Bible Dictionaries
End, Ending

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

signifies (a) "the limit," either at which a person or thing ceases to be what he or it was up to that point, or at which previous activities were ceased, 2 Corinthians 3:13; 1 Peter 4:7; (b) "the final issue or result" of a state or process, e.g., Luke 1:33; in Romans 10:4 , Christ is described as "the end of the Law unto righteousness to everyone that believeth;" this is best explained by Galatians 3:23-26; cp. James 5:11; the following more expecially point to the issue or fate of a thing, Matthew 26:58; Romans 6:21; 2 Corinthians 11:15; Philippians 3:19; Hebrews 6:8; 1 Peter 1:9; (c) "a fulfillment," Luke 22:37 , AV, "(have) an end;" (d) "the utmost degree" of an act, as of the love of Christ towards His disciples, John 13:1; (e) "the aim or purpose" of a thing, 1 Timothy 1:5; (f) "the last" in a succession or series Revelation 1:8 (AV, only, "ending"); 21:6; 22:13. See CONTINUAL , CUSTOM (Toll), FINALLY , UTTERMOST.

Note: The following phrases contain telos (the word itself coming under one or other of the above): eis telos, "unto the end," e.g., Matthew 10:22; 24:13; Luke 18:5 , "continual;" John 13:1 (see above); 2 Corinthians 3:13 , "on the end" (RV); heos telous, "unto the end," 1 Corinthians 1:8; 2 Corinthians 1:13; achri telous, "even to the end" (a stronger expression than the preceding); Hebrews 6:11; Revelation 2:26 (where "even" might well have been added); mechri telous, with much the same meaning as achri telous, Hebrews 3:6,14 . See other expressions in the Notes after C.

signifies "a bringing to completion together" (sun "with," teleo, "to complete," akin to No. 1), marking the "completion" or consummation of the various parts of a scheme. In Matthew 13:39,40,49; 24:3; 28:20 , the rendering "the end of the world" (AV and RV, text) is misleading; the RV marg., "the consummation of the age," is correct. The word does not denote a termination, but the heading up of events to the appointed climax. Aion is not the world, but a period or epoch or era in which events take place. In Hebrews 9:26 , the word translated "world" (AV) is in the plural, and the phrase is "the consumation of the ages." It was at the heading up of all the various epochs appointed by Divine counsels that Christ was manifested (i.e., in His Incarnation) "to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself."

"a limit, boundary" (from pera, "beyond"), is used (a) of space, chiefly in the plural, Matthew 12:42 , RV, "ends," for AV, "uttermost parts;" so Luke 11:31 (AV, "utmost"); Romans 10:18 (AV and RV, "ends"); (b) of the termination of something occurring in a period, Hebrews 6:16 , RV, "final," for AV, "an end," said of strife. See UTTERMOST.

denotes "a way out" (ek, "out," baino, "to go"), 1 Corinthians 10:13 , "way of escape;" or an issue, Hebrews 13:7 (AV, "end," RV, "issue"). See ISSUE.

"to complete, finish, bring to an end," is translated "had made an end," in Matthew 11:1 . See ACCOMPLISH.

cp. A, No. 2, signifies (a) "to bring to an end, finish completely" (sun, "together," imparting a perfective significance to teleo), Matthew 7:28 (in some mss.); Luke 4:2,13; Acts 21:27 , RV, "completed;" (b) "to bring to fulfillment," Mark 13:4; Romans 9:28; (c) "to effect, make," Hebrews 8:8 . See FINISH , FULFILL , MAKE.

(a) "to fill," (b) "to fulfill, complete, end," is translated "had ended" in Luke 7:1; "were ended" (Passive) in Acts 19:21 . See ACCOMPLISH.

Note: In John 13:2 , the verb ginomai, there signifying "to be in progress," and used in the present participle, is translated "during supper" (RV). A less authentic reading, is genomenou, "being ended" (AV).

"last, utmost, extreme," is used as a noun (a) of time, rendered "end" in Hebrews 1:2 , RV, "at the end of these days," i.e., at the "end" of the period under the Law, for AV, "in these last days;" so in 1 Peter 1:20 , "at the end of the times." In 2 Peter 2:20 , the plural, ta eschata, lit., "the last things," is rendered "the latter end," AV, (RV, "the last state"); the same phrase is used in Matthew 12:45; Luke 11:26; (b) of place, Acts 13:47 , AV, "ends (of the earth)," RV, "uttermost part. See LAST , LOWEST , UTTERMOST.

Notes: (1) In Matthew 28:1 , opse, "late (in the evening)," is rendered "in the end (of)," AV, RV, "late (on)." (2) In 1 Peter 1:13 , teleios, "perfectly," RV, is rendered "to the end," in AV. (3) The phrase eis touto, lit., "unto this," signifies "to this end," John 18:37 , RV (twice; AV, "for this cause," in the second clause); so Mark 1:38; Acts 26:16; Romans 14:9; Romans 14:9; 2 Corinthians 2:9; 1 Timothy 4:10 (AV, "therefore"); 1 Peter 4:6; 1 John 3:8 (AV, "for this purpose"). (4) Eis, "unto," followed by the article and the infinitive mood of a verb, signifies "to the end that ..." marking the aim of an action, Acts 7:19; Romans 1:11; 4:16,18; Ephesians 1:12; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 2 Thessalonians 1:5; 2:2,6; 1 Peter 3:7 . In Luke 18:1 , pros, "to," has the same construction and meaning. (5) The conjunction hina, "in order that," is sometimes rendered "to the end that," Ephesians 3:17; 2 Thessalonians 3:14; Titus 3:8 . (6) In Matthew 24:31 , the prepositions apo, "from," and heos, "unto," are used with the plural of akros, "highest, extreme," signifying "from one end ... to the other," lit., "from extremities ... to extremities."