τετέλεσται (Tetelestai)

MEANINGIt has been and remains completely finished. John 19:30 --- Jesus's last word before death. The perfect tense: completed in the past, permanently so in the present. The grammar of an open door: the price has been paid, forever.

GRAMMARPerfect passive indicative, 3rd person singular of teleō (to complete, finish, accomplish). THE PERFECT TENSE: describes an action completed in the past whose effects continue permanently into the present. Not 'I am finishing' (present), not 'it was finished' (simple aorist --- no ongoing effect). Commercial papyri use tetelestai as the receipt stamp on a paid debt: paid in full, case closed. The passive voice: the completion is total, not ongoing.

SIGNIFICANCETetelestai is Thread 7's grammatical foundation. The invitation of Revelation 22:17 ('take the water of life without price') is grounded on the permanent completion of the payment. Nothing remains to be added. Anyone who comes finds the work already done, permanently, completely, on their behalf. Romans 8:1 ('no condemnation') rests on the perfect tense of tetelestai.

KEY VERSE / SCRIPTURESJohn 19:30 (the decisive occurrence); the related verb in John 4:34; 17:4 (Jesus describing his mission-in-progress as 'accomplishing' the Father's work).

CROSS-REFERENCESJohn 19:30 · Romans 8:1 · Hebrews 10:14 (perfect tense --- 'perfected for all time') · λύτρον lytron