| 16. Linguistic Exegesis The sentence begins with kekrikei gar ho Paulos {κεκρίκει γὰρ ὁ Παῦλος | kekríkei gár ho Paûlos}, where the perfect verb placed first highlights a settled prior decision, with the explanatory “for” linking back to the travel narrative. The infinitive parapleusai {παραπλεῦσαι | parapleûsai} depends on kekrikei and takes Epheson {Ἔφεσον | Épheson} as its object, expressing Paul’s deliberate choice to bypass the city. The clause introduced by hopos mē {ὅπως μὴ | hópōs mḗ} is a purpose clause, “so that not,” followed by the aorist middle subjunctive genetai {γένηται | génētai} used impersonally with the dative plus infinitive construction: auto chronotribesai {αὐτῷ χρονοτριβῆσαι | autō̂ chronotribêsai}, “it might happen to him to spend time,” emphasizing avoidance of delay in Asia {Ἀσίᾳ | Asíā}. A new explanatory clause starts with espeuden gar {ἔσπευδεν γὰρ | éspeuden gár}, the imperfect indicating ongoing haste during the journey. This is further qualified by the conditional phrase ei dynaton eie autō {εἰ δυνατὸν εἴη αὐτῷ | ei dynatón eíē autō̂}, an open condition expressing uncertainty about feasibility. The infinitival phrase ten hēmeran tēs pentekostēs genesthai eis Hierosolyma {τὴν ἡμέραν τῆς πεντηκοστῆς γενέσθαι εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα | tḕn hēméran tēs pentēkostēs genésthai eis Hierosólyma} functions as the content of what he desired, specifying the temporal goal of being in Jerusalem on Pentecost. English rendering maintains the causal and purposive connectors (“for,” “so that,” “because”) and represents the infinitival constructions with natural finite clauses while preserving the sequence of motivation and purpose. |