Range of meaning

Originally a form of opheilō ('I ought'), it hardened into a particle for an unattainable or unfulfilled wish: 'would that, if only.' With a past-tense indicative it marks something contrary to fact (Gal 5:12; 2 Cor 11:1; Rev 3:15).

Against the English

KJV 'I would to God' adds 'God', which is not in the Greek; it was an older English idiom for an earnest wish. BSB 'How I wish you really were' captures the sense well.

Used elsewhere in the period

Common in the Septuagint for wistful wishes (Exod 16:3 'would that we had died'; Num 14:2) and in Koine papyri.

From the study of Revelation 3:15

Range of meaning

A fixed form, originally from opheilō, 'to owe, ought'. It hardened into a particle meaning 'would that!' / 'if only!', used to introduce wishes that are unattainable or not presently being realized.

Against the English

KJV 'I would thou wert' and BSB 'How I wish' both catch the longing. Some readers take it as a cool statement of preference ('I'd rather you were…'), which loses the pathos.

Used elsewhere in the period

1 Cor 4:8: 'would that you did reign!'; 2 Cor 11:1; Gal 5:12. In the LXX: Exod 16:3, 'if only we had died in Egypt'; Num 14:2. With a past-tense indicative it marks a wish contrary to present fact.

From the study of Galatians 5:12

Range of meaning

An exclamation of wish: "O that…!", "would that…!", "if only…!" Originally a form of opheilō ("to owe, ought"), frozen into a particle in Hellenistic Greek. In the NT it appears with past tenses for wishes that cannot or did not come true (1 Cor 4:8; 2 Cor 11:1; Rev 3:15).

Against the English

Most English versions render "I wish," which is accurate. KJV's "I would" is old English for the same thing.

Used elsewhere in the period

Common in the Septuagint and papyri as a wish formula (e.g. Exodus 16:3, "would that we had died"). Grammars (BDF §384) note that ophelon with the future indicative, as here, is unusual and may present the wish as one that could actually be fulfilled.

Similar words

Where it appears

1 Corinthians · 1

  1. 1 Corinthians 4:8 ὄφελόν I wish that

    Already you have all you want. Already you have become rich. Without us, you have become kings. How I wish you really were kings, so that we might be kings with you!

    Here: A fixed particle for a wish that has not come true: 'if only.' It concedes that the reign they claim is not real yet.

2 Corinthians · 1

  1. 2 Corinthians 11:1 Ὄφελον I wish

    I hope you will put up with a little of my foolishness, but you are already doing that.

Galatians · 1

  1. Galatians 5:12 ὄφελον I wish

    As for those who are agitating you, I wish they would proceed to emasculate themselves!

    Here: A fixed word that opens an exclamation of wish, like English "If only…!" It began as a form of the verb "to owe" ("it ought to be…") and hardened into a particle. Here it gives the whole line the tone of an outburst, not a calm statement.

Revelation · 1

  1. Revelation 3:15 ὄφελον I wish

    I know your deeds; you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were one or the other!

    Here: A fixed particle introducing a wish that is not being fulfilled: 'If only…!' It expresses longing and frustration, not a neutral preference.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.