| 3. Linguistic Exegesis tote {τότε | tó-te} ‘then’ introduces a temporal progression. Three aorist participles—nesteusantes {νηστεύσαντες | nē-steú-san-tes}, proseuxamenoi {προσευξάμενοι | pro-seuxá-me-noi}, and epithentes {ἐπιθέντες | e-pi-thén-tes}—function as circumstantial participles in the nominative plural, describing preliminary acts of fasting, praying, and laying on of hands. The phrase tas cheiras {τὰς χεῖρας | tás kheî-ras} with the dative autois {αὐτοῖς | au-toîs} specifies the recipients of the laying on of hands. The main verb apelysan {ἀπέλυσαν | a-pé-lu-san} in the aorist indicative conveys the decisive act of sending or releasing. Greek clusters the participles before the verb to pack the liturgical sequence; English renders them with temporal clauses or non-finite clauses to preserve order and emphasis on commissioning. |