adjective

teleios

Greekτέλειος (teleios)

Strong’sG5046

perfect, full-grown

stem telei-19 times in the New Testamentin 9 of 27 books7 of 26 forms occur

Translated as

perfect10×mature8×more perfect1×

What it means

τέλειος, -α, -ον

(< τέλος), [in LXX chiefly for שָׁלֵם, תָּמִים and cogn. forms;]

having reached its end, finished, mature, complete, perfect;

1. of persons, primarily of physical development,

(a) full-grown, mature: He 5:14; ethically: Phl 3:15; opp. to νήπιος (-άζειν), I Co 2:6 14:20, Eph 4:13; τ. καὶ πεπληροφορημένοι, Col 4:12; τ. ἐν Χριστῷ, Col 1:28;

(b) complete, perfect (expressing the simple idea of complete goodness, without reference either to maturity or to the philosophical idea of a τέλος; v. Hort on Ja 1:4): Mt 5:48 19:21, Ja 1:4 3:2; of God, Mt 5:48.

2. Of things, complete, perfect: Ro 12:2; ἔργον, Ja 1:4; νόμος, ib. 25; δώρημα, ib. 17; ἀγάπη, I Jo 4:18; τὸ τ., I Co 13:10; compar., τελειοτέρα (σκηνή), He 9:11.

(There is probably no reference in St. Paul's usage to the use of this term in the ancient mysteries; cf. ICC on Col 1:28; but v. also Lft., in l, and Notes, 173 f.) †

SYN.: v.s. ὁλόκληρος (and cf. Rendall, He., 158 ff.)

G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.

Strong’s G5046 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from

Saidtel'-i-os

complete (in various applications of labor, growth, mental and moral character, etc.); neuter (as noun, with G3588) completeness

Fromfrom G5056;

King Jamesof full age, man, perfect.

James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.

Every form

Job in the sentence case	masculine singular	feminine singular	neuter singular	masculine plural	feminine plural	neuter plural
subject nominative	teleios3×τέλειος	teleias1×τελεία	teleiem4×τέλειον	teleiois5×τέλειοι	teleiais	teleieim
object accusative	teleion3×τέλειον	teleian		teleioin	teleiain
direct address vocative	teleior	teleiar		teleioir	teleiair
of, belonging to genitive	teleiou	teleiau	teleieu	teleioiu1×τελείων	teleiaiu	teleieiu
to, for dative	teleio	teleia	teleie	teleioi1×τελείοις	teleiai	teleiei

Tinted cells are forms the New Testament never uses, so there is no Greek to show against them — but they are still correct Biblang, built from the slots below like any other.

Why these forms, and no others — the slots that make them

teleistem+oaegender+smnru—its job in the sentence case+—ione · more than one number

telei is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.

same in every form varies — every value shown

Words built on the same stem

teleiimō — τελειόω, I complete, accomplish, make perfect

Where it appears

19 occurrences, every one of them listed

teleios“perfect”subjectnominative singular3×

Matthew 5:48“perfect”Evi oun vis teleiois hōs tos patēros vu tos ouranios teleios atō.Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.[’’]

Matthew 19:21“perfect”fēate auto tos Iēsus; Ei thelasō teleios arō, hupagasōr pōlasar su teim huparcharōteim kai dōasar ptōchoi, kai echasi thēsauron en ouranoi, kai deuro akolouthasōr mi.Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”

James 3:2“perfect”polleim gar ptaianō hapantois. ei tinos en logo ouk ptaiatō, houtos teleios anēros, dunatos chalinagōgara kai holem tem sōmem.We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to control his whole body.

teleion“mature”objectaccusative singular3×

Ephesians 4:13“mature”mechris katantaneia tois pantois eis tan henotan tau pistiau kai tau epignōsiau tou huiou tou theou, eis anēron teleion, eis metrem hēlikiau teu plērōmeu tou Christou,until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ.

Colossians 1:28“mature”hon nis katangellanō nouthetarōtois panton anthrōpon kai didaskarōtois panton anthrōpon en panta sofia, hina paristananeia panton anthrōpon teleion en Christo;We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.

James 1:25“perfect”tos de parakuptaratos eis nomon teleion ton tau eleutheriau kai paramenaratos, ouk akroatos epilēsmonau gineratos alla poiētos ergeu, houtos makarios en ta poiēsia autou eti.But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so — not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer — he will be blessed in what he does.

teleias“perfect”subjectnominative singular1×

1 John 4:18“perfect”fobos ouk atō en ta agapa, alla tas teleias agapas exō ballatō ton fobon, hoti tos fobos kolasian echatō, tos de foberōtos ouk teleiitē en ta agapa.There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. The one who fears has not been perfected in love.

teleiem“perfect”subject or objectdirect singular4×

Romans 12:2“perfect”kai mē suschēmatizevōr to aiōno houto, alla metamorfivōr ta anakainōsia tou nouou, eis tem dokimazarō vin tinem tem thelēmem tou theou, tem agathem kai euarestem kai teleiem.Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

1 Corinthians 13:10“perfect”hotan de erchateia tem teleiem, tem ek mereu katargiti.but when the perfect comes, the partial passes away.

James 1:17“perfect”Pantas dosias agathas kai pantem dōrēmem teleiem anōthen atō, katabainarōtem apo tou patērou teiu fōteiu, para ho ouk eniatō parallagas ē tropau aposkiasmem.Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.

James 1:4“perfect”tas de hupomonas ergem teleiem echatōr, hina aveiō teleiois kai holoklērois, en mēdene leiperōtois.Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

teleiois“mature”subjectnominative plural5×

Matthew 5:48“perfect”Evi oun vis teleiois hōs tos patēros vu tos ouranios teleios atō.Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.[’’]

1 Corinthians 14:20“mature”Adelfoir, mē paidieim ginevōr tai frēnai, alla ta kakia nēpiazavōr, tai de frēnai teleiois ginevōr.Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.

Philippians 3:15“mature”hosois oun teleiois, houtem fronaneiō; kai ei tinem heterōs fronavō, kai houtem tos theos vi apokaluptati;All of us who are mature should embrace this point of view. And if you think differently about some issue, God will reveal this to you as well.

Colossians 4:12“mature”aspazetō vin Epafros tos ek vu, doulos Christou, pantote agōnizerōtos huper vu en tai proseuchai, hina histaniveia teleiois kai plēroforirētois en pante thelēme tou theou.Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, so that you may stand mature and fully assured in the full will of God.

James 1:4“mature”tas de hupomonas ergem teleiem echatōr, hina aveiō teleiois kai holoklērois, en mēdene leiperōtois.Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

teleioiu“mature”of, belonging togenitive plural1×

Hebrews 5:14“mature”teleioiu de atō tas stereas trofēas, toiu dia tan hexian teim aisthētērieim gumnazirēteim echarōtoiu pros diakrisian kaleu tē kai kakeu.But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained their senses to distinguish good from evil.

teleioi“mature”to, fordative plural1×

1 Corinthians 2:6“mature”Sofian de lalanō en toi teleioi, sofian de ouk tou aiōnou houtou oude toiu archōnoiu tou aiōnou houtou toiu katargirōtoiu;Among the mature, however, we speak a message of wisdom — but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.

teleioterau1×

Hebrews 9:11“more perfect”Christos de paragineratos archierevos teiu ginerateiu agatheiu dia tau megoterau kai teleioterau skēnau ouk cheiropoiētau, houtem atō ouk houtau tau ktisiau,But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made by hands and is not a part of this creation.