ἀπολείπω
apoleípō
G620 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To leave behind, to depart and not take with, to abandon. In various contexts: (1) to leave someone or something in a place, (2) to leave survivors (those who remain after others depart or perish), (3) to forsake or desert, often with a sense of deliberate abandonment, (4) passively, to remain (be left behind). The core sense involves separation by departing and leaving something or someone in a prior location or situation.
Semantic Range
to leave behind, to abandon or forsake, to allow to remain, to leave survivors, to leave a remnant, to be left over, to remain
Root / Etymology
From ἀπό (away from) + λείπω (to leave, to omit, to forsake), forming a compound with the sense 'to leave away from, to leave behind.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
Attested from classical Greek onward, ἀπολείπω retains a literal meaning ('to leave behind') but develops more nuanced senses in Hellenistic and Koine Greek, including that of abandonment or deliberate forsaking. In the Septuagint, it often translates Hebrew roots meaning 'to leave' or 'to remain over,' sometimes signifying survivors or a remnant (e.g., remnant of a people left after disaster). In the New Testament, both the active sense ('to leave behind, to forsake') and passive sense ('to be left behind, to remain') are attested. English translations may render the word as 'leave,' 'abandon,' 'forsake,' or 'remain,' sometimes failing to mark the distinction between deliberate abandonment and mere remainder.
Translation Consistency
ἀπολείπω most commonly means to leave someone/something behind or to abandon/forsake; English 'leave' naturally covers active leaving, abandoning, and passive being left/remained. It is the most common, idiomatic choice that can be consistently inflected across all forms.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ἀπό and λείπω; to leave behind (passively, remain); by implication, to forsake:--leave, remain.
Root Family
ἀπολείπω (apoleipō) — to leave, to abandon, to remain
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G620-02 |
ἀπολείπεται | apoleipetai | V PRS PASS IND 3P SG |
remains | is left behind | is left behind | 3 |
G620-01 |
ἀπέλιπον | apelipon | V AOR ACT IND 1P SG |
I left | I left behind | I left behind | 3 |
G620-03 |
ἀπολιπόντας | apolipontas | V AOR ACT PTCP ACC M PL |
abandoned | having left behind | having left behind | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
7 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G620-01 |
2 Timothy 4:13 | ἀπέλιπον | apelipon | V AOR ACT IND 1P SG |
I left | I left behind | I left behind |
G620-01 |
2 Timothy 4:20 | ἀπέλιπον | apelipon | V AOR ACT IND 1P SG |
I left | I left behind | I left behind |
G620-01 |
Titus 1:5 | ἀπέλιπόν | apelipon | V AOR ACT IND 1P SG |
I left | I left behind | I left behind |
G620-02 |
Hebrews 4:6 | ἀπολείπεται | apoleipetai | V PRS PASS IND 3P SG |
it remains | is left behind | is left behind |
G620-02 |
Hebrews 4:9 | ἀπολείπεται | apoleipetai | V PRS PASS IND 3P SG |
remains | is left behind | remains |
G620-02 |
Hebrews 10:26 | ἀπολείπεται | apoleipetai | V PRS PASS IND 3P SG |
remains | is left behind | is left behind |
G620-03 |
Jude 1:6 | ἀπολιπόντας | apolipontas | V AOR ACT PTCP ACC M PL |
abandoned | having left behind | having left behind |