καταλείπω

I leave behind, abandon

Definition

The verb καταλείπω (kataleipō) carries the core meaning of leaving something or someone behind, often with a sense of permanence or significant consequence. In its most common sense, it means to abandon, forsake, or desert, as when Jesus leaves Nazareth (Matthew 4:13) or when a young man abandons his cloak and flees (Mark 14:52). It also has a more neutral or positive sense of leaving something remaining or reserved, such as leaving a remnant (Romans 11:4). A crucial theological usage is found in the context of marriage, where it describes a man leaving his parents to be united with his wife (Matthew 19:5, Mark 10:7), implying a deliberate departure to establish a new primary bond.

Biblical Usage

This verb is used 24 times in the New Testament across the Gospels, Acts, and the Epistles. In the Gospels, it frequently describes physical departure (e.g., Matthew 21:17, Luke 5:28) and is central to Jesus's teaching on marriage. In narrative contexts, it often conveys abandonment (Mark 14:52). In the Epistles, it is used for God not forsaking His people (Hebrews 13:5) and for Paul leaving coworkers in a location (Titus 1:5). The Sadducees also use it in a hypothetical about a man dying and 'leaving' a wife (Mark 12:19).

Etymology

The word is a compound of the preposition κατά (kata), meaning 'down' or 'against,' and the root verb λείπω (leipō), meaning 'to leave' or 'to be lacking.' This combination intensifies the sense of leaving, often with the connotation of leaving something behind permanently or in a certain state. It shares its root with words like λείπω (G3007) and ὑπολείπω (G5275, to leave behind).

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant, especially in its use in the creation narrative quoted by Jesus (Matthew 19:5, Mark 10:7). Here, 'leaving' (καταλείπω) one's parents is the foundational act that establishes the covenant of marriage, highlighting its deliberate and binding nature. Furthermore, its use in passages about God's faithfulness (e.g., Hebrews 13:5, quoting Deuteronomy 31:6) powerfully contrasts human abandonment with divine constancy, enriching our understanding of God's unwavering commitment.

In the Greco-Roman and Jewish cultural context, 'leaving' in the marriage sense (Matthew 19:5) involved a social and economic separation from the father's household to form a new, independent family unit. This was a serious legal and relational shift, not merely a change of address. The concept of abandoning or forsaking (e.g., Mark 14:52) carried a strong stigma of shame and failure, making its application to God's promise never to forsake His people (Hebrews 13:5) especially powerful.

ἀφίημι (aphiēmi, G863) — a broader term for sending away, forgiving, or permitting; often less permanent. λείπω (leipō, G3007) — the simpler root, meaning to leave or lack, without the compounded intensity. ἐγκαταλείπω (egkataleipō, G1459) — a strengthened form with the prefix 'en,' meaning to utterly abandon or desert, used for profound forsaking (e.g., Matthew 27:46).

Word Details

Scripture References