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Greek · G5055 · unreviewed

τελέω

To finish

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τελέω G5055
Pronunciation teléō

What does τελέω (teléō) mean in the Bible?

τελέω (teléō) is a Greek word meaning "to finish". τελέω, -ῶ (τέλος), [in LXX for כָּלָה, pi. Declares prophetic completion in Christ. This term runs through the canonical themes of Messiah.

Full entry for τελέω (G5055) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to finish
Extended definition

To complete something to its appointed end or purpose; fulfillment rather than mere cessation.

(τέλος), [in LXX for כָּלָה, pi., etc. ;]

1to bring to an end, complete, finish: τ. δρόμον, 2Ti.4:7; τ. λόγους, Mat.7:28 19:1 26:1; τ. παραβολάς, Mat.13:53; τ. πόλεις, Mat.10:23; pass., Rev.15:8 20:3, 5 20:7; with ptcp., Mat.11:1.
2to execute, perform, complete, fulfil: Luk.2:39, Act.13:29, Rom.2:27, 2Co.12:9, Gal.5:16, Jas.2:8, Rev.11:7; pass., Luk.12:50 18:31 22:37, Jhn.19:28, 30, Rev.10:7 15:1 17:17.
3to pay (frequently in cl.): Mat.17:24, Rom.13:6 (cf. ἀπο-, δια-, ἐκ-, ἐπι-, συν-τελέω).
Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Why This Word Matters
Declares prophetic completion in Christ. Luke 18:31–34
Grammatical Forms

How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.

Tenses
Aorist Perfect Present Future
Voices
Active Passive
Indicative states a fact or reality 18×
Aorist Active Matt 7:28 · Matt 11:1 · Matt 13:53 · Matt 19:1 · Matt 26:1 · Luke 2:39 · Acts 13:29 7×
Present Active Rom 13:6 · Jas 2:8 · Matt 17:24 3×
Perfect Passive John 19:28 · John 19:30 2×
Aorist Passive Rev 10:7 · Rev 15:1 2×
Future Passive Luke 18:31 · Rev 17:17 2×
Present Passive 2 Cor 12:9 1×
Perfect Active 2 Tim 4:7 1×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 8×
Aorist Passive Luke 12:50 · Rev 20:3 · Rev 20:5 · Rev 20:7 · Rev 15:8 5×
Aorist Active Matt 10:23 · Gal 5:16 · Rev 11:7 3×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 1×
Aorist Passive Luke 22:37 1×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 1×
Present Active Rom 2:27 1×
28 total occurrences across all forms in the biblical text Morphology: MorphGNT SBLGNT — CC BY-SA 3.0
Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 28 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect
completed 9 ongoing 4 prospective 2 resultant 3 subjunctive 8 infinitive 1 participle 1
Tense
aorist 18 present 5 perfect 3 future 2
Voice
active 15 passive 13
Mood
indicative 18 subjunctive 8 infinitive 1 participle 1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 7:28 ἐτέλεσεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 10:23 τελέσητε aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 11:1 ἐτέλεσεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 13:53 ἐτέλεσεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 17:24 τελεῖ present active indicative ongoing Matthew 19:1 ἐτέλεσεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 26:1 ἐτέλεσεν aorist active indicative completed Luke 2:39 ἐτέλεσαν aorist active indicative completed Luke 12:50 τελεσθῇ aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive Luke 18:31 τελεσθήσεται future passive indicative prospective Luke 22:37 τελεσθῆναι aorist passive infinitive infinitive John 19:28 τετέλεσται perfect passive indicative resultant John 19:30 Τετέλεσται perfect passive indicative resultant Acts 13:29 ἐτέλεσαν aorist active indicative completed Romans 2:27 τελοῦσα present active participle participle Romans 13:6 τελεῖτε present active indicative ongoing 2 Corinthians 12:9 τελεῖται present passive indicative ongoing Galatians 5:16 τελέσητε aorist active subjunctive subjunctive 2 Timothy 4:7 τετέλεκα perfect active indicative resultant James 2:8 τελεῖτε present active indicative ongoing Revelation 10:7 ἐτελέσθη aorist passive indicative completed Revelation 11:7 τελέσωσιν aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Revelation 15:1 ἐτελέσθη aorist passive indicative completed Revelation 15:8 τελεσθῶσιν aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive Revelation 17:17 τελεσθήσονται future passive indicative prospective Revelation 20:3 τελεσθῇ aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive Revelation 20:5 τελεσθῇ aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive Revelation 20:7 τελεσθῇ aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive

Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.

Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)

Canonical Themes
Messiah
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
Luke 18:31–34 τελεσθήσεται teléō Indicative · Future Passive
will be fulfilled
Additional Occurrences
Luke 2:39–40 ἐτέλεσαν teléō
They completed, fulfilled
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.

ἕως · τελέω G2193, G5055
until it is accomplished, completed, fulfilled
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.

John 19 — The Crucified King: Behold the Man, Behold Your King, It Is Finished, and the Pierced Son Luke 18 — Persistent Faith, Humble Mercy, and the King on the Road to Jerusalem Matthew 11 — The Messiah Question, the Rejected Generation, and Rest for the Weary Matthew 19 — Marriage from Creation, Children Received, Riches Renounced, and the Reward of Following Christ Matthew 26 — The Betrayal, Passover, Gethsemane, Trial, and Denial of Jesus

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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