The Greek verb ekteleo is a compound of ek (out, completely) and teleo (to finish, complete), meaning to finish completely or carry through to the end. It appears twice in Luke 14:29-30, in the Parable of the Tower Builder — describing whether the builder can bring the construction to completion.
Luke 14:28-30 is Jesus' call to count the cost of discipleship. The builder who begins a tower but cannot ekteleo it becomes a laughingstock. Jesus uses this parable to warn against shallow commitment: following Him requires counting the full cost before starting. This is also a word about divine faithfulness: God always completes what He begins (Philippians 1:6 — "he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion"). Human discipleship may falter, but God's purposes never fail to reach ekteleo. Jesus Himself declared "It is finished" (tetelestai, John 19:30) — the ultimate completion, the full accomplishment of redemption.