| 19. Linguistic Exegesis The inferential conjunction dio {διὸ | diò} ‘therefore’ connects this declaration to the prior deliberation. The fronted subject ego {ἐγὼ | egṓ} ‘I’ emphasizes the speaker’s authoritative stance. The present indicative krínō {κρίνω | krínō} ‘judge’ frames this as an official ruling rather than personal opinion. The negative particle me {μὴ | mḕ} ‘not’ plus the infinitive parenochlein {παρενοχλεῖν | parenochleîn} ‘to trouble’ expresses a general prohibition, which English conveys with a finite clause. The dative article tois {τοῖς | toîs} ‘to the’ marks the indirect object, further specified by the genitive apo ton ethnōn {ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν | apò tôn ethnôn} ‘from the Gentiles.’ The participle epistrephousin {ἐπιστρέφουσιν | epistréphousin} ‘turning’ functions attributively, describing those in the process of conversion. Finally, the prepositional phrase epi ton theon {ἐπὶ τὸν θεόν | epì tón theón} ‘toward God’ identifies their goal, rendered in English as a relative clause to preserve the ongoing aspect and logical flow. |