| 34. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the contrastive phrase tines de andres {τινὲς δὲ ἄνδρες | tinès dè ándres} “but some men,” setting these hearers in contrast to the scoffers previously mentioned. The aorist passive participle kollēthentes {κολληθέντες | kol-lē-thén-tes} precedes the main verb episteusan {ἐπίστευσαν | e-pí-steu-san}, forming a participle–finite verb sequence where the joining to Paul and the believing are closely linked actions, either sequential or nearly simultaneous. The dative autō {αὐτῷ | au-tō} marks the person to whom they attached themselves. The prepositional phrase en hois {ἐν οἷς | en hois} introduces a relative clause “among whom,” within which Luke highlights specific examples. Dionysios ho Areopagitēs {Διονύσιος ὁ Ἀρεοπαγίτης | Di-o-ný-si-os ho A-re-o-pa-gí-tēs} presents a named male convert whose title associates him with the Areopagus council, conveying social significance. The structure gynē onomati Damāris {γυνὴ ὀνόματι Δάμαρις | gy-nē o-nó-ma-ti Dá-ma-ris} uses the dative onomati adverbially, “by name,” to underline that the woman Damaris is also a noteworthy believer. The final coordinate phrase kai heteroi syn autois {καὶ ἕτεροι σὺν αὐτοῖς | kaí hé-te-roi syn au-tois} widens the circle with “others with them,” employing syn plus the dative to stress association and shared participation. In English, the participle is rendered as a finite verb (“joined”) alongside “believed” to maintain clarity, while the relative clause is represented with “among whom” so that the named individuals remain exemplars within a larger group of new believers. |