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Welcome to Lesson 144 of the Ecclesiastical Latin Reading Course, presented by the Latinum Institute. This lesson explores the verb relinquō, relinquere, relīquī, relictum, one of the most theologically significant verbs in the Latin Bible. From the disciples abandoning their nets at Christ’s call to Peter’s momentous declaration “Ecce nōs relīquimus omnia” (Behold, we have left all things), this verb pulses at the heart of Christian renunciation and conversion.
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FAQ: What does relinquō mean in Ecclesiastical Latin? The verb relinquō means “I leave behind, I abandon, I forsake, I relinquish.” In ecclesiastical contexts, it carries the profound spiritual sense of renouncing worldly attachments to follow Christ. The perfect passive participle relictus, -a, -um appears constantly in Vulgate narratives, particularly in the ablative absolute construction (relictīs rētibus — “the nets having been left behind”). Its compound form dērelinquō expresses utter abandonment, reaching its theological summit in Christ’s cry from the Cross: “Deus meus, ut quid dēreliquistī mē?”
Grammar Focus: This lesson emphasizes the ablative absolute construction with relictīs, the perfect active forms (relīquī, relīquimus), and the semantic range of abandonment from physical departure to spiritual renunciation.
• Principal Parts: relinquō, relinquere, relīquī, relictum — 3rd conjugation verb with nasal infix (-n-) that disappears in the perfect stem • Ecclesiastical Pronunciation: /re.ˈliŋ.kwo/ (Italianate), with -qu- pronounced as /kw/ • Ablative Absolute: relictīs + ablative noun = “having left X” — the most frequent Vulgate construction • Theological Resonance: Central to vocation narratives, monastic renunciation, and the theology of evangelical poverty • Key Vulgate Passages: Matthew 4:20, Matthew 19:27, Matthew 19:29, Proverbs 9:6
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This section presents 15 example sentences using the Duplex Method. Line ‘a’ provides direct script-to-meaning glossing for immediate comprehension. Line ‘b’ adds phonetic guidance with IPA transcription.
1.1a Discipulī rētia relīquērunt.
Discipulī the-disciples rētia nets relīquērunt left-behind
1.1b Discipulī (dis.ˈtʃi.pu.liː) the-disciples rētia (ˈreː.ti.a) nets relīquērunt (re.liː.ˈkweː.runt) left-behind
1.2a Ecce nōs relīquimus omnia.
Ecce behold nōs we relīquimus have-left omnia all-things
1.2b Ecce (ˈet.tʃe) behold nōs (noːs) we relīquimus (re.ˈliː.kwi.mus) have-left omnia (ˈom.ni.a) all-things
1.3a Relictīs rētibus Dominum secūtī sunt.
Relictīs having-left rētibus nets Dominum the-Lord secūtī having-followed sunt they-are
1.3b Relictīs (re.ˈlik.tiːs) having-left rētibus (ˈreː.ti.bus) nets Dominum (ˈdo.mi.num) the-Lord secūtī (se.ˈkuː.tiː) having-followed sunt (sunt) they-are
1.4a Mundus ā sanctīs relinquitur.
Mundus the-world ā by sanctīs the-saints relinquitur is-abandoned
1.4b Mundus (ˈmun.dus) the-world ā (aː) by sanctīs (ˈsaŋk.tiːs) the-saints relinquitur (re.ˈliŋ.kwi.tur) is-abandoned
1.5a Relinquite infantiam et vīvite.
Relinquite forsake infantiam childishness et and vīvite live
1.5b Relinquite (re.ˈliŋ.kwi.te) forsake infantiam (in.ˈfan.ti.am) childishness et (et) and vīvite (ˈviː.vi.te) live
1.6a Quī relīquit patrem propter Christum praemium accipiet.
Quī whoever relīquit has-left patrem father propter for Christum Christ praemium reward accipiet will-receive
1.6b Quī (kwiː) whoever relīquit (reˈliː.kwit) has-left patrem (ˈpa.trem) father propter (ˈprop.ter) for Christum (ˈkris.tum) Christ praemium (ˈprae.mi.um) reward accipiet (ak.ˈtʃi.pi.et) will-receive
1.7a Diabolus relīquit Iēsum post tentātiōnēs.
Diabolus the-devil relīquit left Iēsum Jesus post after tentātiōnēs the-temptations
1.7b Diabolus (di.ˈa.bo.lus) the-devil relīquit (reˈliː.kwit) left Iēsum (ˈjeː.sum) Jesus post (post) after tentātiōnēs (ten.taː.ti.ˈoː.neːs) the-temptations
1.8a Relictā cīvitāte Nazarēth vēnit Capharnaum.
Relictā having-left cīvitāte city Nazarēth Nazareth vēnit he-came Capharnaum to-Capernaum
1.8b Relictā (reˈlik.taː) having-left cīvitāte (tʃiː.vi.ˈtaː.te) city Nazarēth (ˈna.za.reːt) Nazareth vēnit (ˈveː.nit) he-came Capharnaum (ka.ˈfar.na.um) to-Capernaum
1.9a Monachī vītam priōrem relinquunt ut Deō serviant.
Monachī monks vītam life priōrem former relinquunt abandon ut so-that Deō God serviant they-may-serve
1.9b Monachī (ˈmo.na.kiː) monks vītam (ˈviː.tam) life priōrem (pri.ˈoː.rem) former relinquunt (re.ˈliŋ.kwunt) abandon ut (ut) so-that Deō (ˈde.oː) God serviant (ˈser.vi.ant) they-may-serve
1.10a Relictīs omnibus quae possidēbat pauper Christum secūtus est.
Relictīs having-left omnibus all-things quae which possidēbat he-possessed pauper the-poor-man Christum Christ secūtus having-followed est is
1.10b Relictīs (re.ˈlik.tiːs) having-left omnibus (ˈom.ni.bus) all-things quae (kwae) which possidēbat (pos.si.ˈdeː.bat) he-possessed pauper (ˈpaw.per) the-poor-man Christum (ˈkris.tum) Christ secūtus (se.ˈkuː.tus) having-followed est (est) is
1.11a At illī continuō relictīs rētibus secūtī sunt eum.
At but illī they continuō immediately relictīs having-left rētibus nets secūtī having-followed sunt are eum him
1.11b At (at) but illī (ˈil.liː) they continuō (kon.ˈti.nu.oː) immediately relictīs (re.ˈlik.tiːs) having-left rētibus (ˈreː.ti.bus) nets secūtī (se.ˈkuː.tiː) having-followed sunt (sunt) are eum (ˈe.um) him
1.12a Illī autem statim relictīs rētibus et patre secūtī sunt eum.
Illī they autem moreover statim immediately relictīs having-left rētibus nets et and patre father secūtī having-followed sunt are eum him
1.12b Illī (ˈil.liː) they autem (ˈaw.tem) moreover statim (ˈsta.tim) immediately relictīs (re.ˈlik.tiːs) having-left rētibus (ˈreː.ti.bus) nets et (et) and patre (ˈpa.tre) father secūtī (se.ˈkuː.tiː) having-followed sunt (sunt) are eum (ˈe.um) him
1.13a Tunc respondens Petrus dīxit eī ecce nōs relīquimus omnia et secūtī sumus tē.
Tunc then respondens answering Petrus Peter dīxit said eī to-him ecce behold nōs we relīquimus have-left omnia all-things et and secūtī having-followed sumus we-are tē you
1.13b Tunc (tuŋk) then respondens (re.ˈspon.dens) answering Petrus (ˈpe.trus) Peter dīxit (ˈdiːk.sit) said eī (ˈe.iː) to-him ecce (ˈet.tʃe) behold nōs (noːs) we relīquimus (re.ˈliː.kwi.mus) have-left omnia (ˈom.ni.a) all-things et (et) and secūtī (se.ˈkuː.tiː) having-followed sumus (ˈsu.mus) we-are tē (teː) you
1.14a Et omnis quī relīquit domum vel frātrēs aut patrem propter nōmen meum centuplum accipiet.
Et and omnis everyone quī who relīquit has-left domum house vel or frātrēs brothers aut or patrem father propter for nōmen name meum my centuplum hundredfold accipiet will-receive
1.14b Et (et) and omnis (ˈom.nis) everyone quī (kwiː) who relīquit (re.ˈliː.kwit) has-left domum (ˈdo.mum) house vel (vel) or frātrēs (ˈfraː.treːs) brothers aut (awt) or patrem (ˈpa.trem) father propter (ˈprop.ter) for nōmen (ˈnoː.men) name meum (ˈme.um) my centuplum (tʃen.ˈtu.plum) hundredfold accipiet (ak.ˈtʃi.pi.et) will-receive
1.15a Ambulāte per viās prūdentiae quī infantiam relīquistis.
Ambulāte walk per through viās ways prūdentiae of-prudence quī you-who infantiam childishness relīquistis have-forsaken
1.15b Ambulāte (am.bu.ˈlaː.te) walk per (per) through viās (ˈvi.aːs) ways prūdentiae (pruː.ˈden.ti.ae) of-prudence quī (kwiː) you-who infantiam (in.ˈfan.ti.am) childishness relīquistis (re.liː.ˈkwis.tis) have-forsaken
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This section presents 15 complete sentences demonstrating natural ecclesiastical Latin usage of relinquō and its forms.
2.1 Sanctus Antōnius eremīta dīvitiās relīquit et in dēsertum sēcessit. Saint Anthony the hermit left behind his riches and withdrew into the desert.
2.2 Quī vult mē sequī, relinquat sēmetipsum et tollat crucem suam. Whoever wishes to follow me, let him abandon himself and take up his cross.
2.3 Relictīs parentibus, puella monastērium ingressa est. Having left her parents, the girl entered the monastery.
2.4 Nōlīte cor vestrum in dīvitiīs relinquere quae pereunt. Do not leave your heart in riches which perish.
2.5 Apostolī gaudentēs relinquēbant omnia propter Ēvangelium. The apostles were joyfully leaving behind all things for the sake of the Gospel.
2.6 Mundus ā fidēlibus relinquendus est ut rēgnum caelōrum adipīscātur. The world must be abandoned by the faithful so that the kingdom of heaven may be attained.
2.7 Deus numquam relinquit eōs quī in eum spērant. God never abandons those who hope in him.
2.8 Relictā vītā priōre, catēchūmenus baptismum accēpit. Having left behind his former life, the catechumen received baptism.
2.9 Sapientia clāmat: Relinquite stultitiam et vīvētis in aeternum. Wisdom cries out: Forsake foolishness and you will live forever.
2.10 Monachī quī sēculum relīquērunt in ōrātiōne persevērant. The monks who have abandoned the world persevere in prayer.
2.11 Relictīs nāvibus et patre suō, Iācōbus et Iōannēs Magistrum secūtī sunt. Having left behind the boats and their father, James and John followed the Master.
2.12 Beātī quī omnia relīquērunt propter Chrīstum: ipsi centuplum recipient. Blessed are they who have left all things for Christ: they themselves will receive a hundredfold.
2.13 Abbas monuit novitium nē familiam relinqueret sine vērā vōcātiōne. The abbot warned the novice not to leave his family without a true vocation.
2.14 Vidua relicta ā virō in templō Dominum laudābat diē noctūque. The widow, left behind by her husband, was praising the Lord in the temple day and night.
2.15 Nē relinquās mē, Domine, in hōrā mortis meae. Do not abandon me, Lord, in the hour of my death.
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A novice (Novitius) seeks counsel from an abbot (Abbas) regarding his vocation to religious life. This dialogue demonstrates authentic ecclesiastical Latin usage of relinquō in the context of monastic profession and spiritual discernment.
COLLOQUIUM DE VŌCĀTIŌNE RELIGIŌSĀ (A Dialogue on Religious Vocation)
3.1 Novitius: Pater Abbas, cōgitō dē professione religiōsā; quid relinquere dēbeō? Father Abbot, I am thinking about religious profession; what must I abandon?
3.2 Abbas: Fīlī, quī religiōsam vītam prōfitētur, mundum relīquit cum omnibus vanitātibus eius. Son, whoever professes the religious life has left behind the world with all its vanities.
3.3 Novitius: Timeō familiam meam relinquere; parentēs meī senēs sunt. I fear to leave behind my family; my parents are elderly.
3.4 Abbas: Mementō verbōrum Dominī: “Quī relīquit patrem aut mātrem propter mē, centuplum accipiet.” Remember the words of the Lord: “Whoever has left father or mother for my sake will receive a hundredfold.”
3.5 Novitius: Discipulī quōmodō Christum secūtī sunt, cum rētia relīquissent? How did the disciples follow Christ, when they had left behind their nets?
3.6 Abbas: Relictīs omnibus rēbus, līberī factī sunt ad Ēvangelium praedicandum. Having left behind all things, they became free to preach the Gospel.
3.7 Novitius: Quid sī dīvitiās relinquere nōn possum sine dolōre magnō? What if I am unable to leave behind riches without great sorrow?
3.8 Abbas: Dolor ipse signum est amōris; sed Christus maiōra rēlinquentī maiōra prōmittit. The sorrow itself is a sign of love; but Christ promises greater things to the one leaving behind greater things.
3.9 Novitius: Lēgī dē sanctō Antōniō quī omnem possessiōnem relīquit. I have read about Saint Anthony who abandoned all his possessions.
3.10 Abbas: Ita vērō; relictīs agrīs et dōmibus, in sōlitūdinem dēsertī prōcessit. Indeed so; having left behind fields and houses, he went forth into the solitude of the desert.
3.11 Novitius: Nōnne Deus umquam servōs suōs relinquit in tentātiōnibus? Does God never abandon his servants in temptations?
3.12 Abbas: Numquam. Ipse dīxit: “Nōn tē relinquam neque dērelinquam.” Never. He himself said: “I will not leave you nor utterly forsake you.”
3.13 Novitius: Ergō sī mundum relinquō, Deus mē numquam relinquet? Therefore if I abandon the world, God will never abandon me?
3.14 Abbas: Certē. Quī sēculum relinquit propter Christum, Christum ipsum invenit. Certainly. Whoever abandons the world for Christ’s sake, finds Christ himself.
3.15 Novitius: Grātiās agō, Pater. Parātus sum omnia relinquere et Dominum sequī. I give thanks, Father. I am prepared to leave behind all things and follow the Lord.
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The following authentic passages from the Latin Vulgate and ecclesiastical tradition demonstrate the theological depth of relinquō:
Proverbiōrum 9:6 (Proverbs 9:6)
“Relinquite infantiam, et vīvite, et ambulāte per viās prūdentiae.” “Forsake childishness, and live, and walk by the ways of prudence.”
Matthaeus 4:20 (Matthew 4:20)
“At illī continuō relictīs rētibus secūtī sunt eum.” “And they immediately, having left their nets behind, followed him.”
Matthaeus 4:22 (Matthew 4:22)
“Illī autem statim relictīs rētibus et patre, secūtī sunt eum.” “And they immediately, having left their nets and father behind, followed him.”
Matthaeus 19:27 (Matthew 19:27)
“Tunc respondens Petrus dīxit eī: Ecce nōs relīquimus omnia, et secūtī sumus tē: quid ergō erit nōbīs?” “Then Peter answering said to him: Behold, we have left all things, and followed you: what therefore shall we have?”
Matthaeus 19:29 (Matthew 19:29)
“Et omnis quī relīquit domum vel frātrēs aut sorōrēs aut patrem aut mātrem aut uxōrem aut fīliōs aut agrōs propter nōmen meum, centuplum accipiet et vītam aeternam possidēbit.” “And everyone who has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall possess life everlasting.”
The verb relinquō stands at the threshold of Christian discipleship, marking the decisive moment when the soul turns from created goods to the uncreated Good. In the Vulgate’s economy of salvation, to abandon all is to gain all.
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Lesson 144 of the Ecclesiastical Latin Reading Course © Latinum Institute Latinum Institute PublicationsThe Latinum Institute has been creating educational language learning resources online since 2006, including Latin (our audio materials are at Latinum on Patreon), our sister site is patreon.com/LatinumBooks for long form fiction.
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