Search / G5055
τελέω G5055
V-AIP-3S  |  28× in 4 senses
To complete, finish, or bring to an end; to fulfill prophecy or obligation; to pay taxes or tribute
A verb woven through some of Scripture's most climactic moments. When Jesus cries τετέλεσται—'It is finished' (John 19:30)—this is the word, declaring the totality of redemptive work accomplished. In Matthew's Gospel it regularly marks the transition from discourse to narrative: 'When Jesus had finished these sayings...' (Matt 7:28; 11:1; 13:53). It also carries the sense of fulfilling law or commandment, as when James speaks of 'fulfilling the royal law' (Jas 2:8). A concrete, everyday usage appears in Matthew 17:24, where it means simply to pay the temple tax. Spanish captures the range well: 'consumar' for the climactic completion, 'terminar' for finishing speech, 'cumplir' for fulfilling law, and 'pagar' for payment.

Senses
1. be completed or fulfilled The passive or middle sense of being completed, fulfilled, or brought to consummation, especially of prophetic purposes and divine appointments. John 19:28 notes that Jesus knew 'all things were now accomplished,' and his final cry τετέλεσται (John 19:30) became the definitive declaration that redemption was complete. Luke 18:31 applies it to the fulfillment of prophetic writings. Spanish 'consumado está' and French 'accomplir' convey the weighty finality of prophetic completion. 13×
PHYSICAL_ACTION Perform, Do Fulfill and Complete
AR["أَنْ-يَتِمَّ", "تَتِمَّ", "تَتِمُّ", "تَكْمُلُ", "قَدْ-اكْتَمَلَ", "يَتِمُّ", "يُتَمُّ"]·ben["পূর্ণ-হতে", "পূর্ণ-হয়।", "শেষ-হবে", "শেষ-হয়", "সমাপ্ত-হয়েছে;", "সম্পন্ন-হবে", "সম্পন্ন-হয়", "সম্পন্ন-হয়েছে", "সম্পন্ন-হয়েছে,", "সম্পন্ন-হল"]·DE["vollenden", "vollendet"]·EN["have-been-finished", "is-completed", "is-perfected", "it-has-been-finished", "it-is-accomplished", "should-be-completed", "to-be-fulfilled", "was-completed", "was-finished", "will-be-completed"]·FR["accomplir", "achever"]·heb["יִכְלוּ", "יֻשְׁלָם", "כָּלוּ", "לְהִשְׁלִים", "נִשְׁלְמָה", "נִשְׁלֵמֶת", "נִשְׁלַם", "שֶׁיִשָּׁלְמוּ", "שֶׁתִּכַּלֶינָה", "תִּשְׁלַם"]·HI["पूरा-हो", "पूरा-हो-गया", "पूरा-हो-गया-है", "पूरा-होना", "पूरी-हो-जाएं", "पूरी-होंगी", "पूरे-हों", "पूरे-होंगे", "पूर्ण-होता-है"]·ID["Sudah-selesai", "akan-digenapi", "digenapi", "diselesaikan", "disempurnakan", "itu-selesai", "sudah-selesai"]·IT["compiere"]·jav["Sampun-rampung", "badhe-dipun-tindakaken", "badhé-katuntasaken", "dipun-tuntasaken", "kagenepan", "karampungaken", "katuntasaken", "rampung", "sampun-katuntasaken", "sampurna"]·KO["끝나면", "끝나지", "마쳤으니", "마칠", "완성되었다", "완전해진다", "이루어지기를", "이루어질-것이다", "이루어질-때까지"]·PT["Está-consumado", "cumprir-se-ão", "estão-cumpridas", "se-completarem", "se-completassem", "se-completem", "se-consumarem", "se-consumou", "será-consumado", "é-aperfeiçoada"]·RU["Совершилось;", "завершатся", "завершилась", "исполниться", "совершается", "совершатся", "совершено,", "совершится"]·ES["Consumado-está", "fue-consumado", "fueran-consumadas", "han-sido-cumplidas", "se-consuma", "se-perfecciona", "sea-cumplido", "sean-cumplidas", "sean-terminados", "ser-cumplido", "serán-cumplidas"]·SW["Imekwisha", "ilimalizwa", "inakamilika.", "itamalizwa", "itatimizwa", "kutimizwa", "utakapotimizwa", "yamekwisha", "yatamalizwa", "yatatimizwa"]·TR["Tamamlandı", "tamamlanacak", "tamamlanana", "tamamlandı", "tamamlansın", "tamamlanır", "yerine-gelmesi"]·urd["مکمل ہو گیا", "مکمل ہو گیا ہے", "پورا-ہو-جائے", "پورا-ہو-گا", "پورا-ہوا", "پورا-ہونا", "پوری-ہوں", "پورے-ہوئے", "پورے-ہوں", "پورے-ہوں-گے", "کامل-ہوتی-ہے"]
2. complete or finish The active transitive sense of finishing or completing a task, speech, or journey. Matthew uses this verb five times as a formulaic transition—'When Jesus finished these sayings' (Matt 7:28, 11:1, 13:53, 19:1, 26:1)—marking the close of each major discourse. Paul likewise says 'I have finished the race' (2 Tim 4:7). Spanish 'terminar' and German 'vollenden' render this straightforward sense of bringing an activity to its natural conclusion. 10×
PHYSICAL_ACTION Perform, Do Fulfill and Complete
AR["أَتَمَّ", "أَتَمُّوا", "أَتَمّوا", "أَكمَلَ", "أَكْمَلَ", "أَكْمَلْتُ", "تُكمِلوا", "يُتِمّونَ"]·ben["শেষ-করবে", "শেষ-করলেন", "শেষ-করেছি;", "সম্পন্ন-করলেন"]·DE["vollenden", "vollendet"]·EN["I-have-finished", "finished", "they-completed", "they-finish", "they-finished", "will-you-finish"]·FR["accomplir", "achever"]·heb["גָּמְרוּ", "יְסַיְּמוּ", "כִּלָּה", "כִּלּוּ", "סִיֵּם", "סִיַּמְתִּי", "תְּסַיְּמוּ"]·HI["पूरा-किया", "पोओरि-कि;", "वे-पूरी-करेंगे", "समअप्त-किय", "समाप्त-करोगे", "समाप्त-किए", "समाप्त-किया"]·ID["aku-telah-menyelesaikan", "kamu-selesaikan", "menggenapi", "menyelesaikan", "mereka-menyelesaikan", "selesai"]·IT["compiere"]·jav["Gusti-Yesus-rampung", "badhé-rampung", "kula-rampung;", "ngrampungaken", "piyambakipun-ngrampungaken", "rampung", "sampun-rampung", "sasampunipun-rampung"]·KO["끝내고", "끝내셨으니", "끝내지", "마쳤다", "마치셨다", "마치셨을-때", "마칠"]·PT["acabareis", "cumpriram", "terminarem", "terminou"]·RU["закончат", "закончил", "обойдёте", "окончил", "совершили", "я-завершил"]·ES["completaron", "cumplieron", "he-terminado", "terminaréis", "terminen", "terminó"]·SW["ali-maliza", "alimaliza", "alipomaliza", "maliza", "nimemaliza", "walimaliza", "walipokamilisha", "watakapomaliza"]·TR["bitirdi", "bitirdim", "bitiremeyeceksiniz", "bitirirler", "tamamladılar"]·urd["ختم-کر-سکو-گے", "ختم-کِیا", "ختم-کیا", "ختم-کیں", "مکمل-کریں", "میں-نے-مکمل-کی-ہے", "پورا-کیا"]
3. fulfill or carry out To fulfill, keep, or carry out a law, commandment, or moral obligation through obedient action. James 2:8 speaks of 'fulfilling the royal law,' Romans 2:27 of the uncircumcised person who 'fulfills the law,' and Galatians 5:16 promises that walking by the Spirit means one will not 'carry out' the desires of the flesh. Spanish 'cumplir' (to fulfill, comply) and French 'accomplir' both capture the performative, duty-oriented dimension that distinguishes this from mere completion.
PHYSICAL_ACTION Perform, Do Fulfill and Complete
AR["المُكمِلَةُ", "تُتَمِّمونَ", "تُكمِلوا"]·ben["পরিপূর্ণ-করা,", "পূর্ণ-করো", "সম্পূর্ণ-করবে।"]·DE["vollenden"]·EN["keeping", "you-fulfill", "you-will-fulfill"]·FR["accomplir", "achever"]·heb["מְמַלֵּאָה", "תְּקַיְּמוּ", "תְמַלְּאוּ"]·HI["तुम-पोओरि-करोगे.", "पूरी-करती-हुई", "पूरी-करते-हो"]·ID["kamu-akan-menuruti", "kamu-penuhi", "menggenapi,"]·IT["compiere"]·jav["netepi", "ngestokaken,", "panjenengan-sami-ngrampungaken."]·KO["이루면", "이루지.", "이행하는"]·PT["cumprindo", "cumprireis", "cumpris"]·RU["исполняете", "исполняющее", "совершайте"]·ES["cumpláis", "cumplís", "que-cumple"]·SW["anayeitimiza", "mnatimiza", "timizi"]·TR["tamamlamayın", "tamamlarsanız", "yerine-getiren,"]·urd["پورا-کرتا-ہے", "پوری-کرتے-ہو", "پوری-کرو-گے"]
4. pay To pay taxes, tribute, or a financial obligation—a concrete, transactional use. In Matthew 17:24, the tax collectors ask whether Jesus 'pays' the two-drachma temple tax, and Romans 13:6 explains that this is why believers 'pay' taxes to governing authorities. Spanish 'pagar' (to pay) makes the commercial sense unmistakable, sharply distinct from the theological and literary uses of the same verb.
PHYSICAL_ACTION Perform, Do Fulfill and Complete
AR["تَدْفَعُونَ", "يَدْفَعُ"]·ben["দাও-তোমরা;", "দেন"]·DE["vollenden", "vollendet"]·EN["pays", "you-pay"]·FR["accomplir", "achever"]·heb["מְשַׁלְּמִים", "מְשַׁלֵּם"]·HI["चुकाते-हो", "देत"]·ID["kamu-membayar;", "membayar"]·IT["compiere"]·jav["mbayar", "panjenengan-sami-bayar;"]·KO["내느니", "내다"]·PT["paga", "pagais;"]·RU["платит", "платите"]·ES["paga", "pagáis"]·SW["lipi", "mnalipa;"]·TR["ödüyor", "ödüyorsunuz"]·urd["دیتا-ہے", "دیتے-ہو"]

Related Senses
G0846 1. third-person pronoun reference (5552×)H???? 1. (4670×)H6213a 1. do, perform, act (2383×)G4160 1. do, act, perform (473×)H5221 1. Hifil: to strike in battle, smite enemies (362×)H0899b 1. garment, article of clothing (216×)H6213a 2. make, construct, fabricate (148×)H3772 1. cut a covenant / make a pact (97×)H5060 1. touch physically (Qal) (96×)H3615 1. complete a task (Piel) (85×)H3772 2. cut off / destroy (Hifil causative) (81×)H3920 1. capture, seize (Qal) (76×)H???? 12. (76×)H3772 3. be cut off / be eliminated (Niphal) (74×)H6213a 3. be done, be made (Niphal) (73×)G4160 2. make, construct, create (62×)H3847 1. Qal: put on, wear (60×)H8210 1. pour out (liquid/libation) (59×)G2440 1. garment or clothing (general) (54×)H4191 4. kill / put to death (Hifil causative) (50×)

BDB / Lexicon Reference
τελέω, Epic dialect also τελείω, both in Refs 8th c.BC+ (τελέοντες Refs 8th c.BC+: Epic dialect imperfect τέλεον Refs 8th c.BC+; Ionic dialect τέλεσκον Refs 3rd c.BC+: future τελέσω Refs 5th c.BC+; Epic dialect also τελέω, Refs 8th c.BC+; Attic dialect τελῶ Refs 5th c.BC+: aorist () τέλεσα Refs 8th c.BC+; Epic dialect τέλεσσα and ἐτέλεσσα Refs 8th c.BC+ (infinitive τελέσσαι Refs 5th c.BC+; Attic