verb
kataleipamō
Strong’sG2641
I leave behind, abandon
stem kataleip-24 times in the New Testamentin 10 of 27 books14 forms occur
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
καταλείπω means to leave behind — a person, a place, or a thing — whether by walking or sailing away from it, or by dying and leaving others behind 124.
It also means to forsake or abandon, giving up a place, a course of action, or a person, such as leaving a spouse or leaving behind a former way of life 124.
It can further mean to leave remaining or reserve, as of something kept back or a group of people preserved rather than lost 123.
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
κατα-λείπω,
[in LXX chiefly far שׁאר, ni., hi., also for עזב, יתר, etc.;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G2641 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
later καταλιμπάνω (which see), Epic dialect also καλλείπω Refs 8th c.BC+: future καλλείψω Refs: aorist κάλλῐπον Refs: aorist 1 subjunctive καλλείψῃς Refs 4th c.AD+; participle καλλείψας Refs 2nd c.AD+; Ionic dialect iterative καταλίπεσκε (κατελίπεσκε, καταλειπέεσκε codices) Refs 5th c.BC+: perfect -λέλοιπαRefs 5th c.BC+ —middle, future καταλείψομαι (in passive sense) Refs 5th c.BC+: aorist 2 -ελιπόμηνRefs 5th c.BC+:—passive, future καταλειφθήσομαι Refs 5th c.BC+:—leave behind, πὰρ δ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ὄχεσφιν ἄλλον.. κάλλιπεν Refs 8th c.BC+; especially of persons dying or going into a far country, κὰδ δέ με Χήρην λείπεις ἐν μεγάροισι Refs 8th c.BC+ —middle, καταλείπεσθαι παῖδας leave behind one, Refs 5th c.BC+:— passive, to be left, remain behind, κατελέλειπτο ἐν Πέρσῃσι Refs 5th c.BC+ a force left behind the rest, Refs 5th c.BC+
2 bequeath, [τόξον] παιδὶ κάλλιπ᾽ ἀποθνῄσκων Refs 8th c.BC+; παισὶν αἰδῶ οὐ Χρυσὸν κ. Refs 5th c.BC+infinitive, εἰ καταλείψει μηδὲ ταφῆναι not enough to be buried with, Refs 5th c.BC+ —passive, [Χρήματα] καταλειφθέντα Refs 4th c.BC+
2.b κ. διαθήκας leave a will (when going on service), Refs
3 middle, leave in a certain state, κόλπον βαθὺν καταλιπόμενος τοῦ κιθῶνος Refs 5th c.BC+
II forsake, abandon, οὕτω δὴ μέμονας Τρώων πόλιν.. καλλείψει; Refs 8th c.BC+; πολλοὺς καταλείψομεν we shall leave many upon the field,Refs: with infinitive, κάλλιπεν οἰωνοῖσιν ἕλωρ καὶ κύρμα γενέσθαι Refs 8th c.BC+; σχεδίην ἀνέμοισι φέρεσθαι κRefs 5th c.BC+; πατέρας καὶ ξυγγενεῖς ἀτίμους κ. Refs; κ. τὴν δίαιταν not to appear at the trial, Test. cited in Refs 4th c.BC+
II.2 let drop, give up, τὰ αὑτῶν ἔργα Refs 5th c.BC+
III leave remaining, ὀκτὼ μόνον Refs 5th c.BC+ codices; κ. ἄφοδον leave an exit, Refs:—middle, κ. στενὴν διέξοδον Refs 5th c.BC+; -λείπεσθαι ἑαυτῷ reserve for oneself, Refs 5th c.BC+:—passive, to be left, remain, τίς ἔτι ἡδονὴ -λείπετα; NT+5th c.BC+; of the remainder in calculations, Refs 3rd c.BC+ with infinitive, it remains that.. , τὸν κόσμον κ. ἀθάνατον εἶμεν Aristaeusap.Refs 1st c.AD+; -λείπεται μάχη yet remains to be fought, Refs 5th c.BC+
III.2 leave alone, opposed to περιαιρέω, Refs 4th c.BC+
III.2.b leave undisputed, τὰς παραλλαγάς Refs 1st c.BC+: hence, admit, allow the truth of a doctrine, Refs 2nd c.BC+:—passive, Refs 1st c.BC+
III.2.c omit, with infinitive, Refs 3rd c.AD+
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Biblang forms
What the New Testament actually uses, first — the whole system this verb is built from is one click further down.
| Form and the Greek behind it | What it is | Usually | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| kataleipatōκαταλείπει | happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular | leave | 1× |
| kataleipateκατέλειπεν | was happening · he/she/itimperfect active indicative 3rd person singular | left | 1× |
| kataleipatiκαταλείψει | will happen · he/she/itfuture active indicative 3rd person singular | leave | 3× |
| kataleipamaΚατέλιπον | happened · Iaorist active indicative 1st person singular | kept | 1× |
| kataleipataκατέλιπεν | happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular | left | 3× |
| kataleipalaκατέλιπον | happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural | left | 1× |
| kataleipitaκατελείφθη | happened · he/she/itaorist passive indicative 3rd person singular | left | 1× |
| kataleipateiaκαταλίπῃ | happened · he/she/itaorist active subjunctive 3rd person singular | leaves behind | 1× |
| kataleipiraκαταλειφθῆναι | happened · the “to …” formaorist passive infinitive | left | 1× |
| kataleiporōntauκαταλειπομένης | happening now · of, belonging topresent middle or passive participle genitive singular feminine | remains | 1× |
| kataleiparantosκαταλιπὼν | happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative singular masculine | left | 6× |
| kataleiparantoisκαταλιπόντες | happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative plural masculine | left | 2× |
| kataleiparantoinκαταλείψαντας | happened · objectaorist active participle accusative plural masculine | neglect | 1× |
| kataleiporēntosκαταλελειμμένος | has happened · subjectperfect middle or passive participle nominative singular masculine | left | 1× |
Every form the New Testament uses, in paradigm order. What the system can build beyond them — the whole of this verb, whether the text happens to use it or not — is in the tables below.
Every form the system can build — all 172, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses
Statements — indicative mood, 11 occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | kataleipamō | kataleipame | kataleipami | kataleipama1×Κατέλιπον | kataleipamē | kataleipamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | kataleipasō | kataleipase | kataleipasi | kataleipasa | kataleipasē | kataleipaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kataleipatō1×καταλείπει | kataleipate1×κατέλειπεν | kataleipati3×καταλείψει | kataleipata3×κατέλιπεν | kataleipatē | kataleipatelē |
| we 1st person plural | kataleipanō | kataleipane | kataleipani | kataleipana | kataleipanē | kataleipanelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | kataleipavō | kataleipave | kataleipavi | kataleipava | kataleipavē | kataleipavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | kataleipalō | kataleipale | kataleipali | kataleipala1×κατέλιπον | kataleipalē | kataleipalelē |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | kataleipomō | kataleipome | kataleipomē | kataleipomelē |
| you 2nd person singular | kataleiposō | kataleipose | kataleiposē | kataleiposelē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kataleipotō | kataleipote | kataleipotē | kataleipotelē |
| we 1st person plural | kataleiponō | kataleipone | kataleiponē | kataleiponelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | kataleipovō | kataleipove | kataleipovē | kataleipovelē |
| they 3rd person plural | kataleipolō | kataleipole | kataleipolē | kataleipolelē |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | will happen future | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | kataleipimi | kataleipima |
| you 2nd person singular | kataleipisi | kataleipisa |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kataleipiti | kataleipita1×κατελείφθη |
| we 1st person plural | kataleipini | kataleipina |
| ye 2nd person plural | kataleipivi | kataleipiva |
| they 3rd person plural | kataleipili | kataleipila |
May, might — subjunctive mood, 1 occurrence
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | kataleipameiō | kataleipameia | kataleipameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | kataleipaseiō | kataleipaseia | kataleipaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kataleipateiō | kataleipateia1×καταλίπῃ | kataleipateiē |
| we 1st person plural | kataleipaneiō | kataleipaneia | kataleipaneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | kataleipaveiō | kataleipaveia | kataleipaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | kataleipaleiō | kataleipaleia | kataleipaleiē |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | kataleipomeiō | kataleipomeiē |
| you 2nd person singular | kataleiposeiō | kataleiposeiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kataleipoteiō | kataleipoteiē |
| we 1st person plural | kataleiponeiō | kataleiponeiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | kataleipoveiō | kataleipoveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | kataleipoleiō | kataleipoleiē |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | kataleipimeia |
| you 2nd person singular | kataleipiseia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kataleipiteia |
| we 1st person plural | kataleipineia |
| ye 2nd person plural | kataleipiveia |
| they 3rd person plural | kataleipileia |
Commands — imperative mood, no occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | kataleipasōr | kataleipasar | kataleipasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kataleipatōr | kataleipatar | kataleipatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | kataleipavōr | kataleipavar | kataleipavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | kataleipalōr | kataleipalar | kataleipalēr |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | kataleiposōr | kataleiposēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kataleipotōr | kataleipotēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | kataleipovōr | kataleipovēr |
| they 3rd person plural | kataleipolōr | kataleipolēr |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | kataleipisar |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kataleipitar |
| ye 2nd person plural | kataleipivar |
| they 3rd person plural | kataleipilar |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | kataleipamoiō | kataleipamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | kataleipasoiō | kataleipasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kataleipatoiō | kataleipatoia |
| we 1st person plural | kataleipanoiō | kataleipanoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | kataleipavoiō | kataleipavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | kataleipaloiō | kataleipaloia |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | kataleipomoiō |
| you 2nd person singular | kataleiposoiō |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kataleipotoiō |
| we 1st person plural | kataleiponoiō |
| ye 2nd person plural | kataleipovoiō |
| they 3rd person plural | kataleipoloiō |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | kataleipimoia |
| you 2nd person singular | kataleipisoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kataleipitoia |
| we 1st person plural | kataleipinoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | kataleipivoia |
| they 3rd person plural | kataleipiloia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, 1 occurrence
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | kataleiparō | kataleipari | kataleipara | kataleiparē |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | kataleiporō | kataleiporē | ||
| acted on passive voice | kataleipiri | kataleipira1×καταλειφθῆναι |
Used as an adjective — participle, 11 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | kataleiparōntos | kataleiparintos | kataleiparantos9×καταλιπὼν | kataleiparēntos |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | kataleiporōntos1× | kataleiporēntos1×καταλελειμμένος | ||
| acted on passive voice | kataleipirintos | kataleipirantos |
Each is given in the form it takes as a subject. From there a participle carries the ordinary noun endings, in every case, number and gender — so these four columns are the whole of what the verb contributes.
How every form is built — the slots that make them
kataleip is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
24 occurrences, every one of them listed
kataleipatō“leave”happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular1×
Luke 15:4… kai apolarantos ek auteiu henem ouk kataleipatō teim enenēkonta ennea en ta erēma …… loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the pasture and …
kataleipate“left”was happening · he/she/itimperfect active indicative 3rd person singular1×
Luke 10:40… hoti tas adelfas mu monan min kataleipate diakonarō? legasar oun auta hina mi …… not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her …
kataleipati“leave”will happen · he/she/itfuture active indicative 3rd person singular3×
Matthew 19:5kai legata; Heneka houteu kataleipati anthrōpos ton patron kai tan mētēran …… For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be …
Mark 10:7heneken houteu kataleipati anthrōpos ton patron autou kai tan …‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be …
Ephesians 5:31anti houteu kataleipati anthrōpos ton patron kai tan mētēran …“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be …
kataleipama“kept”happened · Iaorist active indicative 1st person singular1×
Romans 11:4“kept”alla tinem legatō auto tos chrēmatismos? Kataleipama miauto heptakischilioi androin, hotinois ouk kamptala …And what was the divine reply to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee …
kataleipata“left”happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular3×
Acts 18:19katantala de eis Efesan, kakeinoin kataleipata autou, autos de eisercharantos eis tan …When they reached Ephesus, Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went …
Acts 24:27… charitan katatithera toi Ioudaioi tos Fēlikos kataleipata ton Paulon dorēnton.… do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison.
Hebrews 11:27pistia kataleipata Aiguptan, mē fobirantos ton thumon tou …By faith Moses left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger …
kataleipala“left”happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural1×
Luke 20:31“left”… hōsautōs de kai tois hepta ouk kataleipala tekneim kai apothnēskala;… the widow, and in the same way all seven died, leaving no children.
kataleipita“left”happened · he/she/itaorist passive indicative 3rd person singular1×
John 8:9… henos archerantois apo toiu presbuteroiu, kai kataleipita monos, tos Iēsus kai tas gunaikas …… older ones, until only Jesus was left, with the woman standing there.
kataleipateia“leaves behind”happened · he/she/itaorist active subjunctive 3rd person singular1×
Mark 12:19“leaves behind”… hoti ean tinou adelfos apothnēskateia kai kataleipateia gunaikan kai mē afiēkateia teknem, hina …… for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the …
kataleipira“left”happened · the “to …” formaorist passive infinitive1×
1 Thessalonians 3:1Dio mēketi stegarōntois eudokana kataleipira en Athēnai monois,… longer, we were willing to be left on our own in Athens.
kataleiporōntau“remains”happening now · of, belonging topresent middle or passive participle genitive singular feminine1×
Hebrews 4:1“remains”Fobineia oun mēpote kataleiporōntau epangeliau eiserchara eis tan katapausian autou …Therefore, while the promise of entering His rest still stands …
kataleiparantos“left”happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative singular masculine6×
Matthew 4:13kai kataleiparantos tan Nazara ercharantos katoikata eis Kafarnaoum …Leaving Nazareth, He went and lived in …
Matthew 16:4… ei mē tem sēmem Iōnou. kai kataleiparantos autoin aperchata.… the sign of Jonah.” Then He left them and went away.
Matthew 21:17kai kataleiparantos autoin exerchata exō tau polau eis …Then He left them and went out of the …
Mark 12:21“leaving”… deuteros labata autan, kai apothnēskata mē kataleiparantos spermem, kai tos tritos hōsautōs;Then the second one married the widow, but he also died and left no children. And the third did likewise.
Mark 14:52“left”tos de kataleiparantos tan sindonan gumnos fugata.but he pulled free of the linen cloth and ran away naked.
Luke 5:28kai kataleiparantos panteim anastēarantos akolouthate auto.and Levi got up, left everything, and followed Him.
kataleiparantois“left”happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative plural masculine2×
Acts 21:3“leaving”anafanarantois de tan Kupran kai kataleiparantois autan euōnuman plane eis Surian, kai …After sighting Cyprus and passing south of it, we sailed on to Syria and landed at …
2 Peter 2:15kataleiparantois euthuan hodan planila, exakoloutharantois ta hoda …They have left the straight way and wandered off …
kataleiparantoin“neglect”happened · objectaorist active participle accusative plural masculine1×
Acts 6:2… mathētoiu legala; Ouk arestem atō nin kataleiparantoin ton logon tou theou diakonarō trapezai;… It is unacceptable for us to neglect the word of God in order …
kataleiporēntos“left”has happened · subjectperfect middle or passive participle nominative singular masculine1×
Acts 25:14… ton Paulon legarōntos; Andros tinos atō kataleiporēntos hupo Fēlikou desmios,… is a certain man whom Felix left in prison.