| 15. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with parakalō {Παρακαλῶ | pa-ra-ka-lô} ‘I urge’, a first person singular verb introducing Paul’s appeal, followed by the postpositive particle de {δὲ | de}, which links and softly contrasts this exhortation with the wider context. The vocative adelphoi {ἀδελφοί | a-del-phoí} ‘brothers’ addresses the community intimately. The perfect verb oidate {οἴδατε | oî-da-te} ‘you know’ presumes shared awareness of the accusative object tēn oikian Stephana {τὴν οἰκίαν Στεφανᾶ | tḗn oi-kí-an Ste-pha-nâ}, indicating the family unit led by Stephanas. The conjunction hoti {ὅτι | ho-ti} introduces the content clause with two coordinated assertions: estin aparchē tēs Akhaïas {ἐστὶν ἀπαρχὴ τῆς Ἀχαΐας | es-tín a-par-khḗ tēs A-kha-í-as} marks the household as the first segment of converts in Achaia, using a cultic metaphor of firstfruits, and eis diakonian tois hagiois etaxan heautous {εἰς διακονίαν τοῖς ἁγίοις ἔταξαν ἑαυτούς | eis di-a-ko-ní-an tois ha-gí-ois é-ta-xan he-au-toús} describes their deliberate dedication of themselves to serving the holy ones, with the accusative diakonian expressing purpose and the dative tois hagiois identifying beneficiaries. Paul preserves the Greek sequence of appeal, assumed knowledge, and commendation in the translation. |