"to leave, leave behind; to forsake, abandon, Mt. 27:46; Mk. 15:34; Acts 2:27, 30; Rom. 9:29; 2 Cor. 4:9; 2 Tim. 4:10, 16; Heb. 10:25; 13:5* See abandon; desert; forsake."
Definition and meaning
to leave, leave behind; to forsake, abandon, Mt. 27:46; Mk. 15:34; Acts 2:27, 30; Rom. 9:29; 2 Cor. 4:9; 2 Tim. 4:10, 16; Heb. 10:25; 13:5* See abandon; desert; forsake.
In the original Greek the word is written: ἐγκαταλείπω
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of enkataleipo (G1459) across the King James Bible.
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.
Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
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Common questions
Strong's G1459 (enkataleipo) is a Greek word that means: to leave, leave behind; to forsake, abandon, Mt. 27:46; Mk. 15:34; Acts 2:27, 30; Rom. 9:29; 2 Cor. 4:9; 2 Tim. 4:10, 16; Heb. 10:25; 13:5* See abandon; desert; forsake. It appears 9 times in the King James Bible.
The word enkataleipo (G1459) appears 9 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G1459 is enkataleipo, a Greek word defined as: to leave, leave behind; to forsake, abandon, Mt. 27:46; Mk. 15:34; Acts 2:27, 30; Rom. 9:29; 2 Cor. 4:9; 2 Tim. 4:10, 16; Heb. 10:25; 13:5* See abando. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
enkataleipo is a Greek word found in the New Testament.