What does ἐγκαταλείπω (enkataleípō) mean in the Bible?
ἐγκαταλείπω (enkataleípō): To abandon or forsake someone completely, especially in crisis or need; covenant-breaking desertion.
Greek · G1459
ἐγκαταλείπω
To leave behind
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
ἐγκαταλείπω G1459
Pronunciation enkataleípō
What does ἐγκαταλείπω (enkataleípō) mean in the Bible?
ἐγκαταλείπω (enkataleípō): To abandon or forsake someone completely, especially in crisis or need; covenant-breaking desertion.
Full entry for ἐγκαταλείπω (G1459) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G1459?
The BSB source-word alignment has 10 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include have You forsaken (2), deserted (1), forsaken (1), had left (1), has deserted (1).
Where does ἐγκαταλείπω (enkataleípō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 27:46. Its strongest book concentrations include 2 Timothy (2), Acts (2), Hebrews (2), 2 Corinthians (1).
Are there verse guides for ἐγκαταλείπω (enkataleípō)?
This entry includes 1 verse guide that explain exact original-language forms in context.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It have You forsaken 2× Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34
deserted 1× 2 Timothy 4:16
forsaken 1× 2 Corinthians 4:9
had left 1× Romans 9:29
has deserted 1× 2 Timothy 4:10
He was not abandoned 1× Acts 2:31
Let us not neglect 1× Hebrews 10:25
will I forsake 1× Hebrews 13:5
You will not abandon 1× Acts 2:27
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 27:46 ἐγκατέλιπες to have You forsaken Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular Mark 15:34 ἐγκατέλιπές to have You forsaken Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular Acts 2:27 ἐνκαταλείψεις to You will not abandon Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular Acts 2:31 ἐνκατελείφθη to He was not abandoned Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular Romans 9:29 ἐγκατέλιπεν to had left Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 2 Corinthians 4:9 ἐγκαταλειπόμενοι to forsaken Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural 2 Timothy 4:10 ἐγκατέλιπεν to has deserted Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 2 Timothy 4:16 ἐγκατέλιπον to deserted Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Hebrews 10:25 ἐγκαταλείποντες to Let us not neglect Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural Hebrews 13:5 ἐγκαταλίπω to will I forsake Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 27:46
Aligned rows 10
Books represented 7
Matthew 1 Mark 1 Acts 2 Romans 1 2 Corinthians 1 2 Timothy 2 Hebrews 2
Source forms
ἐγκατέλιπεν 2x enkatelipen Romans 9:29, 2 Timothy 4:10
ἐγκαταλειπόμενοι 1x enkataleipomenoi 2 Corinthians 4:9
ἐγκαταλείποντες 1x enkataleipontes Hebrews 10:25
ἐγκαταλίπω 1x enkatalipō Hebrews 13:5
ἐγκατέλιπες 1x enkatelipes Matthew 27:46
ἐγκατέλιπές 1x enkatelipes Mark 15:34
ἐγκατέλιπον 1x enkatelipon 2 Timothy 4:16
ἐνκαταλείψεις 1x enkataleipseis Acts 2:27
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular 2x Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 2x Romans 9:29, 2 Timothy 4:10
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural 1x 2 Timothy 4:16
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular 1x Acts 2:31
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Singular 1x Hebrews 13:5
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular 1x Acts 2:27
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural 1x Hebrews 10:25
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural 1x 2 Corinthians 4:9
Key Verse and Form Guides
Verse-level guides showing how this original-language form works in its specific context, including grammar, verse function, and guarded interpretation.
Evidence Summary
Revelation
Greek word. To abandon or forsake someone completely, especially in crisis or need; covenant-breaking desertion.
Source Gloss
to leave behind
Extended definition Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
To abandon or forsake someone completely, especially in crisis or need; covenant-breaking desertion.
1to leave behind: ἡμῖν σπέρμα, Rom.9:29 (LXX).
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
9 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
egkatelipev
I abandon, desert
Read verse Mark 15:34 Verb Second Person Singular Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἐγκατέλιπες; egkatelipev
I abandon, desert
Read verse Acts 2:27 Verb Second Person Singular Future Active Indicative
ἐγκαταλείψεις egkataleiyeiv
I abandon, desert
Read verse Romans 9:29 Verb Third Person Singular Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἐγκατέλιπεν egkatelipen
I abandon, desert
Read verse 2 Corinthians 4:9 Verb Present Passive Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
ἐγκαταλειπόμενοι· egkataleipomenoi
I abandon, desert
Read verse 2 Timothy 4:10 Verb Third Person Singular Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἐγκατέλιπεν, egkatelipen
I abandon, desert
Read verse 2 Timothy 4:16 Verb Third Person Plural Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἐγκατέλιπον· egkatelipon
I abandon, desert
Read verse Hebrews 10:25 Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
ἐγκαταλείποντες egkataleipontev
I abandon, desert
Read verse Hebrews 13:5 Verb First Person Singular Second Aorist Active Subjunctive
ἐγκαταλίπω. egkatalipw
I abandon, desert
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 3 Aligned forms 10 Tenses Aorist, Future, Present Voices Active, Passive
Tenses
Voices
Indicative states a fact or reality 7×
Future Active Acts 2:27 1×
Aorist Passive Acts 2:31 1×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 2×
Present Passive 2 Cor 4:9 1×
Present Active Heb 10:25 1×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 1×
Aorist Active Heb 13:5 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 10 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist 7 present 2 future 1
Voice
active 8 passive 2
Mood
indicative 7 participle 2 subjunctive 1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 27:46 ἐγκατέλιπες aorist active indicative completed Mark 15:34 ἐγκατέλιπές aorist active indicative completed Acts 2:27 ἐγκαταλείψεις future active indicative prospective Acts 2:31 ἐγκατελείφθη aorist passive indicative completed Romans 9:29 ἐγκατέλιπεν aorist active indicative completed 2 Corinthians 4:9 ἐγκαταλειπόμενοι present passive participle participle 2 Timothy 4:10 ἐγκατέλιπεν aorist active indicative completed 2 Timothy 4:16 ἐγκατέλιπον aorist active indicative completed Hebrews 10:25 ἐγκαταλείποντες present active participle participle Hebrews 13:5 ἐγκαταλίπω aorist active subjunctive subjunctive
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
New Testament Witnesses
to abandon or forsake
forsaken
Additional Occurrences
Mark 15:33–41 ἐγκαταλείπω enkataleípō
to forsake; abandon
Showing 3 selected witnesses from 10 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
ἐγκαταλείπω is built from these roots:
Why This Word Matters
Indicates covenantal abandonment under judgment. 2 Timothy 4:9-15
The word captures the painful reality of relational abandonment in ministry. Mark 15:33–41
Canonical Themes
Revelation
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain