καταλείπω (G2641) — Greek Lexicon

καταλείπω

kataleípō

G2641 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To leave behind, to leave (someone or something) in a place, to abandon or forsake (intentionally or unintentionally), to cause or permit to remain. The primary sense is 'to leave behind,' whether physically departing from a person, place, or object, or figuratively through neglect or abandonment. Contextually, it can indicate leaving a person destitute, forsaking obligations, or intentionally reserving something for future use or someone else's benefit.

Semantic Range

to leave behind, to abandon, to forsake, to have remaining, to leave as a remainder or inheritance, to neglect, to reserve

Root / Etymology

From κατά ('down, according to') and λείπω ('to leave, to abandon'). The prepositional prefix intensifies or adds the nuance of leaving in a specific state or place. Related to the simple verb λείπω and compounds such as ἐγκαταλείπω.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, καταλείπω is used broadly for leaving someone or something behind, whether temporarily or permanently, including both neutral and negative senses. In the Septuagint, it frequently renders Hebrew terms for forsaking or abandoning, especially with religious or ethical overtones, and often conveys a sense of dereliction. In the New Testament, the term continues to mean 'to leave behind' both concretely (e.g., leaving a person or possessions) and metaphorically (forsaking, neglecting, or abandoning). In some contexts, it means 'to bequeath' or 'to reserve/leave for someone.' English translations frequently render it as 'leave,' 'forsake,' 'abandon,' or 'remain,' but the nuance depends on context (e.g., abandonment versus intentional reservation). The verb can appear in both personal and impersonal constructions. The meaning is distinguished from related forms like ἐγκαταλείπω ('to utterly abandon, desert').

Translation Consistency

primary "leave" 6 occurrences

“Leave” naturally and broadly covers the primary sense of καταλείπω—to leave behind, to abandon or to permit something to remain—while sounding idiomatic in English. It is more general and common than alternatives like “forsake” or “abandon,” which are narrower or more emphatic, and it can handle the range of literal and figurative uses (leave behind, leave as a remainder/inheritance, leave someone destitute) consistently across all forms.

Alternatives (18 occurrences):

"left behind" (9x) "having left behind" (8x) "having been left behind" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from κατά and λείπω; to leave down, i.e. behind; by implication, to abandon, have remaining:--forsake, leave, reserve.

Root Family

λείπ- (kataleípō) — to leave, to abandon, to allow to remain

Root λείπ- to leave, to abandon, to allow to remain

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
G3007	λείπω	may leave

Word Forms

14 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G2641-09`	καταλιπὼν	katalipon	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	having left	having left behind	having left behind	6
`G2641-06`	καταλείψει	kataleipsei	`V FUT ACT IND 3P SG`	shall leave	he/she/it will leave behind	he will leave behind	3
`G2641-13`	κατέλιπεν	katelipen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	he left	left behind	left behind	3
`G2641-14`	κατέλιπον	katelipon	`V AOR ACT IND 3P PL`	I have kept	they left behind	I left behind	2
`G2641-01`	καταλείπει	kataleipei	`V PRS ACT IND 3P SG`	leave	leaves behind	leaves behind	1
`G2641-02`	καταλειφθῆναι	kataleiphthenai	`V AOR PASS INF`	to be left behind	to be left behind	to be left behind	1
`G2641-03`	καταλειπομένης	kataleipomenes	`V PRS PASS PTCP GEN F SG`	being left	being left behind	being left behind	1
`G2641-04`	καταλειπόντες	kataleipontes	`V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL`	having forsaken	leaving behind	leaving behind	1
`G2641-05`	καταλείψαντας	kataleipsantas	`V AOR ACT PTCP ACC M PL`	having neglected	having left behind	having left behind	1
`G2641-07`	καταλελειμμένος	kataleleimmenos	`V PRF PASS PTCP NOM M SG`	left behind	having been left behind	having been left behind	1
`G2641-08`	καταλίπῃ	katalipe	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG`	leaves	may leave behind	may leave behind	1
`G2641-10`	καταλιπόντες	katalipontes	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL`	having left	having left behind	having left behind	1
`G2641-11`	κατελείφθη	kateleiphthe	`V AOR PASS IND 3P SG`	was left	was left behind	was left behind	1
`G2641-12`	κατέλιπε	katelipe	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	left	was leaving behind	left behind	1

Occurrences in Scripture

24 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G2641-09`	Matthew 4:13	καταλιπὼν	katalipon	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	leaving	having left behind	having left behind
`G2641-09`	Matthew 16:4	καταλιπὼν	katalipon	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	having left	having left behind	having left behind
`G2641-06`	Matthew 19:5	καταλείψει	kataleipsei	`V FUT ACT IND 3P SG`	shall leave	he/she/it will leave behind	he will leave behind
`G2641-09`	Matthew 21:17	καταλιπὼν	katalipon	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	He left	having left behind	having left behind
`G2641-06`	Mark 10:7	καταλείψει	kataleipsei	`V FUT ACT IND 3P SG`	shall leave	he/she/it will leave behind	he will leave behind
`G2641-08`	Mark 12:19	καταλίπῃ	katalipe	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG`	leaves	may leave behind	may leave behind
`G2641-09`	Mark 12:21	καταλιπὼν	katalipon	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	leaving	having left behind	having left behind
`G2641-09`	Mark 14:52	καταλιπὼν	katalipon	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	having left	having left behind	having left behind
`G2641-09`	Luke 5:28	καταλιπὼν	katalipon	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	he left	having left behind	having left behind
`G2641-13`	Luke 10:40	κατέλιπεν	katelipen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	has left	left behind	left behind
`G2641-01`	Luke 15:4	καταλείπει	kataleipei	`V PRS ACT IND 3P SG`	leave	leaves behind	leaves behind
`G2641-14`	Luke 20:31	κατέλιπον	katelipon	`V AOR ACT IND 3P PL`	left	they left behind	they left behind
`G2641-11`	John 8:9	κατελείφθη	kateleiphthe	`V AOR PASS IND 3P SG`	was left	was left behind	was left behind
`G2641-05`	Acts 6:2	καταλείψαντας	kataleipsantas	`V AOR ACT PTCP ACC M PL`	having neglected	having left behind	having left behind
`G2641-13`	Acts 18:19	κατέλιπεν	katelipen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	he left	left behind	left behind
`G2641-10`	Acts 21:3	καταλιπόντες	katalipontes	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL`	having left	having left behind	having left behind
`G2641-12`	Acts 24:27	κατέλιπε	katelipe	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	left	was leaving behind	left behind
`G2641-07`	Acts 25:14	καταλελειμμένος	kataleleimmenos	`V PRF PASS PTCP NOM M SG`	left behind	having been left behind	having been left behind
`G2641-14`	Romans 11:4	κατέλιπον	katelipon	`V AOR ACT IND 1P SG`	I have kept	they left behind	I left behind
`G2641-06`	Ephesians 5:31	καταλείψει	kataleipsei	`V FUT ACT IND 3P SG`	shall leave	he/she/it will leave behind	he will leave behind
`G2641-02`	1 Thessalonians 3:1	καταλειφθῆναι	kataleiphthenai	`V AOR PASS INF`	to be left behind	to be left behind	to be left behind
`G2641-03`	Hebrews 4:1	καταλειπομένης	kataleipomenes	`V PRS PASS PTCP GEN F SG`	being left	being left behind	being left behind
`G2641-13`	Hebrews 11:27	κατέλιπεν	katelipen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	he left	left behind	left behind
`G2641-04`	2 Peter 2:15	καταλειπόντες	kataleipontes	`V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL`	having forsaken	leaving behind	leaving behind

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