"to leave behind; to leave behind at death, Mk. 12:19; to relinquish, let remain, Mk. 14:52; to quit, depart from, forsake, Mt. 4:13; 16:4; to neglect, Acts 6:2; to leave alone, or without assistance, Lk. 10:40; to reserve, Rom. 11:4"
Definition and meaning
to leave behind; to leave behind at death, Mk. 12:19; to relinquish, let remain, Mk. 14:52; to quit, depart from, forsake, Mt. 4:13; 16:4; to neglect, Acts 6:2; to leave alone, or without assistance, Lk. 10:40; to reserve, Rom. 11:4
In the original Greek the word is written: καταλείπω
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 kataleipo (G2641) across the King James Bible.
And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:
A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.
And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man's brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.
And he left all, rose up, and followed him.
But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
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Common questions
Strong's G2641 (kataleipo) is a Greek word that means: to leave behind; to leave behind at death, Mk. 12:19; to relinquish, let remain, Mk. 14:52; to quit, depart from, forsake, Mt. 4:13; 16:4; to neglect, Acts 6:2; to leave alone, or without assistance, ... It appears 25 times in the King James Bible.
The word kataleipo (G2641) appears 25 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G2641 is kataleipo, a Greek word defined as: to leave behind; to leave behind at death, Mk. 12:19; to relinquish, let remain, Mk. 14:52; to quit, depart from, forsake, Mt. 4:13; 16:4; to neglect,. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
kataleipo is a Greek word found in the New Testament.