| 28. Linguistic Exegesis The verse continues Paul’s maritime narrative by linking two depth measurements with kai {καί | kaí} ’and’. The aorist participle bolisantes {βολίσαντες | bo-lí-san-tes} ’having sounded’ precedes the aorist indicative heuron {εὗρον | heû-ron} ’they found’, marking sequence. The noun orgyias {ὀργυιὰς | or-gyi-às} ’fathoms’ is quantified by eikosi {εἴκοσι | eí-ko-si} ’twenty’ and later by dekapente {δεκαπέντε | de-ka-pén-te} ’fifteen’, indicating decreasing water depth. The participle diastesantes {διαστήσαντες | di-as-tḗ-san-tes} ’having gone farther’ together with brachy {βραχύ | bra-chý} ’a little’ specifies a brief additional movement. Repetition after palin {πάλιν | pá-lin} ’again’ reinforces the methodical verification, and the postpositive de {δέ | dé} ’but’ introduces the contrasting second measurement. This parallel structure conveys the sailors’ systematic seamanship and the imminent risk as the ship nears shore. |