Group embracing first of evangelists, cardinal left (9)
I believe the answer is:
remaining
'left' is the definition.
(I know that left can be written as remaining)
'group embracing first of evangelists cardinal' is the wordplay.
'group' becomes 'ring' (a ring is a criminal organisation).
'embracing' indicates putting letters inside.
'first of evangelists' becomes 'e' (1st letter of 'evangelists').
'cardinal' becomes 'main' (cardinal can mean very important).
'e'+'main'='emain'
'ring' going around 'emain' is 'REMAINING'.
(Other definitions for remaining that I've seen before include "Residual" , "still here" , "Surviving" , "Staying" , "Left" .)