The meaning of End in the Bible
(From International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)(qets, 'ephec, kalah; telos, sunteleo): The end of anything is its termination, hence, also, final object or purpose. It is the translation of several Hebrew and Greek words, chiefly in the Old Testament of qets (properly, "a cutting off") and other words from the same root (Genesis 6:13, "The end of all flesh is come before me"); 'acharith, "hinder part," is also frequently translated "end" (Deuteronomy 11:12; Psalms 37:37-38, American Revised Version: "There is a happy end to the man of peace .... The end of the wicked shall be cut off"; the English Revised Version "latter end" (Psalms 37:37), margin "reward" or "future posterity"; Psalms 73:17; Jeremiah 5:31); coph (from cuph "to come to an end") is several times translated "end" (II Chronicles 20:16; Ecclesiastes 3:11; Ecclesiastes 7:2). "End" in the sense of purpose is the translation of lema'an, "to the intent" (Exodus 8:22, "to the end thou mayest know"), and of dibhrah (from dabhar, "to speak"); Ecclesiastes 7:14 "to the end that man should find nothing after him" (the Revised Version (British and American) "should not find out anything (that shall be) after him"). "Ends of the earth" is the translation of 'ephec, "extremities" (Deuteronomy 33:17; Psalms 22:27), also of kanaph, "wing" (Job 37:3; Job 38:13). Other words are netsah, "utmost" (Job 34:36), tequphah, "circuit," "revolution" (Exodus 34:22; II Chronicles 24:23, the Revised Version, margin "revolution"), etc. The verb occurs almost invariably in the phrase "to make an end," as the translation of kalah, "to finish," "complete" ( 17:30; Deuteronomy 20:9; Jeremiah 26:8, etc.); also of nalah, "to complete" (Isaiah 33:1), and shalam, "to finish" (Isaiah 38:12-13).
In Daniel 9:24, the Iteb text has chatham, "to seal up" ("to complete or finish"), but the margin, followed by the King James Version, the Revised Version (British and American), Driver and most moderns, has hathem, "to finish," "end," "complete," a difference of one letter, but practically none in the sense, "to bring to an end"; compare "to finish the transgression," which precedes.
In the New Testament the common word for "end" is telos "an end," "completion," "termination" (Matthew 10:22; Matthew 24:6; John 13:1, the Revised Version, margin "to the uttermost"; Romans 6:21, "The end of those things is death"; Romans 6:22, "the end eternal life; Romans 10:4, Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness"; Revelation 21:6; Revelation 22:13, etc.); ekbasis, "outgoing" (Hebrews 13:7, the Revised Version (British and American) "issue"); sunteleia, "full end," is used of "the end of the world" (Matthew 13:39; Hebrews 9:26); peras, "extremity," "the ends of the world" (Romans 10:18); akros, "a point, end" (Matthew 24:31, "from one end of heaven to the other"). End as purpose is the translation of eis to, "with a view to" (Acts 7:19; Romans 1:11; Romans 4:16; I Thessalonians 3:13); of eis touto, "unto this" (John 18:37; Romans 14:9; II Corinthians 2:9); of pros to, "toward this" (Luke 18:1). "To end" (verb) is pleroo, "to fill up" (Luke 7:1; Acts 19:21); once ginomai, "to become" (John 13:2, "supper being ended," which the Revised Version (British and American) corrects, giving, "during supper").
For "end" the Revised Version (British and American) has "uttermost part" (Joshua 15:8, etc.), "latter end" (Psalms 73:17; the English Revised Version Psalms 37:38; Proverbs 5:4); "issue" (Daniel 12:8, margin "latter end"; Hebrews 13:7); "side" (Ezekiel 41:12). Conversely, it has "end" for "uttermost part" (Joshua 15:5); for "side" (Deuteronomy 4:32); for "conclusion" (Ecclesiastes 12:13); for "an end" (Proverbs 23:18); "a reward," margin "sequel" or "future," Hebrew "latter end"; "final" (Hebrews 6:16); for "an end of" (Job 18:2), "snares for" (the American Standard Revised Version "hunt for"); for "at one end" (Jeremiah 51:31), "on every quarter"; for "until the day and night come to an end" (Job 26:10), "unto the confines of light and darkness"; for "have an end" (Luke 22:37), "hath fulfillment," margin, Greek "end"; for "to the end for" (I Peter 1:13), "perfectly on"; "at the end of" for "in these last days" (Hebrews 1:2); "His end was nigh" for "He died" (Hebrews 11:22); "its own end," instead of "for himself" (Proverbs 16:4, margin "his own purpose"); "neither is there any end to" instead of "for thine iniquities are infinite" (Job 22:5); "to this end" for "therefore" (Mark 1:38; I Timothy 4:10); for "for this cause," "to this end" (John 18:37 twice), "unto this end" (I Peter 4:6); "to this end" for "for this purpose" (Acts 26:16; I John 3:8); "to which end" for "wherefore" (II Thessalonians 1:11); "to the end" is inserted in Genesis 18:19 bis, and several other passages. For "ends of the earth" see ASTRONOMY, sec. III, 2.
W. L. Walker
See more on the meaning of End in the Bible:
End {Easton's Bible Dictionary}
DISCLAIMER: Church of the Great God (CGG) provides these resources to aid the individual in studying the Bible. However, it is up to the individual to "prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21). The content of these resources does not necessarily reflect the views of CGG. They are provided for information purposes only.