| 35. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the fronted object panta {πᾶντα | pânta} ‘all things’, emphasizing the comprehensive nature of Paul’s instruction, followed by hupedeixa {ὑπέδειξα | hupedeîxa} ‘I showed’, which frames Paul’s conduct as an example. The conjunction hoti {ὅτι | hóti} introduces a content clause specifying what was shown. Within that clause, houtōs {οὕτως | hoûtōs} ‘in this way’ modifies the participle kopiōntas {κοπιῶντας | kopiṓntas} ‘laboring’, indicating manner. The impersonal verb dei {δεῖ | deî} ‘it is necessary’ governs two infinitives, antilambanesthai {ἀντιλαμβάνεσθαι | antilambánesthai} ‘to help’ and mnēmoneuein {μνημονεύειν | mnēmoneúein} ‘to remember’, linked by the enclitic te {τε | te}, coordinating practical action and ongoing recollection. The genitive participle phrase tōn asthenountōn {τῶν ἀσθενούντων | tōn astheneún-tōn} denotes “the weak” as beneficiaries. The second infinitive takes the object tōn logōn {τῶν λόγων | tōn lógōn} ‘the words’, defined by the genitive tou kuriou Iēsou {τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ | toû kyríou Iēsou} ‘of the Lord Jesus’, grounding the exhortation in Jesus’ teaching. A second hoti introduces the content of that saying. Autos {αὐτός | autós} ‘He Himself’ intensifies the subject, emphasizing Jesus as the direct speaker. The comparative predicate makarion estin mallon didonai ē lambanein places makarion {μακάριον | makárion} ‘blessed’ first for emphasis, modified by mallon {μᾶλλον | mãllon} ‘rather’, contrasting the infinitives didonai {διδόναι | didónai} ‘to give’ and lambanein {λαμβάνειν | lambánein} ‘to receive’. This yields the maxim “It is (much) more blessed to give than to receive,” preserving the logical contrast and imperative force of dei. |