| 2. Linguistic Exegesis The sentence opens with the connective de {δὲ | dé}, which here marks a narrative development, linking this reaction to Paul’s preceding statement. The nominative phrase ho archiereus Hananias {ὁ ἀρχιερεύς Ἁνανίας | ho archiereús Hananías} functions as the subject, immediately identifying the institutional authority responsible for the action. The aorist verb epetaxen {ἐπέταξεν | epétaxen} provides the main assertion, portraying a decisive, summary command rather than an ongoing action. The dative phrase tois parestōsin autō {τοῖς παρεστῶσιν αὐτῷ | tois parestôsin autô} consists of the article plus perfect active participle with a dative pronoun, literally “the ones having stood by him,” indicating attendants currently positioned at his side and serving as indirect objects who receive the order. The infinitive typtein {τύπτειν | túptein} functions as a complementary infinitive expressing the content of the command, equivalent to “to strike.” The genitive autou {αὐτοῦ | autoû} and accusative to stoma {τὸ στόμα | to stóma} specify the precise target, “his mouth,” narrowing the action to a symbolic attack on speech rather than a general blow. In English, the participial phrase is rendered as “those standing near him” and “those beside him” to maintain the sense of attendant bystanders, while the infinitive clause is expressed with a finite verb (“to strike,” “to hit”) to produce natural narrative flow without losing the force of the original command. |