| 24. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the adversative particle all {ἀλλʼ | all} setting a sharp contrast with the preceding concerns about suffering and imprisonment. The main clause is oudenos logou poioumai ten psuchen timian emauto {οὐδενὸς λόγου ποιοῦμαι τὴν ψυχὴν τιμίαν ἐμαυτῷ}, where the idiom logou poioumai {λόγου ποιοῦμαι} “to make of account” expresses valuation. Paul negates this by placing oudenos {οὐδενὸς | ou-de-nòs} “of nothing” before logou, indicating that he does not treat his life as having any comparative value for himself. The object ten psuchen timian emauto {τὴν ψυχὴν τιμίαν ἐμαυτῷ} “my life as precious to myself” makes explicit that it is his own life that is being relativized. The particle hos {ὡς | hôs} introduces a purpose nuance “so as, in order that,” governing the aorist infinitive teleiosai {τελειῶσαι | te-lei-ô-sai} “to complete,” which takes as its objects both ton dromon mou {τὸν δρόμον μου | tòn dró-mon mou} “my course” and ten diakonian {τὴν διακονίαν | tḕn di-a-ko-ní-an} “the ministry.” The relative clause hen elabon para tou kuriou Iesou {ἣν ἔλαβον παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ | hḕn é-la-bon parà toû ku-rí-ou Iē-soû} modifies diakonian, specifying that this ministry is received “from the Lord Jesus,” making His commissioning the basis of Paul’s mission. The infinitive diamarturasthai {διαμαρτύρασθαι | di-a-mar-týr-as-thai} is epexegetical, further defining the ministry as the solemn task “to testify” concerning the content expressed by the accusative object to euangelion tes charitos tou theou {τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς χάριτος τοῦ θεοῦ | tò eu-an-gé-li-on tês chá-ri-tos toû the-oû} “the gospel of the grace of God.” The sequence of infinitives after hos creates a compact purpose structure: Paul discounts his own life in order to finish his course and ministry, which in turn consists in bearing witness to this grace-centered gospel. |