G5055 — τελέω (teleō)¶

Core Data¶

Strong's: G5055
Original: τελέω
Transliteration: teleō
Pronunciation: tel-eh'-o
Part of Speech: Verb
Root: τέλος (G5056) — end, goal, terminus
Occurrences: 26 unique verses (30 tokens) in NT
First Occurrence: Matt 10:23 — "Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come"
Hapax Legomenon: No

Lexicon Definition¶

From G5056; to end, i.e. complete, execute, conclude, discharge (a debt); in the passive, to terminate, expire; to undergo (an experience): accomplish, make an end, expire, fill up, finish, go over, pay, perform.

Louw-Nida Semantic Domain¶

Primary Domain: 068.003 — Aspect: Complete, Finish, Succeed
Other words in domain: ἀναπληρόω (G0378), ἀπαρτισμός (G0535), ἀποτελέω (G0658), διανύω (G1274), ἐκτελέω (G1615), ἐπιτελέω (G2005), εὐοδόω (G2137), κρατέω (G2902), πληροφορέω (G4135), πληρόω (G4137)
Also classified: 067.003 (End/Beginning), 036.003 (Obey/Fulfill), 013 (Happen/Come to pass)

UBS Semantic Domains: - [068] Aspect - [067] Time - [013] Be, Become, Exist, Happen - [036] Guide, Discipline, Follow - [057] Possess, Transfer, Exchange

Louw-Nida Domain Neighbors (068.003 — Complete, Finish, Succeed)¶

Strong's	Lemma	Total vv	Primary KJV Translation(s)
G0378	ἀναπληρόω	6	fill up, fulfil, supply
G0535	ἀπαρτισμός	1	finishing
G0658	ἀποτελέω	2	finish, was..perfected
G1274	διανύω	1	had finished
G1615	ἐκτελέω	2	finish
G2005	ἐπιτελέω	10	perform, accomplish, finish, complete
G2137	εὐοδόω	4	prosper, have a prosperous journey
G2902	κρατέω	47	hold, take, hold fast
G4135	πληροφορέω	5	be fully persuaded, be most surely believed
G4137	πληρόω	87	fulfil, fill, be full, complete

Translation Distribution (KJV)¶

Translation	Count	%
had finished	3	12%
fulfilled/be fulfilled	4	15%
accomplished/be accomplished	4	15%
fulfil (imperative/subjunctive)	4	15%
finished/were finished	3	12%
Other (pay, performed, expired, etc.)	8	31%

The KJV uses no dominant single gloss — all major translations cluster around the semantic field of finishing, fulfilling, and accomplishing.

Distribution by Book¶

Book	Count	Per 100 Verses
Revelation	8	2.0
2 Timothy	1	1.2
James	1	0.9
Galatians	1	0.7
Matthew	6	0.6
Romans	2	0.5
Luke	4	0.3
John	2	0.2
Acts	1	0.1

Concentrated in Matthew (narrative closure formula) and Revelation (eschatological completion). Absent from the Johannine epistles, Pauline prison letters, and Hebrews.

Semantic Categories¶

1. Narrative Closure — "When Jesus Had Finished"¶

Matthew's structural formula marking the end of major discourse blocks. - Matt 11:1 — "And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence" - Matt 13:53 — "when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence" - Matt 19:1 — "when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee" - Matt 26:1 — "when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples"

2. Fulfillment of Scripture / Prophetic Necessity¶

Written predictions reaching their appointed completion. - Luke 18:31 — "all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished" - Luke 22:37 — "this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors" - Acts 13:29 — "when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree" - John 19:28 — "Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled"

3. "It Is Finished" — The Cross Declaration¶

The perfect passive τετέλεσται — a completed, permanently valid state. - John 19:30 — "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost"

4. Fulfilling the Law (Ethical Obedience Context)¶

Rom 2:27 — "uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee"
Gal 5:16 — "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh"
James 2:8 — "If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself"
Rom 13:6 — "For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers"

5. Completing a Mission or Course¶

2 Tim 4:7 — "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith"
Rev 11:7 — "when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast... shall make war against them"

6. Eschatological Completion in Revelation¶

Prophetic periods, plagues, and the mystery of God reaching their terminus. - Rev 10:7 — "the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets" - Rev 15:1 — "seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God" - Rev 20:3 — "that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled" - Rev 20:7 — "when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison"

Common Collocations¶

Word	Strong's	Co-occurrences	Typical Pattern
Ἰησοῦς	G2424	6x (23%)	"when Jesus had finished" — Matthean narrative formula
θεός	G2316	5x (19%)	"mystery of God...finished"; "God hath put in their hearts to fulfil"
γράφω	G1125	3x (12%)	"things written must be accomplished"
νόμος	G3551	3x (12%)	"fulfil the law" — ethical obedience usage
ἄγγελος	G32	3x (12%)	Revelation angel contexts (seals, plagues)
χίλιοι	G5507	3x (12%)	"until the thousand years are finished" (Rev 20)
ἄχρι	G891	3x (12%)	"until" + teleō — temporal boundary of completion

Word Family / Cognates¶

G5056 τέλος (telos) — root noun: end, goal, tribute, outcome (32 verses)
G5048 τελειόω (teleióō) — make perfect, bring to moral/purpose completion (24 verses)
G5046 τέλειος (téleios) — complete, perfect, mature (adjective)
G4930 συντέλεια (synteleia) — consummation, end of an age (noun compound; 6 verses)
G4931 συντελέω (synteleō) — to complete, consummate (7 verses)
G2005 ἐπιτελέω (epiteléō) — to bring to completion, finish off (10 verses)

Synonyms¶

No synonyms were returned by search_relationships.py for G5055.

Antonyms¶

No antonyms were returned by search_relationships.py for G5055.

Easily Confused Words¶

Word	Strong's	Shared Translation	Key Difference
πληρόω (plēróō)	G4137	both translated "fulfil/accomplish"	G4137 = fill to capacity, make replete; G5055 = bring to terminus, reach the end-point
τελειόω (teleióō)	G5048	both from τελ- root; both translated "finish/perfect"	G5048 = moral/functional perfection (process toward ideal); G5055 = completion of an action or period
διανύω (dianýō)	G1274	both translated "had finished" (KJV)	G1274 = complete a journey/course (very rare; 1 NT use Acts 21:7); G5055 = broader completion verb

Hebrew Source¶

Hebrew Source	Strong's	Co-occ	PMI	Notes
כָּלָה (kâlâh)	H3615	5	5.49	Primary semantic match — "to end, finish, be completed"; LXX frequently uses τελέω for H3615
אָמַר (ʼâmar)	H559	5	1.03	Common word; coincidental overlap
יוֹם (yôwm)	H3117	3	1.54	Common word; coincidental overlap

The primary Hebrew background word is H3615 כָּלָה (kalah) — "to end, cease, be completed."