| 25. Linguistic Exegesis This closing benediction is a concise nominal sentence whose implied verbal idea is supplied contextually as a wish. The nominative phrase he charis {ἡ χάρις | hē khá-ris} functions as the subject, understood as the familiar, specific grace that has been a major theme of the letter. The prepositional phrase meta panton hymon {μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν | metá pántōn hymôn} expresses association, indicating that this grace is envisioned as accompanying the recipients. The genitive plural panton hymon {πάντων ὑμῶν | pántōn hymôn} stresses total inclusivity, embracing every member of the community. In translation, the implicit optative sense is brought out with “The grace be with” in the formal version and “May grace be with” in the dynamic version, both preserving the blessing function while making the Greek nominal structure natural in English. |