| 2. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the prepositional phrase kata to eiothos {κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς | ka-tà tò ei-ō-thòs}, which foregrounds Paul’s habitual behavior by using an articular perfect participle functioning substantivally, “according to what was customary.” The loosely attached dative phrase tō Paulō {τῷ Παύλῳ | tôi Paú-lōi} indicates that this custom belongs specifically to Paul, giving a frame of regular practice before the narrative action. The aorist main verb eisēlthen {εἰσῆλθεν | ei-sêl-then} introduces the first action, followed by the directional prepositional phrase pros autous {πρὸς αὐτοὺς | pròs au-toús}, producing in English the clause “Paul went in to them,” with the subject supplied from context. The coordinating conjunction kai {καί | kaí} links this to a second aorist verb, dielexato {διελέξατο | di-e-lé-xa-to}, so that the Greek depicts two sequential actions: entering and then reasoning. The temporal phrase epi sabbata tria {ἐπὶ σάββατα τρία | e-pì sáb-ba-ta trí-a} uses epi with the accusative to denote duration, “for three Sabbaths,” which is rendered with an English prepositional phrase adjacent to the second verb to clarify that the reasoning occurred repeatedly over that period. The dative pronoun autois {αὐτοῖς | au-toîs} functions as an indirect object with dielexato, “he reasoned with them,” preserving the interpersonal nature of the exchange. Finally, apo tōn graphōn {ἀπὸ τῶν γραφῶν | a-pò tôn gra-phôn} employs apo with the genitive to mark source, “from the Scriptures,” signaling that the content of Paul’s reasoning is drawn out of the written sacred texts. The English reconstructions maintain this clausal sequence and the temporal and source relations while smoothing idiom and clarifying implicit subjects. |