| 23. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the conditional sequence ean oun {ἐὰν οὖν | eàn oûn}, where ean introduces a third class condition and oun marks an inference from the preceding discussion of orderly worship. The verb synelthē hē ekklēsia holē {συνέλθῃ ἡ ἐκκλησία ὅλη | synélthē hē ekklēsía hólē} forms the protasis, picturing the entire congregation assembling. The prepositional phrase epi to auto {ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ | epì tò autò} expresses spatial unity, which is naturally rendered “in the same place” or “in one place.” The coordinated clause kai pantes lalōsin glōssais {καὶ πάντες λαλῶσιν γλώσσαις | kaí pántes lalôsin glṓssais} expands the scenario: the distributive pantes with the subjunctive lalōsin emphasizes that all present are concurrently speaking, while the dative glōssais indicates the medium of speech, “in tongues” or “in languages.”
A second subjunctive clause, eiselthōsin de idiōtai ē apistoi {εἰσέλθωσιν δὲ ἰδιῶται ἢ ἄπιστοι | eisélthōsin dè idiôtai ē ápistoi}, introduces potential visitors: idiōtai (uninstructed in Christian worship or spiritual gifts) and apistoi (those without faith). The particle de marks a slight contrast between the gathered insiders and these outsiders. The apodosis is a rhetorical question: ouk erousin hoti mainesthe {οὐκ ἐροῦσιν ὅτι μαίνεσθε | ouk eroûsin hóti maínesthe}, literally “will they not say that you are mad?” The future indicative erousin presents their verdict as a predictable response, while the present mainesthe depicts the believers’ behavior as ongoingly irrational from the outsiders’ perspective. English translation mirrors the Greek conditional structure with an “if … will they not” pattern and preserves the rhetorical force by rendering it as a pointed question, while rearranging clauses slightly for smoother word order in English. |