From a primary tello (to set out for a definite point or goal); properly, the point aimed at as a limit, i.e. (by implication) the conclusion of an act or state (termination (literally, figuratively or indefinitely), result (immediate, ultimate or prophetic), purpose); specially, an impost or levy (as paid) -- + continual, custom, end(-ing), finally, uttermost. Compare phoros.

see GREEK phoros

1. end, i. e.

a. termination, the limit at which a thing ceases to be, (in the Greek writings always of the end of some act or state, but not of the end of a period of time, which they call τελευτή; in the Scriptures also of a temporal end; an end in space is everywhere called πέρας): τῆς βασιλείας, Luke 1:33; ζωῆς, Hebrews 7:3; τοῦ καταργουμένου, 2 Corinthians 3:13; τά τέλη τῶν αἰώνων, 1 Corinthians 10:11 (τέλος τῶν ἡμερῶν, Nehemiah 13:6; τῶν ἑπτά ἐτῶν, 2 Kings 8:3: ἀρχή καί τέλος καί μεσότης χρόνων Wis. 7:18); equivalent to he who puts an end to: τέλος νόμου Χριστός, Christ has brought the law to all end (πᾶσιν Χριστός ἀνθρώποις τέλος τοῦ βίου θάνατος. Demosthenes, 1306, 25), Romans 10:4; cf. Fritzsche at the passage, vol. ii, p. 377f πάντων τό τέλος, the end of all things (i. e. of the present order of things), 1 Peter 4:7; also in the phrases ἕως τέλους, 1 Corinthians 1:8; 2 Corinthians 1:13; μέχρι τέλους, Hebrews 3:6 (Tr marginal reading WH brackets the clause), 14; ἄχρι τέλους, Hebrews 6:14; Revelation 2:26. What 'end' is intended the reader must determine by the context; thus, τό τέλος denotes the end of the Messianic pangs (dolores Messiae; see ὠδίν) in Matthew 24:6, 14 (opposed to ἀρχή ὠδίνων); Mark 13:7 (cf. 9); Luke 21:9; τό τέλος in 1 Corinthians 15:24 denotes either the end of the eschatological events, or the end of the resurrection i. e. the last or third act of the resurrection (to include those who had not belonged to the number of οἱ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐν τῇ παρουσία αὐτοῦ), 1 Corinthians 15:24 cf. 1 Corinthians 15:23; see DeWette ad loc.; Weizel in the Theol. Studien und Kritiken for 1836, p. 978; Grimm in the Zeitschr. f. wissensch. Theol. for 1873, p. 388ff; (yet cf. Heinrici in Meyer (6te Aufl.) at the passage). εἰς τέλος — to the very end apointed for these evils, Matthew 10:22; Matthew 24:13; Mark 13:13; also at the end, at last, finally, Luke 18:5 (Vulg.in novissimo) (i. e. lest at last by her coming she wear me out; but others take it equivalent to Hebrew לָנֶצַח (cf. Job 14:20 etc. see Trommius) and connect it with the participle, lest by her coming to the last i. e. continually; see ὑπωπιάζω, under the end); John 13:1 (others, to the uttermost, completely (cf. our to the very last); see Westcott, and Weiss (in Meyer 6te Aufl.) at the passage; Grimm on 2 Macc. 8:29), cf. ἀναπάω, under the end (Xenophon, oec. 17, 10; Hesiod, Works, 292; Herodotus 3, 40; 9, 37; Sophocles Phil. 409; Euripides, Ion 1615; Aelian v. h. 10, 16); to the (procurement of their) end, i. e. to destruction (A. V. to the uttermost (cf. references as above)), 1 Thessalonians 2:16 (for לְכָלָה, 2 Chronicles 12:12); τέλος ἔχειν, to have an end, be finished (often in Greek writings), Luke 22:37 (others give τέλος here the sense of fulfilment (cf. τελέω, 2)); equivalent to to perish, Mark 3:26. τό δέ τέλος, adverbially, finally (denique vero): 1 Peter 3:8 (Plato, legg. 6, p. 768 b.; καί τό γέ τέλος, ibid. 5, p. 740 e.; but generally in secular authors τέλος in this sense wants the article; cf. Passow, ii, p. 1857a; (Liddell and Scott, under the word, I. 4 a.)).

b. the end i. e. the last in any succession or series: (ἡ) ἀρχή καί (τό) τέλος, of God, who by his perpetuity survives all things, i. e. eternal, Revelation 1:8 Rec.; .

c. that by which a thing is finished, its close, issue: Matthew 26:58; final lot, fate, as if a recompense: with a genitive of the thing, Romans 6:21; Hebrews 6:8; 1 Peter 1:9; with a genitive of the person whom the destiny befalls, 2 Corinthians 11:15; Philippians 3:19; 1 Peter 4:17; τοῦ κυρίου (genitive of author), the closing experience which befell Job by God's command, James 5:11 (referring to Job 42 (especially verse 12)).

d. the end to which all things relate, the aim, purpose: 1 Timothy 1:5 (often so in philos. from Plato, de rep. 6, p. 494 a. down; cf. Fritzsche on Romans, ii., p. 378).

2. toll, custom (i. e. an indirect tax on goods; see φόρος and κῆνσος): Matthew 17:25; Romans 13:7 (Xenophon, Plato, Polybius, Aeschines, Demosthenes, others; 1 Macc. 10:31 1 Macc. 11:35).