| 2. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the perfect verb proeireka {προείρηκα | proeírēka} meaning “I have said before,” establishing a completed warning, which is immediately reinforced by the present prolego {προλέγω | prolégō} “I say beforehand,” indicating a continuing admonition. The particle hos {ὡς | hōs} introduces a manner comparison hos paron to deuteron {ὡς παρὼν τὸ δεύτερον | hōs parṓn tò deúteron}, literally “as though present the second time,” with the participle paron {παρὼν | parṓn} functioning temporally. This is counterbalanced by kai apon nyn {καὶ ἀπὼν νῦν | kaí apṓn nŷn}, “and now being absent,” contrasting past presence with current absence. The coordinated dative phrases tois proemartekosin {τοῖς προημαρτηκόσιν | toîs proēmartēkósi(n)} and tois loipois pasin {τοῖς λοιποῖς πᾶσιν | toîs loipoîs pâsin} mark the recipients: those who have already sinned and all the rest. The conjunction hoti {ὅτι | hóti} introduces the object clause containing a conditional with the particle ean {ἐὰν | eán} plus aorist subjunctive eltho {ἔλθω | élthō} “if I come,” followed by the apodosis ou pheisomai {οὐ φείσομαι | ou pheísomai} “I will not spare,” using the future middle to express decisive disciplinary intent. The translation preserves the progression: prior warning, renewed warning, recipients, condition, and consequence, mirroring Paul’s rhetorical build-up. |