Quick Definition
I am wanting, am left behind
Strong's Definition
to leave, i.e. (intransitively or passively) to fail or be absent
Derivation: a primary verb;
KJV Usage: be destitute (wanting), lack
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
λείπω; (2 aorist subjunctive 3 person singular λιπη, Tit_3:13 T WIt marginal reading; present passive λείπομαι; from Homer down);
1. transitive, to leave, leave behind, forsake; passive to be left behind (properly, by one's rival in a race, hence), a. to lag, be inferior: ἐν μηδενί, Jas_1:4 (Herodotus 7, 8, 1); (others associate this example with the two under b.).
b. to be destitute of, to lack: with the genitive of the thing, Jas_1:5; Jas_2:15 (Sophocles, Plato, others).
2. intransitive, to be lacking or absent, to fail: λείπει τί τίνι, Luk_18:22; Tit_3:13 (Polybius 10, 18, 8; others); τά λείποντα, the things that remain (so Justin Martyr, Apology 1, 52, cf. 32; but others are lacking), Tit_1:5. (Compare: ἀπολείπω, διαλείπω, ἐκλείπω, ἐπιλείπω, καταλείπω, ἐνκαταλείπω, περιλείπω, ὑπολείπω.)
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
λείπω leipō 6x
trans. to leave, forsake;
pass. to be left, deserted; by impl. to be destitute of, deficient in, Jas_1:4-5 ; Jas_2:15 ;
intrans. to fail, be wanting, be deficient, Luk_18:22 ; Tit_1:5 ; Tit_3:13
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
λείπω ,
[in LXX : Job_4:11 , Pro_19:4 ( H6504 ), al. ;]
1. trans., to leave, leave behind; pass ., to be left behind, to lack seq . prep . (as more usual in cl .), ἐν , Jas_1:4 ; c . gen . rei , Jas_1:5 ; Jas_2:15 .
2. Intrans ., to be gone, to be wanting: c . dat . pers ., Luk_18:22 , Tit_3:13 ; τὰ λείποντα , Tit_1:5
( cf. ἀπο -, δια -, ἐκ -, ἐπι -, κατα -, ἐν -κατα -, περι -, ὑπο -λείπω ).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
λείπω [page 372]
P Amh II. 36 .12 ( c. B.C. 135) λείπω τε τὴν ὑπερβολήν , I do not exaggerate (Edd.), Preisigke 276 τάδ᾽ ἔλιπον Ἀτταλάχοις Ἡρακλῆ . As showing that the distinction between the active and the middle of the verb was carefully preserved, it may be noted that the invariable expression in Anatolian epigraphy, even of the humblest class expressed in the worst Greek, is λείπειν βίον , not λείπεσθαι (W. M. Ramsay Exp VII. vi. p. 548 f.). For the act. in the intrans. sense of am lacking, as in Luk_18:22 , we may cite Epict. ii. 14. 19 τί σοι λείπει ; and for the middle construed with ἐν , as in Jas_1:4 , cf. Preisigke 620 .6 (B.C. 97 96) where a temple that has received other honours is declared to be wanting in the right of asylum λείπεσθαι δὲ ἐν τῷ μὴ εἶναι ἄσυλον . The verb is a term. techn. in accounts to denote a deficiency, e.g. P Par 59 .11 (B.C. 160) (= Witkowski .2 , p. 76) λ (είπεται ) (δραχμαὶ ) ρ̄ν̄ε̄ . Examples of λείπομαι with a gen. of the thing wanting, as in Jas_1:5 ; Jas_2:15 , are to be found only in very late writers, such as Libanius : cf. Field Notes , p. 235. The pass. c. dat. is seen in P Tor I. 1 vii. 35 (B.C. 116) λελεῖφθαι τῇ κρίσει , causa cecidisse (Ed.), P Giss I. 69 .15 (A.D. 118 119) κρειθῇ λειπόμεθα . The Ionic form -λιμπάνω is found in Attic popular speech in the second half of iv/B.C. (Meisterhans Gr. p. 176) : cf. P Petr I. 14 .9 (a will B.C. 237) καταλιμπάνω τὰ ὑπ [άρχοντα , similarly ib. 15 .17 , and the late P Grenf I. 60 .46 (A.D. 581) κληρονόμοις κατ ]αλιμπάνειν . See also the Alexandrian Erotic Fragment ib. I. 1 .3 (ii/B.C.) με κατεφίλει ἐπιβούλως μέλλων με καταλιμπάνειν , and OGIS 519 .18, .20 ( c. A.D. 245) παραλιμπάνοντες . . . καταλιμπάνοντες . The form occurs sporadically in composition in the LXX (Thackeray Gr. i. p. 227), but in the NT only in 1Pe_2:21 , unless we add three occurrences in the Western text, Act_8:24 D, 17 .13 D, and 2Co_4:9 FG. On the variations in MSS. between ἔλειπον and ἔλιπον , see Moulton Gr. ii. § 95. MGr λείπω , fail, am wanting, am absent.
Liddell-Scott — Intermediate Greek Lexicon
λείπω [Etym: from Root ΛΙΠ] trans., "to leave, quit", Hom. , etc. "to leave behind, leave at home", id=Hom. , etc.; esp. of dying men, "to leave" (as a legacy), Il. , etc.:— so in Mid. "to leave behind one", as a memorial, Hdt. , etc. "to leave, forsake, abandon, desert, leave in the lurch", Il. , etc.; λ. ἐράνους "to fail in paying . ." , Dem. ; so, λ. δασμόν, φοράν Xen. :—conversely, λίπον ἰοὶ ἄνακτα the arrows "failed" him, Od. intr. "to be gone, to be wanting, cease, be missing", Lat. deficio, Soph. , Eur. , etc. Pass. "to be left, left behind", Hom. , etc. "to remain, remain over and above", Il. , Hdt. , etc. "to remain alive", Od. c. gen. "to be left without, to be forsaken of", σοῦ λελειμμένη Soph. ;— but, λελειμμένος δορός "left" by the spear, i. e. not slain, Aesch. "to be left behind in a race", Il. ; λελειμμένος οἰῶν "lingering behind" the sheep, Od. ; ἐς δίσκουρα λέλειπτο "he had been left behind" as much as a quoit's throw, Il. ; τοῦ κήρυκος μὴ λείπεσθαι not "to be behind" the herald, Thuc. "to come short of, be inferior, worse, weaker or less than", τινος Hdt. , attic; λέλειψαι τῶν ἐμῶν βουλευμάτων "you come short of, understand not" my plans, Eur. λείπεσθαι ἀπό τινος "to keep aloof from" one, Il. ; λ. βασιλέος or ἀπὸ βασιλέος "to desert" the king, Hdt. :—absol. "to keep aloof, be absent", id=Il. "to be wanting or lacking in" a thing, ὀδυρμάτων ἐλείπετ᾽ οὐδέν Soph. , etc.
STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Greek Lexicon
λείπω
[in LXX: Job.4:11, Pro.19:4 (פָּרַד), al. ;]
__1. trans., to leave, leave behind; pass., to be left behind, to lack before prep. (as more usual in cl.), ἐν, Jas.1:4; with genitive of thing(s), Jas.1:5 2:15.
__2. Intrans., to be gone, to be wanting: with dative of person(s), Luk.18:22, Tit.3:13; τὰ λείποντα, Tit.1:5
(cf. ἀπο-, δια-, ἐκ-, ἐπι-, κατα-, ἐν-κατα-, περι-, ὑπο-λείπω).†
(AS)
📖 In-Depth Word Study
Lacking (3007) leipo
Lacking (3007) (leipo) means to fall short, be destitute or be in need. It pictures one not possessing something which is necessary. It means to be deficient in something that ought to be present for whatever reason. It can also mean to leave, fail or forsake.
Leipo is used 6 times in the NAS...
Luke 18:22 And when Jesus heard this, He said to him, "One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess, and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." (Comment: Jesus defines the one thing that hindered the rich man from a life of discipleship. The things he had were the reason he lacked!)
Titus 1:5 (note) For this reason I left you in Crete, that you might set in order what remains, and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, (see note) (Comment: Titus was to correct and set straight certain doctrines. Presumably Paul or others had accomplished some of the correcting, but the correcting still fell short or was lacking)
James 1:4-5-note let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking (leipo) in nothing. But if any of you lacks (leipo) wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. (Comment: The ultimate goal of the trials was maturity, completeness, not lacking or being deficient in anything of spiritual value.)
James 2:15-note If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food,
Leipo is found 3 times in the Septuagint (LXX) (Job 4:11; Pr 11:3; 19:4)
This matter of assisting Christian workers on their journey is mentioned in different places by Paul (Ro 15:24 [note]; 1Cor. 16:6, 11; 2 Cor. 1:16).
Titus 3:14 Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful. (NASB: Lockman)
Greek: manthanetosan (3PPAM) de kai hoi hemeteroi kalon ergon proistasthai (PMN) eis tas anagkaias chreias, hina me osin (3SPAS) akarpoi.
Amplified: And let our own [people really] learn to apply themselves to good deeds (to honest labor and honorable employment), so that they may be able to meet necessary demands whenever the occasion may require and not be living idle and uncultivated and unfruitful lives. (Amplified Bible - Lockman)
KJV: And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.
Phillips: And our people should learn to earn what they require by leading an honest life and so be self-supporting. (Phillips: Touchstone)
Wuest: And let those also who are ours, learn to give attention to good works for necessary needs in order that they may not be unfruitful. (Eerdmans)
Young's Literal: and let them learn -- ours also -- to be leading in good works to the necessary uses, that they may not be unfruitful.
AND LET OUR PEOPLE ALSO LEARN: manthanetosan (3PPAM) de kai hoi hemeteroi:
Our people (3588) in context refers to the Christian brethren who lived in Crete. They were the Cretan converts, not just Paul’s friends.
Learn (3129) (manthano compare similar word mathetes = disciple) refers to intentional learning by inquiry and observation (cf inductive Bible study!). Manthano means to genuinely understand and accept a teaching as true and to apply it in one’s life.
Paul uses the present imperative which indicates that this instruction is mandatory and needs to be the church's lifestyle. Paul desires (and commands) for the believers on Crete to continually keep learning how to do the following actions.
This particular opportunity to help Zenas and Apollos would be a concrete example of at least one kind of good work.
McGee observes that...
We must “learn” to maintain good works. It’s something that must be worked at. A great many people think it is easy; we need to know what God considers good works, and we need to learn how to do them. (McGee, J V: Thru the Bible Commentary: Nashville: Thomas Nelson)
TO ENGAGE (give attention to) IN GOOD DEEDS: kalon ergon proistasthai (PMN) : (Acts 18:3; 20:35; Ephesians 4:28; 1Thessalonians 2:9; 2Thessalonians 3:8)
Engage (4291) (proistemi from pró = before, over + hÃstemi = place, stand) means literally to stand before and figuratively as in the present context conveys the idea to give attention to. Paul use the present tense which calls for this to be their habitual practice with the middle voice calling for their personal (reflexive) involvement.