Bible Lexicons

lit. ";having reached its end (τέλος)."; Hence (1) ";full-grown,"; ";mature,"; (a) of persons—BGU IV. 1100.10 (marriage–contract—time of Augusius) τ ]έλ ̣ι ̣ον ο ̣υ ̣͂̔σα <ν > πρὸς βίου κοινωνίαν [ἀν ]δ ̣ρ ̣ι ̣, P Oxy III. 485.30 (A.D. 178) κληρονόμοις [α ]ὐ ̣[τῆ ]ς τελεί [ο ]ι ̣̓, ";to her heirs being of age,"; ib. II. 237 vii. 15 (A.D. 186) περὶ τοῦ τὰς ἤδη τελείας γυναῖκας γενομένας ἑαυτῶν εἶναι κυρίας, εἴτε βούλονται παρὰ τοῖς ἀνδράσιν μένειν εἴτε μή, ";all proving that women who have attained maturity are mistresses of their persons, and can remain with their husbands or not as they choose"; (Edd.), (b) of animals—BGU IV. 1067.12 (A.D. 101–102) ἀλεκτόρων τελείων τεσσάρων, ";four full-grown cocks,"; P Grenf II. 46.13 (A.D. 137) πεπρακέναι αὐτῷ ὄνο (ν) θήλ (ειαν) τελ (είαν), and P Iand 35.6 (ii/iii A.D.) βοῦν μελ [ά ]νην τελίαν (see note). (2) ";in good working order or condition";—P Oxy II. 278.4 (A.D. 17) μύλο ]ν ἕν [α ] τ [έ ]λει [ο ]ν Θηβαεικόν, ";one perfect Theban mill"; (Edd.), ib. IX. 1207.9 (A.D. 175–6?) ἀλεκτρυόνων τελείων τεσσάρων, ὀρνείθων τελείων τοκάδων ὀκτώ, ";4 cocks in perfect condition, 8 laying hens in perfect condition"; (Ed.), ib. VI. 909.18 (A.D. 225) ἀκάνθας ἀριθμῷ τελείας δεκατέσσαρας, ";fourteen acacia-trees in good condition"; (Edd.), P Tebt II. 406.12 (c. A.D. 266) λυχνεία τελεία, ";a complete lamp-stand,"; and P Giss I. 122.4 (vi/A.D.) a receipt for the sale of certain arourae τῆς πρὸς ἀλλήλους συμπεφωνημένης τελ ]ε ̣ίας καὶ ἀξία ̣ς τιμ ̣ῆς. (3) ";complete,"; ";final";—P Tebt II. 361.6 (A.D. 132) ἀριθμ (ητικοῦ) τελείο (υ) τ ̣[ο ]υ ̣̑ ι ̄ς ̄ (ἔτους), ";for the full ἀριθμητικόν of the 16th year"; (Edd.), ib. 335.8 (mid. iii/A.D.) τελείαν ἀπόφασιν, ";final verdict,"; P Oxy VI. 902.11 (c. A.D. 465) εἰς τελείαν γὰρ ἀνατροπὴν καὶ εἰς αἰχάτην πεῖνων (l. ἐσχάτην πεῖναν) περιέστην, ";and I have been reduced to complete ruin and the extremity of hunger"; (Edd.).

For the form τέλεος, see the interesting petition of a physician to the Praefect asking to be relieved from certain public duties on the ground of his profession, P Fay 106.21 (c. A.D. 140) ὅπως ] τέλεον ̣ ἀπολύονται τῶν [λειτουρ ]γιῶν οἱ τὴν ἰατρικὴν ἐπιστή [μην ] μεταχειριζόμενοι, ";that complete exemption from compulsory services be granted to persons practising the profession of physician"; (Edd.). Reference may also be made to Knox’s note in Herodas (ed. Headlam), p. 333 f.

For the relation of the epithet τέλειος in Paul to the language of the ancient mysteries, see Lightfoot ad Colossians 1:28, also the careful study of the word in Kennedy St. Paul and the Mystery Religions, p. 130 ff.