| 20. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the conjunction kai {καὶ | kaí} linking this statement to the preceding narrative, followed by the temporal conjunction hote {ὅτε | hóte} introducing a temporal subordinate clause: “when the blood was being poured out.” The verb exechynneto {ἐξεχύννετο | exechýnneto} is an imperfect middle or passive indicative, portraying the outpouring of Stephen’s blood as an ongoing process in past time. The subject of this clause is the articular noun phrase to haima Stephanou tou martyros sou {τὸ αἷμα Στεφάνου τοῦ μάρτυρός σου | tò haîma Stephánou toû mártyrós soú}, in which the genitives Stephanou and tou martyros sou are in apposition, identifying Stephen as “Your witness.” The pronoun sou {σου | soú} indicates direct address to the exalted Lord who is speaking in the wider context, so the genitive construction expresses belonging and commissioning (“the witness who is Yours”).
After the temporal clause, the focus shifts to Paul’s role, introduced with kai autos {καὶ αὐτὸς | kaí autós}, where autos serves as an intensive pronoun: “I Myself.” This nominative phrase is linked with the imperfect verb emēn {ἤμην | ḗmēn} and followed by a chain of participles: ephestōs {ἐφεστὼς | ephestṓs}, suneudokōn {συνευδοκῶν | suneudokôn}, and phylassōn {φυλάσσων | phylássōn}. The perfect participle ephestōs depicts Paul as standing by in a settled, resultant state, while the present participles suneudokōn and phylassōn describe simultaneous, ongoing actions of approving and guarding. Syntactically, these participles are circumstantial, elaborating how Paul “was” present during Stephen’s death. The direct object of phylassōn is ta himatia {τὰ ἱμάτια | tà himátia}, expanded by the genitive participial phrase tōn anairountōn auton {τῶν ἀναιρούντων αὐτόν | tôn anairoúntōn autón}, literally “of the ones killing him.” The present participle anairountōn, used substantivally with the genitive article, characterizes the executioners by their violent action. In translation, the compressed participial chain is unpacked into coordinated finite verbs and verbal phrases in English to preserve the sequence, simultaneity, and emphasis on Paul’s active complicity while maintaining the temporal “when” clause as the frame for the entire description. |