| 25. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with kai nyn {καὶ νῦν | kaí nŷn} ‘and now,’ marking a transition to Paul’s concluding exhortation. The interjection idou {ἰδοὺ | idoú} ‘behold’ adds urgency and draws attention. The explicit subject ego oida {ἐγὼ οἶδα | egṓ oî-da} uses the perfect indicative to assert Paul’s settled knowledge of future events. This leads into a hoti {ὅτι | hó-ti} clause that reports the content of his awareness. Within that clause, the adverb ouketi {οὐκέτι | ou-ké-ti} ‘no longer’ precedes opsesthe {ὄψεσθε | óp-se-sthe} ‘you will see,’ stressing the finality of the separation. The accusative object to prosopon mou {τὸ πρόσωπόν μου | tó pró-sō-pon mou} ‘my face’ highlights the cessation of his personal presence. The appositional hymeis pantes {ὑμεῖς πάντες | hy-meîs pán-tes} ‘you all’ clarifies that Paul addresses every member of the audience. The relative prepositional phrase en hois {ἐν οἷς | en hoîs} ‘among whom’ introduces the participial clause dielthon kerysson {διῆλθον κηρύσσων | di-êl-thon kē-rýs-sōn}, combining an aorist indicative with a present participle to portray Paul’s past itinerant ministry characterized by ongoing proclamation. The noun ten basileian {τὴν βασιλείαν | tēn basileían} ‘the kingdom’ functions as the direct object of kerysson, presupposing “of God” from the broader narrative. English translation maintains the Greek clause order, preserving the emphasis on Paul’s foreknowledge and the definitive nature of the farewell, while integrating the relative participle phrase to convey the context of his mission. |