Lexical Summary kataloipos: Remaining, left, rest Original Word: καταλοῖπος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance residue. From kata and loipoy; left down (behind), i.e remaining (plural the rest) -- residue. see GREEK kata see GREEK loipoy NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom kata and loipos Definition remaining NASB Translation rest (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2645: κατάλοιποςκατάλοιπος, κατάλοιπον (λοιπός), left remaining: (οἱ κατάλοιποι τῶν ἀνθρώπων A. V., the residue of men), Acts 15:17. (Plato, Aristotle, Polybius; the Sept..) Topical Lexicon Biblical ContextStrong’s 2645 underlies the phrase “the rest of men” in Acts 15:17, James’s citation of Amos 9:11–12 at the Jerusalem Council. In that setting the word describes those “remaining” outside ethnic Israel whom God will draw to Himself when He “rebuilds David’s fallen tent.” The single New Testament use therefore stands at a strategic crossroads, linking the prophetic hope of a restored kingdom with the inclusion of the nations through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Old Testament Background The remnant motif threads through the Hebrew Scriptures. After judgment, God consistently preserves a group who continue His redemptive purposes: • Genesis 45:7 – Joseph explains that God sent him ahead “to preserve for you a remnant on the earth.” Amos 9:11–12 places the remnant hope within the restoration of David’s house, projecting a day when the nations themselves will be counted among the preserved people of God. Acts 15:17 and the Jerusalem Council James interprets Amos through the lens of Christ’s resurrection and exaltation: “‘After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent…so that the rest of men may seek the Lord— even all the Gentiles who bear My name’” (Acts 15:16–17). By employing the term translated “the rest,” Scripture affirms that those formerly outside covenant blessings are now welcomed without becoming Jewish proselytes. The Council thus defends Gentile freedom from circumcision while upholding Moses’s ethical core (Acts 15:19–21). Theological Significance of the Remnant 1. Divine Faithfulness. The existence of a remnant in every age demonstrates that God’s promises do not fail despite human rebellion (Romans 11:1–5). Implications for the Church • Identity. Believers, whether Jewish or Gentile, constitute the Spirit-formed remnant, heirs of the restored Davidic kingdom (1 Peter 2:9–10). Practical Ministry Applications 1. Church Planting in Overlooked Places. The term encourages labor among “the rest” who have little gospel witness, trusting God to gather His people. Historical Use in Christian Thought Early church fathers linked Amos 9:11–12 to Christ’s resurrection and the global expansion of the Church. The Reformers saw the remnant idea as proof that God preserved the gospel even within ecclesiastical corruption. In modern missions, the passage fuels confidence that unreached peoples will respond because God has His “remaining ones” among them. Related Concepts and References • Remnant – Romans 9:27–29; Romans 11:5 Summary Strong’s 2645 appears once yet carries weighty theological freight. It signals the continuity of God’s covenant faithfulness, the widening circle of His grace to encompass all nations, and the enduring calling of His people to live as the faithful remnant until Christ consummates His kingdom. Forms and Transliterations κατάλοιπα καταλοιποι κατάλοιποι καταλοίποις κατάλοιπον κατάλοιπόν κατάλοιπος καταλοίπου καταλοίπους καταλοίπω καταλοίπων καταλοχίαις καταλοχισμοίς καταλοχισμός kataloipoi katáloipoiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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