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Greek · G5046 · unreviewed

τέλειος

Perfect

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τέλειος G5046
Pronunciation téleios

What does τέλειος (téleios) mean in the Bible?

τέλειος (téleios) is a Greek word meaning "perfect". τέλειος, -α, -ον (τέλος), [in LXX chiefly for שָׁלֵם, תָּמִים and cogn. Defines covenant maturity in reflecting God’s character. This term runs through the canonical themes of Covenant.

Full entry for τέλειος (G5046) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

perfect
Extended definition

Complete maturity in moral and spiritual development, not merely flawless perfection or philosophical idealism.

(τέλος), [in LXX chiefly for שָׁלֵם, תָּמִים and cogn. forms ;] having reached its end, finished, mature, complete, perfect;

1of persons, primarily of physical development,
afull-grown, mature: Heb.5:14; ethically: Php.3:15; opposite to νήπιος (-άζειν), 1Co.2:6 14:20, Eph.4:13; τ. καὶ πεπληροφορημένοι, Col.4:12; τ. ἐν Χριστῷ, Col.1:28;
bcomplete, perfect (expressing the simple idea of complete goodness, without reference either to maturity or to the philosophical idea of a τέλος; see Hort on Jas.1:4): Mat.5:48 19:21, Jas.1:4 3:2; of God, Mat.5:48.
2Of things, complete, perfect: Rom.12:2; ἔργον, Jas.1:4; νόμος, Jas.1:25; δώρημα, Jas.1:17; ἀγάπη, 1Jn.4:18; τὸ τ., 1Co.13:10; compar., τελειοτέρα (σκηνή), Heb.9:11. (There is probably no reference in St. Paul's usage to the use of this term in the ancient mysteries; cf. ICC on Col.1:28; but see also Lft., in l, and Notes, 173 f.)
Synonymssee: ὁλόκληρος (and cf. Rendall, He., 158 ff.)
Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Why This Word Matters
Defines covenant maturity in reflecting God’s character. Matthew 5:43–48
Grammatical Forms

How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.

Nominative · Plural · Masculine Matt 5:48 · 1 Cor 14:20 · Phil 3:15 · Col 4:12 · Jas 1:4 5×
Nominative · Singular · Masculine Matt 5:48 · Matt 19:21 · Jas 3:2 3×
Nominative · Singular · Neuter Rom 12:2 · 1 Cor 13:10 · Jas 1:17 3×
Nominative · Singular · Feminine 1 John 4:18 1×
Genitive · Plural · Masculine Heb 5:14 1×
Genitive · Singular · Feminine Heb 9:11 1×
Dative · Plural · Masculine 1 Cor 2:6 1×
Accusative · Singular · Masculine Eph 4:13 · Col 1:28 · Jas 1:25 3×
Accusative · Singular · Neuter Jas 1:4 1×
19 total occurrences across all forms in the biblical text Morphology: MorphGNT SBLGNT — CC BY-SA 3.0
Canonical Themes
Covenant
Biblical Occurrences

Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.

New Testament Witnesses
Matthew 5:43–48 τέλειος téleios Nominative · Plural · Masculine
complete or mature
Appears In

Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.

τέλειος · τελείως G5046, G5049
complete (in various applications of labor, growth, mental and moral character, etc.); neuter (as noun, with ) completeness
νόμος · τέλειος · ἐλευθερία G3551, G5046, G1657
law (through the idea of prescriptive usage), genitive case (regulation), specially, (of Moses (including the volume); also of the Gospel), or figuratively (a principle)
μέγας · τέλειος · σκηνή G3173, G5046, G4633
greater and more complete sanctuary
νόμος · τέλειος G3551, G5046
complete law, perfect instruction
Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

1 Corinthians 13 — The More Excellent Way of Love 1 Corinthians 14 — Pursue Love, Desire Gifts, and Let All Things Be Done for Edification and Order Colossians 1 — The Supremacy of Christ and the Gospel of Reconciliation Colossians 4 — Prayer, Wise Witness, Faithful Service, and Gospel Fellowship Ephesians 4 — Walking Worthy: Unity, Maturity, and the New Life in Christ Matthew 19 — Marriage from Creation, Children Received, Riches Renounced, and the Reward of Following Christ Matthew 5 — Kingdom Blessedness, Fulfilled Law, and Heart-Level Righteousness Philippians 3 — Counting All Things Loss and Pressing On Toward Christ

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources

MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0

Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

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