| 7. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the prepositional phrase eis hen {εἰς ἣν | eis hēn} ‘to which’, which points back to the promise mentioned in the previous verse and introduces the goal of Israel’s longing. The articular compound subject to dodeka-phylon hemon {τὸ δωδεκάφυλον ἡμῶν | tò dōde-ká-phy-lon hēmōn} ‘our twelve-tribe’ presents Israel as a single collective entity defined by its tribal structure. The prepositional phrase en ekteneia {ἐν ἐκτενείᾳ | en ek-te-neí-ā} ‘in earnestness’ modifies the circumstantial participle latreuon {λατρεῦον | la-treû-on} ‘serving, worshiping’, specifying the manner of their religious service. The accusative pair nykta kai hemeran {νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν | Nýk-ta kaì hē-MÉ-ran} ‘night and day’ expresses continual duration, reinforcing the unceasing nature of the worship. The combination of the present participle latreuon with the present indicative elpizei {ἐλπίζει | el-pí-zei} ‘hopes’ portrays ongoing worship intertwined with ongoing expectation, while the aorist infinitive katantesai {καταντῆσαι | ka-tan-tê-sai} ‘to attain’ supplies the content or goal of that hope. The relative clause peri hes elpidos {περὶ ἧς ἐλπίδος | pe-rì hēs el-pí-dos} ‘concerning which hope’ shifts the focus from Israel’s service to Paul’s legal situation, with the passive verb enkaloumai {ἐγκαλοῦμαι | en-ka-loû-mai} ‘I am accused’ and the agent phrase hypo Ioudaiōn {ὑπὸ Ἰουδαίων | hy-pò Iou-daí-ōn} ‘by Jews’ naming the source of the charges. The closing vocative basileu {βασιλεῦ | ba-si-leû} ‘O king’ personalizes the address to Agrippa. In translation, the long Greek sentence is divided into two sentences to make the progression from Israel’s persistent service to Paul’s accusation clear, while preserving the double reference to the same hope. |