| 29. Linguistic Exegesis The statement opens with the article-plus-conjunction ho de Paulos {ὁ δὲ Παῦλος | ho dè Paû-los} to shift the speaker to Paul. The optative verb euxaimen {Εὐξαίμην | euxaímēn} with particle an {ἂν | àn} forms a potential optative expressing a heartfelt wish directed toward the dative theō {θεῷ | theō̂}, indicating God as addressee. The paired prepositional phrases en oligō kai en megalō {ἐν ὀλίγῳ καὶ ἐν μεγάλῳ | en olígō kaí megálō} constitute a merism denoting degree (“in a little or in much”), which remains literal in the formal reconstruction. The correlative ou monon … alla kai … {οὐ μόνον … ἀλλὰ καὶ … | ou mónon … allà kaí …} expands the scope from se {σέ | sé} “you” to pantas tous akouontas mou sēmeron {πάντας τοὺς ἀκούοντάς μου σήμερον | pántas toùs akoúontas mou sḗmeron} “all who are hearing me today,” highlighting inclusivity. The infinitive genesthai {γενέσθαι | genésthai} conveys the desired transformation, with the qualitative phrase toioutous hopoios kai egō eimi {τοιούτους ὁποῖος καὶ ἐγώ εἰμι | toioútous hopoîos kaí egṓ eimí} setting Paul’s likeness as the model. Finally, the prepositional phrase parektos tōn desmōn toutōn {παρεκτὸς τῶν δεσμῶν τούτων | parektós tō̂n desmῶν toútōn} introduces an exception, explicitly excluding Paul’s chains from the desired likeness. Both reconstructions preserve the optative’s prayer nuance and the merism’s contrast. |