| 36. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the aorist verb apengeilen {ἀπήγγειλεν | apḗngeilen} as the main action, followed by its subject ho desmophylax {ὁ δεσμοφύλαξ | desmophýlax} “the jailer,” illustrating the verb-first narrative order. The object tous logous toutous {τοὺς λόγους τούτους | toús lógous toútous} “these words” identifies the message content, and the prepositional phrase pros ton Paulon {πρὸς τὸν Παῦλον | pròs tón Paûlon} marks Paul as recipient. The conjunction hoti {ὅτι | hóti} introduces reported speech, which is rendered directly for clarity. Within the quotation, apestalkan hoi strategoi {Ἀπέσταλκαν οἱ στρατηγοὶ | apéstalkan hoí stratēgoí} “the magistrates have sent orders” uses a perfect verb to emphasize the settled decree. The purpose clause hina apolythete {ἵνα ἀπολυθῆτε | hína apolythḗte} “that you may be released” conveys the intended legal outcome. The particles nyn oun {νῦν οὖν | nûn oûn} “now therefore” signal transition to the commands. The participle exelthontes {ἐξελθόντες | exelthóntes} “having gone out” precedes the imperative poreuesthe {πορεύεσθε | poreúesthe} “go,” preserving the Greek participle–imperative sequence. The final prepositional phrase en eirenē {ἐν εἰρήνῃ | en eirḗnē} functions as a traditional dismissal formula, here translated into English as “go in peace” to maintain its idiomatic closure. |