| 1. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with kai {Καί | Kaí} marking a continuation of the narrative. The noun tines {τινες | tines} “some” functions as an indefinite subject, immediately specified by the participle katalthontes apo tēs Ioudaias {καταλθόντες ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰουδαίας | katalthóntes apó tēs Ioudaías} “having come down from Judea,” which attaches origin and authority. The imperfect edidaskon {ἐδίδασκον | edídascon} “were teaching” expresses a sustained action directed at the brothers, adelphous {ἀδελφοὺς | adelphoús}, a term for fellow believers. The content clause introduced by hoti {ὅτι | hóti} conveys a reported assertion, with ean mḕ peritmethete {Ἐὰν μὴ περιτμηθῆτε | Eàn mḕ peritmēthête} forming a third-class conditional protasis that emphasizes a real possibility. The dative tō ethei tō Mōuseōs {τῷ ἔθει τῷ Μωϋσέως | tō éthei tō Mōuséōs} “according to the custom of Moses” uses the dative of standard to indicate the measure for circumcision. The apodosis ou dunasthe sōthēnai {οὐ δύνασθε σωθῆναι | ou dýnasthe sōthênai} combines a negative particle with a verb of ability and an infinitive to assert the inability to attain salvation apart from this requirement, placing the condition before the result to highlight the contentious demand. |