ItIsFinished
The words of Jesus on the cross in John 19:30 “It is Finished!” may cause confusion as to what is meant without reviewing the actual Greek word definition(s). The word carries a sense of “to be fully accomplished – be perfected”.
In reading the words “It is Finished” one would conclude that he is speaking of the process of his trial and death on the cross. That is true, but the words Jesus spoke of completing the payment of a debt. That debt being paid was for our release from sin’s grip and allowing those who believe in Him to have everlasting life. What is needed for everlasting life would be for one to confess their sins and place their trust in Christ’s promise for everlasting life in God’s Kingdom.
John 3:16 (ESV) 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Jesus did actually speak of that gift to those who believe while he was on the cross… Luke 23:39-43 give the account when Jesus said to the thief that because of his faith expressed in his words he would be with him that day in His Kingdom.
Luke 23:39-43 (ESV)
39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
Here are several translations and they all, in general, use “It is finished” for the Greek Word: (Tetelestai) G5055 or LN 6822
John 19:30 (ESV)
30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
John 19:30 (KJV)
30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
John 19:30 (NKJV)
30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
John 19:30 (NASB)
30 Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
John 19:30 (NIRV)
30 After Jesus drank he said, “It is finished.” Then he bowed his head and died.
John 19:30 (NLT)
30 When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and released his spirit.
John 19:30 (YLT)
30 when, therefore, Jesus received the vinegar, he said, `It hath been finished;’ and having bowed the head, gave up the spirit.
John 19:30 (ASV)
30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up his spirit.
John 19:30 (GW)
30 After Jesus had taken the vinegar, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and died.
John 19:30 (TEV)
30 Jesus drank the wine and said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
For the Greek Word: (Tetelestai) G5055 or LN 6822
Strongs G5055 τελέω [teleo /tel·eh·o/] v. From 5056; TDNT 8:57; TDNTA 1161; GK 5464; 26 occurrences; AV translates as “finish” eight times, “fulfil” seven times, “accomplish” four times, “pay” twice, “perform” once, “expire” once, and translated miscellaneously three times. 1 to bring to a close, to finish, to end. 1a passed, finished. 2 to perform, execute, complete, fulfil, (so that the thing done corresponds to what has been said, the order, command etc.). 2a with special reference to the subject matter, to carry out the contents of a command. 2b with reference also to the form, to do just as commanded, and generally involving the notion of time, to perform the last act which completes a process, to accomplish, fulfil. 3 to pay. 3a of tribute. Additional Information: “It is finished or paid” John 19:30 Christ satisfied God’s justice by dying for all to pay for the sins of the elect. These sins can never be punished again since that would violate God’s justice. Sins can only be punished once, either by a substitute or by yourself.[1]
LN 68.22 τελέωa; ἐκτελέω; ἀποτελέω; ἐπιτελέωa; συντελέωa; τελειόωc: to bring an activity to a successful finish—‘to complete, to finish, to end, to accomplish.’
τελέωa: ὅταν τελέσωσιν τὴν μαρτυρίαν αὐτῶν ‘when they finish proclaiming their message’ Re 11:7; ἄχρι τελεσθῶσιν αἱ ἑπτὰ πληγαὶ τῶν ἑπτὰ ἀγγέλων ‘until the seven plagues brought by the seven angels had come to an end’ Re 15:8.
ἐκτελέω: ἵνα μήποτε θέντος αὐτοῦ θεμέλιον καὶ μὴ ἰσχύοντος ἐκτελέσαι ‘so that he will not be able to finish (building the tower), after having laid the foundation’ Lk 14:29.
ἀποτελέω: ἡ δὲ ἁμαρτία ἀποτελεσθεῖσα ἀποκύει θάνατον ‘sin, when it has completed its action, produces death’ Jas 1:15; ἰάσεις ἀποτελῶ σήμερον καὶ αὔριον ‘I am completing cures today and tomorrow’ Lk 13:32. It is also possible to translate ἀποτελέω in Lk 13:32 as ‘am performing,’ but the focus evidently is upon the completion of a series of such healings. The final phrase of Lk 13:32, καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ τελειοῦμαι ‘and on the third day I will be finished,’ points to a possible distinction between ἀποτελέω and τελειόω, in which the first apparently serves to mark the end of a particular series, while the second points to the completion of anything and everything involved.
ἐπιτελέωa: ὁ ἐναρξάμενος ἐν ὑμῖν ἔργον ἀγαθὸν ἐπιτελέσει ἄχρι ἡμέρας Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ ‘(God), who began (this) good work in you, will carry it on until it is finished in the day of Christ Jesus’ Php 1:6.συντελέωa: συντελέσας πάντα πειρασμὸν ὁ δια’βολος ἀπέστη α’π’ αὐτοῦ ἄχρι καιροῦ ‘when the Devil finished tempting him in every way, he left him for a while’ Lk 4:13; λόγον γὰρ συντελῶν ‘for he will accomplish what he has said’ Ro 9:28. It is also possible to render this phrase in Ro 9:28 as ‘for he will settle the account,’ the implication being that he will accomplish what he has said he would do.
τελειόωc: ὡς τελειῶσαι τὸν δρόμον μου καὶ τὴν διακονίαν ἣν ἔλαβον παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ ‘if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me’ Ac 20:24.[2]
The Greek Word (finish; complete; accomplish) and references found in. Note John 19:30 in the list.
Where this Greek word was used in other verses with the sense: “to be fully accomplished”:
Thus, the value of reviewing the actual Greek word used in Scripture.
[1] Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship.
[2] Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 657). New York: United Bible Societies.