# Συντέλεια



## Alexander2

Strong’s Greek-English dictionary of the Bible defines the Greek word συντέλεια as _“entire completion_, that is, _consummation_ (of a dispensation): - end.”

Does the phrase “entire completion” emphasize the *duration* of a completion, or is it referring to the *fullness* of a completion?

The following are some of the contexts of the word συντέλεια:

Mat 13:40: Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the *end* of the age.

Mat 13:39: and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the *end* of the age, and the reapers are angels. 

Mat 13:49:  So it will be at the *end* of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 

Mat 24:3:  As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the *end* of the age?” 

Mat 28:20: teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the *end* of the age.”


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## dmtrs

I believe συντέλεια refers to the very end, not the time until the end.


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## sotos

Alexander2 said:


> Does the phrase “entire completion” emphasize the *duration* of a completion, or is it referring to the *fullness* of a completion?


the second.


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## Alexander2

Thank you for the explanations. Since the word συντέλεια in the above texts refers to the very end of the age, do you understand it to be used with the same meaning as the word τέλος in the Greek language?


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## dmtrs

In a way, yes. But, as I understand it, συντέλεια implies the utmost, the most definite end. It may also bear a sense of determinism.


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## Alexander2

Is it correct to say that the word has the following derivation?

συντέλεια – συντελέω – συν + τελέω – τέλος – τέλλω


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## sotos

Yes, it is συν + τελεώ > συν + τέλος. Τέλος has meanings like "fullfilment, objective, end". Meanings like "toll, tax" it comes from the concept of paying off what you have to pay. Which brinks us again to the "last judgment".


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## bearded

Alexander2 said:


> τέλλω


Does 'tello' really come from the same root?  I know it in AG with the meaning 'to rise'...


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## Alexander2

Strong’s dictionary says that the word _telos _is derived from the verb _tello,_ which it defines as “to set out for a definite point or goal”:

“From a primary word τέλλω tellō (to _set_ _out_ for a definite point or _goal_).”


Liddell-Scott-Jones’ lexicon similarly presents the word _telos_ as a derivative of _tello:_

*τέλος*, εος, τό, (τέλλομαι, τέλλω)


The same dictionary defines _tello:_

*τέλλω*, aor.

ἔτειλα Pi.O.2.70:—Pass. τέλλομαι:—poet. Verb, but used in Cretan Prose (v. infr.), *accomplish*, ἔτειλαν ὁδόν Pi. l.c.; *perform* duties, rites, etc., τέλλεμ (inf.) μὲν τὰ θῖνα καὶ τὰ ἀντρώπινα Leg.Gort.10.42:—Med., τελλόμεναι χορόν, apparently = στελλόμεναι, PSI10.1181.39:—Pass., *come into being*, γένος φυτευθὲν λοιπὸν αἰεὶ τέλλετο Pi.P.4.257; ὕμνοι ὑστέρων ἀρχὰ λόγων τέλλεται καὶ ὅρκιον Id.O.11(10).6; ἐς χάριν τέλλεται *turns* to good, ib.1.76; ἀπὸ θεσφάτων ἀγαθὰ φάτις . . τέλλεται cj. Emper. for στέλλεται, A.Ag. 1133 (lyr.); of the gadfly, οἷόν τε νέαις ἐπὶ φορβάσιν οἶστρος τέλλεται) = γίγνεται) A.R.3.277; ἠοῦς τελλομένης Id.1.1360; πρόκα τελλομένου ἔτεος as soon as a year *is complete*, ib.688.

Pass., of stars, = ἀνατέλλω, *rise*, Arat.285,320,382.

intr. in Act., = ἀνατέλλω, ἡλίου τέλλοντος at sun*rise*, S.El.699; ἶρις τέλλει *grows up*, Nic.Fr. 74.32. (Cf. πέλω （πέλομαι) fin., with which τέλλομαι (Pass.) is cogn.; the Act. τέλλω (fr. which δικασπόλος, θυηπόλος, ὑμνοπόλος, etc. are derived) may be formed fr. the Pass., with causal meaning ('cause to come into existence or be done'), as πείθω fr. πείθομαι, πεύθω fr. πεύθομαι; the sense *rise* is perh. derived from that of *revolve* as used of stars; ἐντέλλω, ἐπιτέλλω (A) may orig. have meant 'cause to be done (by another)'.)


Since the meaning “to accomplish” is included among the definitions of _tello,_ this may be a reason why the word _telos_ is considered to be a derivative of the verb _tello._


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## bearded

Alexander2 said:


> Since the meaning “to accomplish” is included among the definitions of _tello,_ this may be a reason why the word _telos_ is considered to be a derivative of the verb _tello._


Thank you, I've learned something new.


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## sotos

Alexander2 said:


> *τέλλω*,


This is another verb, probably irrelevant. The relevant is τελέω-τελώ Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott,  A Greek-English Lexicon, Τ , τελεσσί-τοκος , τελέω   Compare also with the "τετέλεσται" (Jesus on the Cross, before he dies).


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## Alexander2

sotos said:


> This is another verb, probably irrelevant. The relevant is τελέω-τελώ Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott,  A Greek-English Lexicon, Τ , τελεσσί-τοκος , τελέω   Compare also with the "τετέλεσται" (Jesus on the Cross, before he dies).


Do you know why Strong’s dictionary and Liddell-Scott-Jones’ lexicon say that the word _telos_ is a derivative of the word _tello?_


“From a primary word *τέλλω tellō* (to _set_ _out_ for a definite point or _goal_).”

Strongs's #5056: telos - Greek/Hebrew Definitions - Bible Tools


“τέλος, εος, τό, (τέλλομαι, *τέλλω*)”

Greek Word Study Tool


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## Armas

According to Beekes' Etymological Dictionary of Greek

τέλλομαι 1 [v.] with περι- 'to turn around in circles' (Il.). <IE *kwel- 'turn'>
τέλλω 2 [v.] 'to make rise or spring, produce', intr. 'to rise, spring, originate', of constellations, plants, waters, etc. (Il., epic Ion. poet.), rarely med. 'to shoot up high' (Pi.). <IE *telh2- 'bear, endure'>
τέλλω 3 [v.] 'to achieve, perform', = τελέω. <IE *kwel- 'turn'>
τέλομαι [v.] = έσομαι, έσται (Crete) . <IE *kwel- 'turn'>
τέλος [n.] 1. 'end, limit, goal, fulfillment, accomplishment, determination; executive function, office; initiation, etc.' (Il.). 2. 'duty, tax, toll, expense, cost' (IA). 3. 'division of an army, troops, military unit, squadron of ships' (Il, IA). <IE *telh2- 'lift, carry'>


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## Alexander2

According to what is stated in the quotation, the word τέλλω is another form of the word τελέω.

Are there two different words τέλλω, one of which means “to rise,” whereas the other corresponds to the word τελέω and means “to end; to accomplish”? If there are two different words, why is this not indicated in Liddell-Scott-Jones' lexicon and other dictionaries in the entry "τέλλω"?


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## sotos

There is a third: τελειόω (to complete)  Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott,  A Greek-English Lexicon, Τ , τελεάρχης , τελει-όω


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