ἐκλείπω

Pronunciation Guide: ek-LI-pō (with emphasis on the second syllable)

Basic Definition

Strong’s G1587: The Greek verb ἐκλείπω (ekleipō) fundamentally means “to fail, to cease, to come to an end.” It describes something that was once present but has now diminished completely or disappeared altogether. In biblical usage, it often carries the connotation of resources being exhausted, strength failing, or something coming to its completion or termination.

Etymology and Morphology

• Part of speech: Verb
• Compound word: Formed from the preposition ἐκ (ek, “out from, away from”) + λείπω (leipō, “to leave, abandon, fail”)
• Language Origin: Classical Greek
• Primary usage: Narrative sections and teaching/discourse
• Voice: Active, Middle, Passive
• Tense: Present, Future, Aorist
• Mood: Indicative, Subjunctive, Infinitive

ἐκλείπω Morphology:

• ἐκλείπω (present active indicative, 1st person singular) – I fail/cease
• ἐκλείπεις (present active indicative, 2nd person singular) – you fail/cease
• ἐκλείπει (present active indicative, 3rd person singular) – he/she/it fails/ceases
• ἐκλίπῃ (aorist active subjunctive, 3rd person singular) – he/she/it might fail/cease
• ἐκλείψουσιν (future active indicative, 3rd person plural) – they will fail/cease
• ἐκλείπειν (present active infinitive) – to fail/cease
• ἐκλίπῃ (aorist active subjunctive, 3rd person singular) – it may fail/cease

Origin & History

The verb ἐκλείπω has ancient roots in classical Greek literature, where it was used to describe the “failing” or “ceasing” of various phenomena. One of its most notable early uses was in astronomical contexts, where it described the “failing” of light during solar or lunar eclipses (our English word “eclipse” derives from this Greek term). Herodotus, in his “Histories” (7.37), used the term to describe a solar eclipse that occurred during Xerxes’ march to Greece, writing that “the sun left (ἐξέλιπε) its place in the heavens.”

In the Septuagint (LXX), ἐκλείπω appears frequently to translate Hebrew terms indicating exhaustion, completion, or termination. It appears in contexts describing physical exhaustion (as in Genesis 47:15-16 regarding Egypt’s money “failing” during the famine) and spiritual yearning (as in Psalm 84:2 where the psalmist’s soul “faints” for יהוה’s courts). By the time of the New Testament, the word carried its full semantic range of meanings relating to resources being depleted, strength failing, or something coming to its natural end.

Expanded Definitions & Translation Options

• The complete cessation or failure of something that previously existed or functioned
• The exhaustion or depletion of physical resources (money, food, strength)
• The process of fading away or gradually diminishing until complete disappearance
• The coming to an end of a defined period or appointed time
• In astronomical contexts, the obscuring of light during an eclipse

ἐκλείπω Translation Options:

• To fail – Best when describing resources that become depleted or exhausted (Luke 16:9)
• To cease – Appropriate when emphasizing the stopping of an ongoing action or state
• To come to an end – Useful when translating instances related to the completion of a predetermined period
• To give out – Effective when describing physical strength or vitality that is depleted
• To be eclipsed – In astronomical contexts only, when referring to celestial phenomena

Biblical Usage

In the New Testament, ἐκλείπω appears only three times, all in Luke’s writings. The most theologically significant usage appears in Luke 22:32, where Jesus tells Peter that He has prayed for him that his faith might not “fail” (ἐκλίπῃ). This usage beautifully contrasts with the material “failing” of wealth in Luke 16:9, showing that while earthly resources will inevitably be exhausted, faith—when supported by the Messiah’s intercession—need not fail.

In the Septuagint, ἐκλείπω appears much more frequently, often translating Hebrew terms like כָּלָה (kalah, “to end, be finished”) or תָּמַם (tamam, “to be complete, finished”). These usages typically describe the exhaustion of physical resources, the end of life, or the completion of a divinely appointed time.

• “And it shall be when it fails [ἐκλίπῃ], they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.” Luke 16:9
• “But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail [ἐκλίπῃ].” Luke 22:32
• “The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and awesome day of יהוה comes [ἐκλείπειν].” Acts 2:20 (quoting Joel 2:31)
• “The money failed [ἐξέλιπε] in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan.” Genesis 47:15 (LXX)
• “My flesh and my heart fail [ἐξέλιπεν]; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26 (LXX)

Cultural Insights

In the ancient world, the “failing” of resources was a constant and serious concern. Without modern banking systems, insurance, or social safety nets, the depletion of one’s financial resources could lead quickly to destitution. This reality adds powerful context to Jesus’ teaching in Luke 16:9 about using “unrighteous mammon” (worldly wealth) wisely before it inevitably “fails.” By encouraging disciples to use temporary resources to impact eternal outcomes, Jesus was overturning conventional financial wisdom of His day.

The astronomical usage of ἐκλείπω to describe eclipses also carried significant cultural weight. In the ancient Near East, solar and lunar eclipses were often interpreted as omens or divine signs. The prophet Joel’s apocalyptic vision (quoted in Acts 2:20) employs this imagery of celestial bodies “failing” or being eclipsed as part of the cosmic upheaval that would accompany יהוה’s day of judgment. For first-century Jews and Gentiles alike, this language would evoke feelings of cosmic significance and divine intervention in human affairs.

Theological Significance

The theological richness of ἐκλείπω reveals a profound contrast between the temporary nature of worldly resources and the eternal reliability of God’s provision. When Jesus teaches about mammon “failing” (Luke 16:9), He establishes a key principle of kingdom economics: earthly wealth is inherently temporary, but can be exchanged for eternal value when used according to divine purposes. This reveals God’s wisdom in designing even the temporary systems of this world to point toward eternal realities.

The use of ἐκλείπω in Luke 22:32 regarding faith potentially “failing” highlights the vulnerability of human faith and the essential role of divine support. Jesus’ intercession for Peter demonstrates that while human resolve may waver, divine intervention can preserve faith through its most severe tests. This beautifully illustrates the covenant faithfulness of God, who does not abandon His people even when their strength is exhausted. As the psalmist declares, “My flesh and my heart fail [ἐξέλιπεν], but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:26, LXX). When human resources reach their end, God’s resources are only beginning to be revealed.

Personal Application

Understanding ἐκλείπω challenges us to honestly assess what resources we’re depending upon. Are we building our security on things that will inevitably “fail,” or are we investing in what endures eternally? The reality that all earthly resources will eventually be exhausted should prompt us not to anxiety but to wise stewardship—using what we have been given for kingdom purposes while we have opportunity.

When we experience seasons where our strength seems to “fail,” we can take comfort in knowing that this very experience can drive us deeper into dependence on God. Like Peter, whose faith was sustained not by his own determination but by the Messiah’s intercession, we too can find supernatural strength when our natural resources are depleted. In those moments when we come to the end of ourselves, we often discover the beginning of a deeper reliance on God’s unfailing provision.

Related Words

• λείπω (leipō, “to leave, forsake, be lacking”) – The root verb from which ἐκλείπω is formed, describing a deficiency or absence. While ἐκλείπω emphasizes the process of failing or ceasing, λείπω focuses more on the resulting absence or lack. See G3007
• καταλείπω (kataleipō, “to leave behind, forsake, abandon”) – Intensifies the meaning of λείπω through the addition of the preposition κατά. While ἐκλείπω describes something failing or ceasing on its own, καταλείπω often implies a deliberate act of leaving or abandoning. See G2641
• παύω (pauō, “to stop, cease, come to an end”) – Describes the cessation of an activity or state, but without the connotation of resource depletion that ἐκλείπω carries. See G3973
• ἀφανίζω (aphanizō, “to cause to disappear, vanish away”) – Like ἐκλείπω, it describes something ceasing to exist, but carries stronger connotations of destruction or active removal rather than natural depletion. See G853
• τελέω (teleō, “to complete, finish, fulfill”) – While ἐκλείπω emphasizes the cessation or failure aspect of something ending, τελέω focuses on the completion or fulfillment of a purpose. See G5055

Did you Know?

• Did you know that our modern word “eclipse” derives directly from the Greek ἔκλειψις (ekleipsis), which is the noun form of ἐκλείπω? Ancient astronomers used this term to describe how the sun appeared to “fail” or “abandon” its place in the sky during a solar eclipse. This etymology reveals how even scientific language can carry deeper metaphorical meanings about absence and presence.
• Did you know that in ancient Jewish financial practices, the concept of resources “failing” (ἐκλείπω) was mitigated by Torah provisions like the Jubilee year, when debts were forgiven and ancestral lands returned? This system provided a practical safety net against permanent destitution and reflected God’s heart for economic restoration. Jesus’ teaching about using wealth before it “fails” (Luke 16:9) would have resonated with this redemptive economic perspective.
• Did you know that early Church Fathers like Origen used ἐκλείπω when discussing the soul’s journey toward God? In his homilies, he contrasted the “failing” of worldly passions with the enduring nature of divine love. This spiritual application extended the word’s meaning beyond material resources to describe the necessary emptying of self that precedes being filled with God’s presence.

Remember This

ἐκλείπω reminds us that in God’s economy, what fails in our hands can become eternal treasure in His—for when our resources end, His faithfulness only begins.