Lexical Summary teleioó: To complete, to perfect, to accomplish, to bring to an end. Original Word: τελειόω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance consecrate, finish, fulfill, make perfect. From teleios; to complete, i.e. (literally) accomplish, or (figuratively) consummate (in character) -- consecrate, finish, fulfil, make) perfect. see GREEK teleios HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 5048 teleióō – to consummate, reaching the end-stage, i.e. working through the entire process (stages) to reach the final phase (conclusion). See 5056 (telos). [This root (tel-) means "reaching the end (aim)." It is well-illustrated with the old pirate's telescope, unfolding (extending out) one stage at a time to function at full-strength (capacity effectiveness).] NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom teleios Definition to bring to an end, to complete, perfect NASB Translation accomplish (2), accomplished (1), finish (1), fulfill (1), full number (1), made perfect (4), made...perfect (1), make...perfect (1), make perfect (1), perfect (2), perfected (7), reach...goal (1), spending the full number (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 5048: τελειόωτελειόω (in secular authors also τελεόω, which Herodotus uses everywhere (and which is the prevailing form in Attic prose (Liddell and Scott)); other writers use both forms indifferently), τελείω: 1 aorist ετελείωσα; perfect τετελείωκα; passive (or middle), present τελειοῦμαι; perfect τετελείωμαι; 1 aorist ἐτελειωθην; (τέλειος); from Herodotus, Sophocles, Thucydides, and Plato down; equivalent to τέλειον ποιῶ, to make perfect or complete; 1. to carry through completely; to accomplish, finish, bring to an end: τόν, Acts 20:24; τό ἔργον, John 4:34; John 5:36; John 17:4,(Nehemiah 6:16; τόν οἶκον, 2 Chronicles 8:16); τάς ἡμέρας, Luke 2:43; middle (present cf. Buttmann, 38 (33)) τελειοῦμαι, I finish complete, what was given me to do, Luke 13:32 (some (so A. V.) take it here as passive, I am perfected (understanding it of his death; cf. Ellicott, Life of our Lord, Lect. vi., p. 242 n{1}; Keim, ii., 615 n^1)). 2. to complete (perfect), i. e. add what is yet lacking in order to render a thing full: τήν ἀγάπην, passive, 1 John 2:5; 1 John 4:12, 17; ἡ δύναμις μου ἐν ἀσθένεια τελειοῦται, my power shows itself most efficacious in them that are weak, 2 Corinthians 12:9 R G; ἐκ τῶν ἔργων ἡ πίστις ἐτελειώθη, by works faith was perfected, made such as it ought to be, James 2:22; τετελείωται τίς ἐν τῇ ἀγάπη, one has been made perfect in love, his love lacks nothing, 1 John 4:18 (οἱ τελειωθεντες ἐν ἀγάπη, Clement of Rome, 1 Cor. 50, 3 [ET]; (τελειῶσαι τήν ἐκκλησίαν σου ἐν τῇ ἀγάπη σου, 'Teaching' etc. 10, 5 [ET])); ἵνα ὠσί τετελειωμένοι εἰς ἕν, that they may be perfected into one, i. e. perfectly united, John 17:23. τινα, to bring one's character to perfection: ἤδη τετελείωμαι, I am already made perfect, Philippians 3:12 (Wis. 4:13; ὦ ψυχή ... ὅταν τελειωθης καί βραβειων καί στεφάνων ἀξιωθης, Philo de legg. alleg. 3, 23; ψυχή ... τελειωθεισα ἐν ἀρετῶν ἀθλοις καί ἐπί τόν ὅρον ἐφικομενη τοῦ καλοῦ, id. de somn. 1, 21; equivalent to to be footpad perfect, Sir. 34:10 (Sir. 31:10). 3. to bring to the end (goal) proposed: οὐδέν, Hebrews 7:19; τινα, (to perfect or consummate) i. e. to raise to the state befitting him: so of God exalting Jesus to the state of heavenly majesty, Hebrews 2:10; in the passive, Hebrews 5:9; Hebrews 7:28; to raise to the state of heavenly blessedness those who put their faith in the expiatory death of Christ, passive, Hebrews 11:40; Hebrews 12:23 ((Act. Petr. et Paul. § 88, Tdf. edition, p. 39; Act. Barnab. § 9, id., p. 68; cf. 'Teaching' etc. 16, 2 [ET]); with μαρτυρίῳ added, of the death of the apost. Paul, Eusebius, h. e. 2, 22, 2 (cf. Heinichen's note on 7, 15, 5)); to make one, meet for future entrance on this state and give him a sure hope of it even here on earth, Hebrews 10:1, 14; τινα κατά συνείδησιν, Hebrews 9:9; cf. Bleek, Brief an d. Hebrews 2:1, p. 297ff; C. R. Köstlin, Lehrbegriff des Evang. u. der Briefe Johannis (Berl. 1843), p. 421ff; Riehm, Lehrbegriff des Hebrew-Br., § 42, p. 340ff; Pfleiderer, Paulinismus, p. 344f. (English translation, ii, p. 72ff). 4. to accomplish, i. e. bring to a close or fulfilment by event: τήν γραφήν, the prophecies of Scripture, passive, John 19:28 (cf. Winers Grammar, 459 (428); Buttmann, § 151, 20). The verb τελειόω appears twenty-three times in the New Testament and consistently conveys the idea of bringing something or someone to its intended goal. Whether the object is Christ’s messianic mission, the old covenant, an individual believer, or the church as a whole, the word underscores a process that ends in divinely appointed completion rather than mere cessation. Perfection in the Person and Work of Jesus Christ The letter to the Hebrews anchors τελειόω in Christ’s own experience. “In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting for God…to make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering” (Hebrews 2:10). The verb highlights that the incarnate Son reached the full goal of His redemptive vocation via obedient suffering, culminating at Golgotha (John 19:28). Because His priesthood is “perfected forever” (Hebrews 7:28), He can “perfect for all time those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14). His completed work validates the new covenant and renders the former sacrificial system incapable of “perfecting the conscience of the worshiper” (Hebrews 9:9). Completion of the Redemptive Plan Luke frames Jesus’ earthly ministry in terms of divine necessity. “On the third day I will be perfected” (Luke 13:32), He declares, a terse prophecy pointing to resurrection as the climactic stage of His mission. John’s Gospel echoes the theme: “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work” (John 4:34); “I have glorified You on earth by accomplishing the work You gave Me to do” (John 17:4). Acts records Paul adopting the same vocabulary: he values his life only insofar as he may “finish [τελειῶσαι] my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus” (Acts 20:24). In each case τελειόω underscores that God’s plan unfolds toward a determinate, victorious end. Believer’s Sanctification and Maturity Hebrews 5:9 links the perfected Christ with the perfected believer: “And once made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.” Salvation includes an ongoing transformation aimed at maturity. Paul confesses that he has not yet “been perfected” (Philippians 3:12), indicating a dynamic process in which believers pursue the goal already secured in Christ. The church is described as “the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven…of the spirits of the righteous made perfect” (Hebrews 12:23), revealing an ultimate communal consummation. Faith Proven Through Works James draws on the Abraham narrative to illustrate that genuine faith reaches its intended goal through obedient action: “You see that his faith was working with his actions, and his faith was perfected by what he did” (James 2:22). Here τελειόω reinforces the inseparability of faith and works; action does not add to faith but brings it to its full expression. Love Brought to Fullness 1 John employs the perfect tense five times to teach that God’s love achieves its goal among His people. “If we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us” (1 John 4:12). Perfected love drives out fear (1 John 4:18) and offers objective assurance: “By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence on the day of judgment” (1 John 4:17). The abiding presence of love, therefore, signals that God’s intended work in the believer is reaching its telos. Pastoral and Missional Focus Paul’s statement to the Ephesian elders—his desire to “finish my course” (Acts 20:24)—demonstrates that ministry aims at the completion of a God-given stewardship. Jesus’ repeated “I must finish” assertions (John 4:34; John 5:36) establish the paradigm: ministry is successful not merely when tasks are performed but when divine assignment reaches its appointed conclusion. Corporate Eschatological Perfection Hebrews 11:40 teaches that the saints of former ages “were not perfected apart from us.” This eschatological insight binds the entire people of God into one redemptive storyline that will be consummated at Christ’s return. The verb points beyond individual sanctification to the final glorification of the church, when God’s purpose for His creation is fully realized. Theological Reflections 1. τελειόω affirms the reliability of divine purpose; what God begins He brings to completion. In sum, Strong’s Greek 5048 unfolds a rich biblical motif: God perfects His Son’s mission, perfects His people through that mission, and will perfect the entire redemptive order in the age to come. Englishman's Concordance Luke 2:43 V-APA-GMPGRK: καὶ τελειωσάντων τὰς ἡμέρας NAS: and as they were returning, after spending the full number of days, KJV: And when they had fulfilled the days, INT: and having completed the days Luke 13:32 V-PIM/P-1S John 4:34 V-ASA-1S John 5:36 V-ASA-1S John 17:4 V-APA-NMS John 17:23 V-RPM/P-NMP John 19:28 V-ASP-3S Acts 20:24 V-ASA-1S Philippians 3:12 V-RIM/P-1S Hebrews 2:10 V-ANA Hebrews 5:9 V-APP-NMS Hebrews 7:19 V-AIA-3S Hebrews 7:28 V-RPM/P-AMS Hebrews 9:9 V-ANA Hebrews 10:1 V-ANA Hebrews 10:14 V-RIA-3S Hebrews 11:40 V-ASP-3P Hebrews 12:23 V-RPM/P-GMP James 2:22 V-AIP-3S 1 John 2:5 V-RIM/P-3S 1 John 4:12 V-RPM/P-NFS 1 John 4:17 V-RIM/P-3S 1 John 4:18 V-RIM/P-3S Strong's Greek 5048 |
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