| 18. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the relative pronoun hoitines {οἵτινες | hoí-ti-nes}, which resumes the previously mentioned Roman officials and introduces a descriptive clause about them. The aorist participle anakrinantes {ἀνακρίναντές | a-na-krí-nan-tes} functions adverbially, indicating antecedent action “after examining,” and modifies the main finite verb eboulonto {ἐβούλοντο | e-boú-lon-to}. This main verb, in the imperfect middle, portrays their ongoing desire or intent, while the complementary infinitive apolysai {ἀπολῦσαί | a-po-lý-sai} specifies the content of that desire, “to release.” The causal phrase dia to medemian aitian thanatou huparchein en emoi {διὰ τὸ μηδεμίαν αἰτίαν θανάτου ὑπάρχειν ἐν ἐμοί | diá tò mē-de-mi-án ai-tí-an tha-ná-tou hy-pár-khein en e-moí} employs an articular infinitive construction, with huparchein {ὑπάρχειν | hy-pár-khein} governing the object medemian aitian thanatou. The neuter article to {τὸ | tò} plus infinitive marks a causal clause, “because there was no cause of death existing in me.” The negative adjective medemian intensifies the denial, stressing complete lack of any capital charge. In the formal rendering, the participial structure and causal linkage are preserved closely, while the dynamic rendering unpacks the judicial nuance (“thoroughly investigated,” “release”) and recasts the articular infinitive as a natural causal clause in English. |